Students Step into the Future at The Sheds!
A group of Bristol Brunel Academy (BBA) students recently enjoyed an exciting visit to The Sheds at the University of Bristol’s Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus, where innovation, creativity and cutting-edge technology took centre stage.
The visit gave students the opportunity to explore one of Bristol’s most exciting innovation spaces and discover how emerging technologies are shaping the future. Armed with a special technology treasure hunt bingo card, students toured the impressive facilities, searching for clues and facts along the way. They spoke to different experts and retrieved valuable information for their bingo card and curiosity!
Highlights of the tour included a visit to the 36-seated Smart Cinema, which could read your emotions and featured impressive surround sound, high-quality graphics and super-comfy seats. The students watched two test clips and experienced how the cinema worked, including its advanced biometric audience monitoring technology. This included EEG brainwave monitoring, eye-tracking, thermal imaging, and heart rate and skin response monitoring, all used to measure audience engagement and emotional reactions in real time. All very out of this world!
They also got to experience the incredible Reality Emulator, where students experienced how virtual reality technology can be used to create realistic environments and solve real-world challenges. Students put their VR goggles on and took a tour of a space simulation and the site itself. The ability to experience VR as a group was amazing, with each learner taking it in turns to be the ‘leader’ of the group and be in control of what the others saw!
Along the way, they met expert technicians who shared insights into their careers and explained how the technology is used in research, industry and education.
The creativity didn’t stop there!
Following the tour, students took part in a hands-on design challenge where they were tasked with creating their own immersive technology experience inspired by everything they had seen. Working in teams, they used craft materials to build prototypes and bring their ideas to life. Such as a game map, prototype VR headset and game tabs.
From a VR survival game where you had to gather first aid packs and try to survive an apocalypse to an innovative forest-based escape room where you used QR codes to navigate, the students showcased fantastic imagination, teamwork and problem-solving skills.
Each group confidently presented their concepts, demonstrating not only their creativity but also their growing understanding of how technology can be used to enhance people’s experiences.
The visit provided a valuable opportunity for students to explore potential career pathways in technology, engineering, digital innovation and creative industries, whilst developing key employability skills such as communication, collaboration and presentation.
A huge thank you to the team at The Sheds for providing such an engaging and inspiring experience. The students left buzzing with ideas, new knowledge and a greater appreciation for the exciting opportunities that technology can offer in the future.
Who knows – some of Bristol’s future tech innovators may have taken their first step during this very visit!
This activity is funded by the West of England Mayoral Authority Careers Hub.
