FABLab Bangkok: Driving STEAM Education and SDG-Focused Innovation
FABLab Bangkok provides hands-on STEAM education workshops and bootcamps that integrate the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with innovation-driven learning. Each pilot program is co-designed with 3 leading schools—Plearn Pattana School, Srinakharinwirot University Prasarnmit Demonstration School (SPSM), and Assumption College—to cultivate problem-solving, creativity, and entrepreneurship among students.
Design thinking, lean startup, and agile cycles together (Ip Sam, CC BY-SA 4.0)
Our approach is grounded in the Lean Startup methodology, adapted for educational settings. This methodology encourages students to treat ideas as a hypothesis to be tested, ensuring they learn to fail fast, learn quickly, and iterate toward solutions. The process is not only about knowledge transfer but also about cultivating an entrepreneurial and maker mindset.
Plearn Pattana School: SDGs and Project-Based Learning
Plearn Pattana School prioritizes project-based learning (PBL), social sciences, and the SDGs. In collaboration with the Center of Innovation for Society (CIS), FABLab Bangkok designs workshops and bootcamps that guide students through empathy-driven innovation, equipping them with maker skills and creative problem-solving mindsets
SDGs and Innovation Bootcamp
Working closely with the school’s PBL officer and innovative teacher group, we structured a 3-phases program:
Pre-Hackathon
Students practiced customer empathy mapping, interviewing, and problem analysis to identify unmet community needs. With online mentoring, they refined their problem statements and developed solutions using the Social Business Model Canvas, learning how to balance impact and sustainability.
Example projects included:
- Sodium Consumption Game: A digital tool to track and reduce salt intake.
- Trovert Platform: A community and upskilling hub for introverted students.
- Circular Farm & Marketplace: A vertical farm and waste-management ecosystem linked to a school market.
Plearn Hackathon
Over two days, students transformed their ideas into demo-ready products and services, testing feasibility and teamwork under real-world conditions.
Post-Hackathon
Teams were encouraged to submit projects to the iF SOCIAL IMPACT PRIZE for portfolio building. Although timelines limited participation, the initiative built awareness of innovation as a pathway to recognition and impact.
Srinakharinwirot University Prasarnmit Demonstration School (SPSM): Medical Innovation
SPSM focuses on medical innovation and requires advanced hands-on training for students in Grades 10–12. FabLab Bangkok partnered with teachers to develop 3 innovation workshops combining medical science with hardware, software, and entrepreneurship.
Medical Innovation and Digital Fabrication
Students explored 3D printing, laser cutting, and CNC milling, followed by 3D modeling in TinkerCAD. They applied design thinking to case studies, such as creating fixation devices for dogs with leg injuries, using prepared materials and digital fabrication tools.
EMG-Controlled Car Workshop: When Muscles Become Joysticks
One of the most exciting workshops in our program invited students to explore the frontier of biomedical signals and robotics by designing and racing cars controlled entirely by their muscle activity. Instead of steering wheels or joysticks, their own bodies became the controller.
- Electronics: ESP32 controllers, EMG sensors, motor drivers, DC motors.
- Programming: Signal filtering, amplification, and motor control via EMG.
- Mechanics: Kit design and assembly for functional testing.
The Competition: Muscles on the Racetrack
The workshop culminated in a competition. Students strapped electrodes to their arms, rolled their cars to the starting line, and flexed their way into action. But behind the fun was something deeper: the realization that their bodies could directly control technology. This wasn’t just a game—it was a window into applications like assistive technologies for people with disabilities, rehabilitation tools, and next-generation human-computer interfaces.
By the end, students walked away with more than a working car. They gained practical experience in electronics, biomedical signal processing, coding, and mechanical design—but more importantly, they experienced firsthand how creativity and technology can converge to transform human potential into innovation.
Pulse Oximeter Development and Applications
Students developed a portable pulse oximeter integrating an ESP32 microcontroller with SpO₂ sensors. They learned to process heart rate and oxygen saturation signals, applying concepts of biomedical signal processing.
To gamify learning, the FABLab team provides a werewolf-style board game, where physiological data was used to detect liars and hidden roles—making biomedical innovation engaging and interactive.
What began as a technical exercise in electronics and coding transformed into a playful yet powerful demonstration of biomedical innovation. Students not only built a working medical device prototype but also discovered how such technology could be applied in healthcare, behavior analysis, and interactive learning environments.
Assumption College: Engineering and Energy Innovation
Assumption College emphasizes mechanics, electronics, and programming, seeking extracurricular opportunities for students to strengthen engineering and maker skills. FABLab Bangkok developed 2 specialized workshops:
Creative Bridge Design Challenge
Using wood, cardboard, glue, and hand tools, students designed and tested model bridges for load-bearing capacity. The workshop highlighted engineering design, teamwork, material selection, and problem-solving, reinforcing the collaborative nature of engineering projects.
Zinc-Air Battery Workshop
In collaboration with Dr. Natthapol Wongyao, a leading researcher in hydrogen and battery technologies, FABLab Bangkok introduced students to the future of clean energy through a Zinc-Air Battery Workshop. Unlike conventional batteries, zinc-air systems generate electricity by combining zinc with oxygen from the air—making them lightweight, energy-dense, and environmentally friendly.
From Theory to Practice
The workshop began with an introduction to electrochemical principles, where students learned how chemical reactions can produce usable electrical energy. Dr. Natthapol explained the science behind electrolysis and how zinc-air cells differ from other rechargeable batteries like lithium-ion. This laid the foundation for understanding why such technologies are promising for sustainable energy storage and electric vehicle applications.
Battery Fabrication: Building from the Ground Up
Students then moved to the lab tables, where they were guided step by step in fabricating their own zinc-air cells. They worked with:
- Zinc plates as the anode.
- Catalyst-coated electrodes for air intake.
- Electrolytes prepared for efficient ion flow.
With hands-on assembly, they discovered how careful design choices—such as electrode spacing and material selection—directly affect battery performance. Students measured voltage output, tested charging and discharging cycles, and saw firsthand how theory translates into practical energy solutions.
For more details, see: Zinc-Air Fuel Cell Workshop – From Basics to Advanced Principles.
Conclusion
Through collaborations with diverse schools, FABLab Bangkok demonstrates how STEAM education, SDGs, and hands-on innovation can transform learning. Each workshop and bootcamp empowers students with practical skills, entrepreneurial thinking, and the confidence to design impactful solutions—preparing them to become the next generation of innovators.
For more information, get in touch with us through the following channels:
Website: https://fablabbkk.com/
E-mail: fablab@kxinnovation.com
Phone: (+66) 02-470-7906
Address: KX Knowledge Xchange (Basement floor) 110/ 1 Thanon Krung Thon Buri, Bang Lamphu Lang, Khlong San, Bangkok 10600
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