Description

The final and most engaging component of the GAMMADDATA IEEE API 4.0 was the Physical Hands-On Workshop held on 6th September 2025 , which constituted the third major phase of the initiative . Eight single-day, practical sessions held at the following locations: Anuradhapura Central College Walagedara Vidyalaya Bandaranayaka College Gampaha Siddhartha Maha Vidyalaya Madagama National School Panthiya Dharmaraja K.V. Matugama Rajgama Dewapathiraja College Imbulana Sri Sena Maha Vidyalaya. These hands-on sessions provided an opportunity for 50 students from each of the seven districts (Anuradhapura, Kaluthara, Gampaha, Hambantota, Monaragala, Galle, and Kegalle) to build upon the basic concepts of robotics and programming covered during the preceding online sessions. A minimum of five university volunteers from the collaborating IEEE Student Branch Chapters: Power & Energy Society, Robotics & Automation Society, and Industrial Applications Society, were present at each school to provide guidance and mentorship to the students. The IEEE volunteers’ role was vital in ensuring the students gained practical exposure to microcontroller-based development, programming fundamentals, and problem-solving using electronics. For the workshop, IEEE volunteers transported and deployed a minimum of four comprehensive kits at each school, ensuring hands-on engagement. Each kit contained essential components, including an ESP (microcontroller), a cable, a servo motor, a buzzer, various LEDs, a DHT11 sensor, jumper wires, a breadboard, resistors, an LDR, push buttons, and a potentiometer. The students were equipped with these components, sensors, and motors and worked under the volunteers' guidance to create functional robotic systems. This strong mentoring relationship provided technical guidance and support, strengthening university-community ties and inspiring future aspirations. The day's focus was on practical activities such as Arduino setup, sensor/motor interfacing, and robotics projects. Participants developed critical thinking and problem-solving skills through these practical workshops. Students completed team-based challenges , and by the end of the event, they had acquired hands-on knowledge in Arduino programming and robotics , leaving with functional prototypes. This experience was intended to cultivate curiosity, creativity, and an early passion for STEM education among the rural students. Here are the links to the event album and the video: Event Video: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1ABzFr794r/ Event Album: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BoDD3z5Z5/ Registration Links: Sinhala medium students: https://forms.gle/5b6xnPv8JZoxqgJeA Tamil medium students: https://forms.gle/w9Qy3v79zvoWjmry5