NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) and Meta have collaborated with each other to set up Frontier Technology Labs (FTLs) in key schools, with the goal of making cutting-edge technologies accessible to a wider audience.
FTL represents an upgraded iteration of the Atal Tinkering Lab, featuring top-notch infrastructure inclusive of all elements found in the Tinkering Lab. This setup aims to enable students to engage in innovative projects utilizing technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Augmented & Virtual Reality, Blockchain, Cybersecurity, Robotics, 3D Printing, and Internet of Things.
Chintan Vaishnav, the Director of AIM, said that these labs will act as innovation hubs, equipping students with essential tools to explore and contribute to the forefront of fields that will mold the future.
FTLs are included in Meta’s Education to Entrepreneurship initiative, introduced in September 2023, with the aim of seamlessly linking students, youth, the workforce, and micro-entrepreneurs to cutting-edge technologies, thereby extending digital skilling to the grassroots.
To date, AIM has successfully set up 10,000 Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) in schools spanning 722 districts across India.
The primary goal of ATLs is to nurture curiosity, creativity, and imagination in young minds, as well as instill skills such as a design mindset, computational thinking, physical computing, and more.
