Projects with topic Technology
There are now 70 projects under the topic Technology.
Click on ID for more information on a project.
| ID | Description |
| 9 | Effects of technology in over fifties |
| 15 | Various projects including elder abuse, pensions & poverty, housing & technology, end of life care, prevention of falls, biology of ageing |
| 41 | Technology and older people |
| 45 | Nautical studies, Plymouth |
| 50 | Older people and the internet |
| 77 | Learning package for retired people on sustainable development in collaboration with Unesco |
| 101 | Idea for emergency alarm system for mobile phones |
| 104 | Coming of the railways and their impact on Crawley by U3A History Group |
| 114 | Follies, grottos & crinklecrankle walls in Norfolk and Suffolk by U3A Architectural Group |
| 119 | Study of only surviving WW1 airfield at Stow Maries, Essex |
| 128 | Researching former Fairford Gas Works |
| 144 | Researching history of Pencarrow wireless station, Cornwall |
| 150 | Oakwood Clock oral project, Leeds |
| 154 | Family & village history, farming & machinery in Lincolnshire |
| 257 | Research into infamous stamp forger Jean de Sperati & his hand printing press. The RPSL has Sperati's printing press and a set of his forged stamps. Research included understanding his complex techniques, his life and background and getting his printing press working |
| 258 | History of postal printing, perforation etc in UK. In 1911 Grover & Co Ltd started making perforating machines and rapidly became the leading supplier and developer of this technology in the UK. In 2001 their archive was donated to the RPSL. The U3A project researched the archive and the social context of the firm. |
| 259 | Research artwork and design a 'Cinderella' stamp to promote a U3A group. Volunteers will learn about Cinderella stamps and stamp design from an external speaker and will use photography, drawing, painting or other art forms to create the stamps. |
| 352 | Local windmills, Rutland |
| 372 | U3A members learning IT in local schools, Notts |
| 373 | Watford's Printing Past - a history of printing in Watford |
| 376 | Impact of industrial revolution in Suffolk |
| 383 | Thames Riverside Project is a mix of walks of different lengths, focusing on industrial history, wildlife, the arts and photography |
| 398 | Assessing hydro-plant at Wetherby Weir, Yorks |
| 410 | Creation of a database and website interface for information about research projects in which u3a are involved. |
| 449 | U3A investigation into self-publishing. Experiences sought from members who have used the method |
| 476 | North London's Architecture Group looked at The Shape of London, specifically at typology (the study of the evolution of a particular built form). The main focus of the study was theatre buildings. |
| 477 | Lancaster and Morecambe's Architecture Group experienced the practical problems of designing a building by researching the issues of a (fictional) new library which had to be located in a vacated shop. |
| 479 | Kingswinford's Architecture Appreciation Group have researched their favourite buildings in Dudley town centre and also the work of famous architects, such as Gaudi and Pugin. |
| 482 | Bedford's Miniatures Group researched the role of the Bedfordshire Regiment in WW1 and using contemporary photographs, built a 1/12th scale trench system including a mine tunnel. |
| 497 | Energy efficient housing. We aim to investigate the energy efficiency of our homes, to find out what schemes our local authorities are running to improve the efficiency of the housing stock, and what research is being carried out by our local universities into energy efficient buildings. |
| 546 | The Design for Age Project - looked at such design issues as Arriva buses, lines painted in hospital corridors and many other items. Members acted as informants on specified items, such as tetra milk cartons, with the hope of evaluating and improving design for older people |
| 550 | The life and times of George Croydon Marks, a Victorian engineer who designed and built cliff railways and founded a patent agency still running today. He was also president of the Sunday School Union and a director of EMI and Columbia pictures, through his friendship with Thomas Edison. He was one of the first Labour peers appointed by Ramsay MacDonald. |
| 492 | Tto research the Shetland whaling stations which were in operation from approximately 1904 to 1929. Our aim was to collate the information from the many sources held at the Archives, and online and produce a history of the stations |
| 614 | Talking about Technology - web-based presentations telling the story of a particular technological process from the point of view of those living or working with it. The teams were taught interview techniques. |
| 629 | our initiative of researching and digitally capturing the story behind our Guildhall, its art, architecture and inspiration. |
| 631 | A revolution in shipbuilding technology took place in the 1800s, from wooden, sail-powered ships to metal-hulled steam-powered vessels. At the same time, the London shipbuilding industry moved from being on the south bank of the river to the north bank. Why were some companies able to transition to the new technologies when others were not? |
| 640 | Redditch U3A's photography group collaborated with Redditch History Society to chronicle the visual history of the town's evolution from agriculture to industry. |
| 644 | Additive Manufacturing or 3D Printing The talk is an introduction to the very diverse and rapidly expanding area of 3D printing, which seeks to produce products by building them up layer by layer rather than by the more traditional methods or cutting, shaving, removing material and then joining parts together. 3D printing is beginning to impact many areas. It is possible to print metals, plastics, human tissue, and food amongst many materials, so it can be used for a new ear or a fancy chocolate! The talk covers the history and basic processes of 3D printing and looks at the diverse materials which can be used and gives examples of some of the revolutionary products produced. The talk also covers the benefits, drawbacks and future of 3D printing. |
| 648 | Horology - the art & science of timekeeping. The development of increasingly accurate time keeping devices has been one of the great achievements of mankind which has stretched the ingenuity of scientists, engineers and craftsmen. As civilizations developed, there was a need for more accurate devices, leading to the development in the last millennium of mechanical devices, then electrical and currently atomic. |
| 668 | New technology revolution brings "learning windfall" to 500,000 third-agers - article by Ian Nash in Education Journal, 6th July 2016, Issue 239 |
| 669 | Talk to a computer - researcher looking for over-fifties to test a computerised problem solving program |
| 672 | Research by viewing a video about robotic home companions and specifically on how novice users can quickly learn to teach/programme such a robot. We are interested in how members of the public respond after watching this video of a real robot performing tasks that we might expect to see carried out by robots in the future. To assess this response, we have created a short questionnaire which we would ask you to complete after watching the video. |
| 717 | Members of Ludlow U3A visited hydro projects, solar arrays, biomass plants, anaerobic digesters and various sustainable building projects. |
| 738 | Cottonopolis is a large research project based on Manchester, the world's first industrial city. |
| 739 | Northampton U3A's Leathercraft Activity Group became volunteers on the National Leather Collection's project to help sort and catalogue 800-plus boxes of leather related objects, including fragments of the Dead Sea Scrolls and leather under garments. |
| 764 | Study of older people's experience of technology in the past, and currently of that used for payments and banking. |
| 768 | This unusual Shared Learning Project is at its heart about mentoring and supporting a group of local students as they develop their business idea. The young inventors are from South Eastern Regional College (SERC) Bangor, County Down, and the four budding engineers won top prize in an enterprise competition by devising an innovative fishing trawler safety mechanism. |
| 780 | Neighbourhoods of the Future - aim is to design better homes for older adults – improving health, care, design and technology.The role of the U3A cohort will develop over time but is likely to include informing the project at an early enough stage to influence design, giving feedback on project proposals or design ideas, providing insight (potentially testing products and assistive technology) and contributing ideas – even potentially co-creating where cohort members' expertise permits. |
| 781 | Will the robots take over? researching the current and future impacts of computerisation and robots. The effect on employment and whether they will become more intelligent than humans are both considered. |
| 789 | Antoni Gaudi was an extraordinarily inventive architect from Spain, using Gothic and Moorish styles coupled with tiles, mosaics and the colours inspired by the Mediterranean tradition. His most famous works are the Park Guell, Casa Mila and the still unfinished Sagrada Familia |
| 802 | This presentation shows the power of the graphical representation of data to dramatise and clarify information - often that we probably think we already know - making it more real and relevant. An important source of data and graphics is "Our World in Data". Examples come from a variety of fields including Geography, Agriculture and Food, Energy, Demographics and Sport |
| 805 | History of microwave generators and invention of cavity magnetron used for radar in WW II. What is Heat? What causes substances to rise in temperature? Infra-red radiation and radiofrequency/dielectric heating. How microwave ovens work with a short video looking at a modern microwave oven. |
| 605 | Heckington Mill Renovation Project near Sleaford: From Field to Fork |
| 853 | Designing for Low Dexterity - |
| 889 | We are a group of researchers at University College London and we are looking for individuals aged 55+ to participate in a small group discussion about your experiences with mobile games, what motivates you to play games and your likes and dislikes. Your insights will really help us learn more about how you view gaming, which we hope will allow us to develop more engaging therapies for stroke and dementia in the future! |
| 893 | A study with people aged 55+, particularly to find out how to make a gaming app more attractive for them through proper design, by inviting some participants to join in a group discussion. |
| 894 | Technology Familiarity Questionnaire - to assess people's familiarity with and attitude to technology devices. |
| 906 | Wonder materials - During the news review segment of our group’s monthly meeting, frequent attention was given to announcements about new materials with amazing properties. Graphene is the poster child but there are many more - we identified 20. So it was decided to bundle these up into a single endeavour modelled somewhat on the U3A “Shared Learning Project” template whereby each member was assigned a “Wonder Material” to answer a set of points about his or her material, its make-up, its properties that accounted for the announcement, and its actual or potential applications. |
| 924 | U3A Robot Challenge 2019. Robots have proved to be an endless source of fun and more importantly, for learning new skills and technology for many science groups. Cannock Chase U3A organised a challenge event for creating controllable or automated projects. |
| 945 | Architecture, art, social history, science and technology, but where does modern design fit? Three years ago a few members grouped together to look at a range of ideas beginning with the Festival of Britain 1951. Clearly the Festival did not spring into life from nowhere; it was post war and a younger generation (our generation) was looking for fresh ideas. In our initial discussions it soon became clear that the Festival was only a feature of changes already tried in the earlier part of the century. We looked at the Bauhaus and the strange influence of the Larssons in Sweden and realised that design goes back, at least, to the 1890s and is an inter-related subject with other disciplines. As the group enlarged we redefined our aims to include changing fashions, urban design in the modern city, industrial design and packaging, communications technology and modern art. This enabled each member to find a place of special interest and it placed an emphasis on their contribution to the programme rather than relying on guest speakers. |
| 984 | Members of Reading U3A worked with the Berkshire Industrial Archaeology Group which has restored a water wheel at a silk mill and a horse wheel at a National Trust property, among other projects |
| 983 | Article by John Lloyd on running an Architecture interest group. Expertise such as building, surveying or photography may come from members of the group. But once it is accepted that architecture embraces colour, shape, position, setting, aspect, structure, economics and history, everyone can be involved. |
| 989 | Sheffield's Modern Design group looked at a range of ideas such as Festival of Britain, the Bauhaus and other sources of modern design. It expanded to include changing fashions, urban design and industrial design and packaging. |
| 997 | Maidstone's Design Group looked at access to buildings and especially 'ease of opening shop doors' - the project ran over three years. |
| 994 | Bromley's Design Group established links with seneral organisations and worked on projects including household items, transport, clothing, communications and packaging. |
| 1001 | Article by Heinz Wolff of Brunel University on the Millennium Homes Project, which looked at the role of technology in supporting older peole in homes of their choice. |
| 1019 | A research project that is exploring opportunities to create innovative design solutions in the digital space for people transitioning from full-time work into retirement or semi-retirement. We are looking for research participants who would like to be involved in the design process by sharing personal experiences and providing feedback on prototypes. |
| 1050 | Brunels' Tunnel. which connected Rotherhithe and Wapping, was constructed between 1825 and 1843. It was the first ever tunnel dug under a river and is still in use today as the route for TFLs Overground Railway. However the Brunels did not dig the tunnel themselves, they had a large workforce probably around 36 men on each shift and two shifts a day plus lots of other labourers doing a variety of other support tasks. The museum has good records of the tunnelers who perished whilst working on the tunnel but very limited records of the rest of the workforce. This is where our SLP may be able to help. Our project is likely to research the workforce, what were their names? where did they live? what about their families - did they move with them or stay at home? Indeed where were their homes? were they recruited from the tin mines of Cornwall or the coal mines of Somerset? |
| 1065 | Trust u3a has a new group - How Trade Grew the World: A new Economic History. Trade is the lifeblood of economic growth. And although globalisation may be in a period of retreat, especially since the pandemic, the changes that have been wrought by the increased connectedness of the world have had a huge impact on both highly-developed and newly-developing economies.The aim of this group is to explore collaboratively how all these elements have interacted to create our modern world. Even in the last few weeks, huge changes have been happening to the shape of the global economy, from cereal production and distribution to the availability of the rare earths and metals that make all electronics possible. The group’s approach will be to choose some top-level topics and explore these by individual research with presentations that fit together so that we can learn and understand our complex world depends on trade in all types of commodities. |
| 1061 | U3A members are needed to help improve housing for older people, by taking part in consumer research to produce a new ISO standard for age-friendly housing. |