UniPod at the University of Juba
timbuktoo University Innovation Pod,
The timbuktoo University Innovation Pod, or timbuktoo UniPod, is a unique initiative located in a top technical public university with the objective of supporting youth innovation at this critical time in their life cycle. The rationale for placing the UniPod within a university rather than as a stand-alone entity is that it would thus link to the corpus of research and knowledge that is already in place in the
university, through its faculty who are likely to be experts in a number of technical fields. Of the 13 Unipods been established by the UNDP Africa Regional Bureau in Africa.
We proud that University of Juba, is the first to officially launch and also the first prior to launching to kickstart operations with personnel and a structure for Innovation to thrive within a university community. The Unipod will offer a range of programs, from Innovative products and solutions ready for market, policy-oriented developments that spur innovation and various customised capacity building
programs that will make innovation thrive in South Sudan. The programs covered in the Unipod will also create mentorship opportunities for students as interns and offer resources that
Makerspace + Labs
1. Rapid Prototyping Room (3D Printing and Laser Cutting)
Rapid prototyping is the process of moving from a computer aided drawing or design to a physical model using additive
manufacturing, more commonly known as 3D printing. The Lab in the UniPod will also have laser cutting on offer, which is a
subtractive process and delivers primarily 2D parts, though they can be used to make 3D parts quickly.
2. Audio-Visual and Augmented Reality/Visual Reality (AR/VR) Room
This is an excellent tool for creating simulations that can be examined and even explored visually in manner that is much closer to real life (i.e. in 3D) than 2D representations used in typical videos. Thus, this technology plays a critical role both as step within the iterative design process, and also forenabling the remote experience of imagined or simulated realities. VR and AR technologies are also powerfully used for training, and remote guidance by an expert in a variety of processes.
3. Mechanical Room
The mechanical room is where materials are mechanically converted into products. The range of tools range from a wide variety of analogue tools that still play an important part in materials fabrication processes, to digital tools such as the class of tools called computer numerical control (CNC) equipment. This is also the room in which products that straddle
mechanical and electronic (or mechatronic) domains, for example robots and drones, are partially built.
6. Greentech Room
The Greentech room enables users to experiment and design with plastics recycling (sorting, cleaning, shredding and injection moulding), green
energy especially solar power. Note that the other workshops described above make possible the manufacture of additional equipment that maybe
desirable for a given project. Soil analysis kits are also be availed towards improved farming practice.
Some of our partners
4. Electrical and Electronics Room
Many modern products today include an element of electronics in order to make them adaptive or responsive to their environment, or controllable
through an integration between electronics and coding into such products. This is true of many industrial and other processes as well, and has given
rise to new areas of academic and R&D pursuits including fields such as embedded system and control systems. The areas of our lives impacted by
such technologies is broadening daily as we shift deeper into the 4th 12 industrial revolution. These technologies sit on a base of electronics an are
animated by coding. This workshop will make possible the realisation of a range of prototypes based on such, including the capacity to test the
prototypes and also to make printed circuit boards (double sided), from the dark room to populating the board with components.
5. Woodworking Room
Agri/Food Tech Room
The food tech workshops are equipped with state-of-the-art machines for processing a
variety of foods and juices, from dehydration and cold pressing of oils to baking and
juicing. Packaging via vacuum sealing is also availed.
Textiles/Fabrics Room
Textiles have been part and parcel of industrialization in many countries historically and
continue to be central to modern life. The fourth industrial revolution has impacted textile
manufacture as much as any other field. This workshop is equipped with a variety of
computerized embroidery machines and digitized sewing machines which are key to
modern textile production. Also included are industrial overlock sewing machines.
6. Greentech Room
The Greentech room enables users to experiment and design with plastics recycling (sorting, cleaning, shredding and injection moulding), green
energy especially solar power. Note that the other workshops described above make possible the manufacture of additional equipment that maybe
desirable for a given project. Soil analysis kits are also be availed towards improved farming practice.