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Students at Sähköpaja testing their robothand.

Aalto University will offer courses in the field of technology also this coming summer. More and more, summer courses in the field of technology have come to include project work with companies. One example of this is the Protopaja course, which is now being organised for the first time.

'Students participating in the Protopaja course work as a group to produce a prototype project from start to completion. The course centres on projects that combine the physical world and software, such as the Internet of Things, sensors and robots, as well as topics from the field of bioinformatics that deal with for example the analysis and collection of patient data  with sensors and the utilisation of this data,' explains Sebastian Sonntag, the teacher in charge of the course.

The projects commissioned by the course's enterprise partners give students the opportunity to become familiar with the companies and network as well as to gain experience in the business world.

'Over the past few years, our students have shown an increasing enthusiasm for also learning by carrying out practical work.  These work shop concepts and multidisciplinary learning allow companies the opportunity to find extremely creative and fresh ideas. We hope that students are able to challenge their own creativity,' says Vice Dean Keijo Nikoskinen, who is responsible for teaching at the School of Electrical Engineering.

The course will ease the pressure for students, who have found it difficult to find summer jobs in the current financial climate, but is also a response to a request voiced by companies.

'Over the past few years, companies have become increasingly interested in participating in interaction and teaching targets,' Mr Nikoskinen rejoices.

Protopaja course begins in June

The Protopaja prototype project course will utilise the facilities originally set up for the electrics shop course that gained great popularity at Aalto University's School of Electrical Engineering.

At the moment, companies taking part in the course include Klick Technologies, Planmeca, Futurice and Nettitutka The customer, such as a company or the head of a research group, assigns the group of students participating in the course a task, which the group works on with the help of their teacher. The company's representatives are welcome to teach their own groups in whatever capacity they wish.

'Especially early on in the course, it is important that students are able to reach the company's contact person, if they have any questions. However, in July, which is considered a holiday month, students will be able to work independently. Registration for the course only ends at the beginning of June,' Mr Sonntag states.

More information on the Protopaja prototype project course and instructions for students on how to apply

Photo: Aalto University / Mikko Raskinen