Antara: 3D Printing to Teach Better

Today’s generation finds itself amidst a whirlwind of pressing social issues, such as Global Warming, Sanitation, and Resource Scarcity. Despite the urgent need to address these challenges, there remains a significant lack of awareness among the populace, particularly in underprivileged communities.

While some individuals within the underprivileged population may possess a basic awareness of these social issues, many tend to overlook them due to a lack of understanding of their underlying rationale. This stems from a broader deficiency in well-informed awareness, where individuals are often provided with mere lists of dos and don'ts without delving into the why and how of these issues. This issue extends beyond marginalized communities to encompass various socio-economic classes within the population.

A primary contributing factor to this problem is the inadequacy of the current education system. Upgrading the education system could serve as a pivotal step towards fostering a deeper understanding of these social issues. Presently, the learning medium in India predominantly relies on rote learning methods, devoid of practical applications. Consequently, while certain topics related to social issues may be included in the curriculum, they often remain superficial, failing to instill a comprehensive understanding among students. This educational approach also fails to stimulate interest among children, thereby inhibiting their inclination to delve further into these subjects.

The gravity of this issue is particularly pronounced within underprivileged communities, where access to alternative educational resources is severely limited. For many of these children, even obtaining a basic level of education presents a significant challenge. 

In essence, the current educational methodologies fall short in adequately educating the population about the prevalent social issues, highlighting the need for a more reformed approach in teaching about these issues.

By using visual-kinesthetic learning through the form of 3D printed educational tools, Antara aims to teach children about social issues through a deeper understanding of scientific concepts . 

Such a solution primarily works with in-house designed 3d printed tools which are diy models where students can assemble these models themselves to understand the concept better. 

These models along with an extensive visual guide which builds upon the experience of using the 3D models to further illustrate the scientific concept along with the underlying social issues. 

As an example: 

A 3D printed virus model, where each major part of the virus is given in parts to fit into to create a simplified model of the covid virus. This model along with a visual guide or book can be used to teach students how viruses and other pathogens work, giving them a basic scientific understanding behind hygiene and diseases. 

https://drive.google.com/file/...

The target population in general looks at students aged 10-14 years, it has two sections, one where the underprivileged students are given free of cost workshops and the other where schools ( or other educational organisations)  are able to pay for these workshops and kits. 

 While in the recent years there have been several programs in the country which promote education for the underprivileged sector (eg. Free education, mid-day meals), the learning medium exists in a rote learning format and is taught without properly showcasing its physical application, this problem is much more grave in the underprivileged sector as their access to other sources of education is highly limited. So even while having topics in their syllabus which briefly cover these social issues, they are mere placeholders and don’t help them understand the true logic behind them, not venturing further than what is written on the pages of their textbooks. And certainly the education method sparks very little interest in these children about the subjects they learn about, stifling their chances to pursue them further. 

Antara's solution aims to tackle these through adding on to their current education plans to develop their interest in the subjects. Also improving on their knowledge about the pertinent social issues, they are also likely to impress their thoughts upon their parents and guardians which would improve the society's collective understanding of the social issues at hand. 

Antara is based in Mumbai, with students from a diverse range of socio-economic backgrounds, providing a unique environment to address educational challenges. Our team consists of former students who have firsthand experience with the difficulties within the current education system. With a mix of engineers and designers, we have the technical and creative expertise needed to develop effective solutions.

Beyond our professional skills, our team has a deep connection with the local community. We've engaged extensively with underprivileged students in Mumbai through various projects, allowing us to understand their unique needs and perspectives. This engagement has helped us build strong relationships with the communities we aim to serve. Our team is also proficient in Marathi, the local language, which facilitates communication and understanding with schools and students in these areas.

By drawing on our own experiences and maintaining close ties with the communities, we are well-equipped to design solutions that are not only technically sound but also culturally relevant and aligned with the needs and agendas of the people we serve. Our approach is driven by a commitment to inclusivity and a desire to create lasting impact within these communities

Antara has already made significant strides in developing innovative educational tools. To date, we have created two distinct kits, each comprising a 3D-printed model and an accompanying guide. We have conducted over ten workshops, engaging with a wide range of students from various socio-economic backgrounds, reaching more than 100 beneficiaries in total.

These workshops have provided us with invaluable feedback from the students, indicating that they have successfully applied the concepts learned through our kits in their formal education. This positive response reinforces the effectiveness of our approach and underscores the impact our work can have on educational outcomes.

Although Antara has not yet sold any paid workshops, we are on track to do so in the near future.

As mentioned in the previous answer, Antara is having difficulties in developing a marketing plan to promote the paid version of the solution, this is an integral part of the business model as the paid versions directly contribute towards the workshops for the underprivileged sectors. 

MIT solve can help provide more support in understanding how to market better. Along with providing more recognition for the Venture and solution which can help quite a lot when promoting such a solution to Schools and other Educators. 

While we understand funding is not the most integral part of MIT Solve, we are certain it can help us fast track the development of our venture, especially in helping hiring specialists on the business side, something which the venture currently lacks. 

Such a solution is quite different from the current solution trying to solve the eduction problem in India, most of them rely on digital solutions which have become more and more difficult to promote as students increasing screen time becomes a major problem among parents. 

Also developing 3D models has always been dominated by larger companies with the scale needed for manufacturing such models, with the use of 3d printed techniques we are able to rapidly develop the 3D models without the need for scale while also easily incorporating feedback or customising certain models for different use cases. Such technology can vastly develop the education landscape not only for the target audience but all ages in the very near future. 

Antara aims to pioneer this technology in the Indian markets and hopes to provide a precedence in improving the education system in the country. 

The core concept behind our solution is learning through physical interaction. We aim to create educational kits that allow students to engage with tangible models, providing a hands-on learning experience that can complement traditional classroom education. Here's how we expect our solution to create impact:

Activities:

• Develop and produce 3D-printed educational kits designed to teach specific concepts.
• Organize workshops to introduce the kits and guide students through interactive learning sessions.
• Collect feedback from participants to refine our approach and ensure it aligns with their needs.

Outputs:

• Completion of workshops that reach a diverse group of students from various socio-economic backgrounds.
• Immediate acquisition of new skills and understanding as students interact with the kits.
• Production and distribution of guides that explain the concepts taught in each kit.

Outcomes:

• Improved academic performance as students apply what they've learned in their formal education.
• Enhanced engagement and enthusiasm for learning, leading to a more positive attitude toward education.
• Long-term development in understanding various pertinent social issues.

The core technology behind our solution is 3D printing. We use polylactic acid (PLA), a biodegradable and recyclable material, to create our educational kits. This choice of material aligns with our commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility.

By leveraging 3D printing, we can rapidly design and produce customized educational tools that are both durable and adaptable. The kits are reusable, allowing multiple students to interact with them over time, reducing waste and promoting resource efficiency. This technology empowers us to create cost-effective learning resources while also reducing our environmental footprint.

Overall, the application of 3D printing with biodegradable and recyclable materials not only supports our educational objectives but also contributes to a more sustainable approach to learning. This synergy between technology and sustainability underpins our mission to create innovative solutions that benefit both people and the planet.

3 Part time Staff

For over 2 years

Our team is committed to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace. We believe that a diverse team is essential to developing innovative solutions that resonate with a wide range of communities.