06-25-2023 Carroll Living - Flipbook - Page 14
Jon Jopse, an experience design specialist, teaches an Arduino workshop at Exploration Commons in May.
PHOTO BY BRIAN KRISTA
interested in the autonomous industry.
Ultimately, the project hopes to reverse
the flow of workers commuting outside
Westminster for jobs and attract new
businesses that want to develop technologies within the city and county.
During a 2021 ribbon-cutting event for
the first phase of the project, Westminster Mayor Mona Becker said, “We are
embracing this technology at a rate that
you don’t find in other parts of the United
States. I think that really sets us apart
especially on our quest to become more
economically and technologically savvy
in this region. It’s really going to showcase
what we can bring to the future.”
Phase one involves scanning of several
routes in Westminster by city-based
Dynamic Dimensions Technologies, to
train autonomous shuttles on the city’s
specific topography, all-weather road
conditions, and traffic patterns. Virtual
reality simulation software will be used
to create the autonomous corridor’s 3D
environment.
In April, MAGIC celebrated the opening of the Autonomous Robotics Innovation Center on Main Street in downtown
Westminster, a 5,600-foot space at the
14 | 2023 CARROLL LIVING
former site of Kipp’s Automotive service
center. Dodge said the new building is
perfect for implementing autonomous
vehicle innovation programs that require
more space for tinkering.
The center will serve as an educational component for the next phase of
MAGIC’s autonomous corridor project, Dodge said. In MAGIC’s Ghost
Karts program, students will collaborate in designing two autonomous electric go-karts to be be test raced on closed
streets in Westminster.
The center is designed to engage
students from kindergarten to college,
with opportunities for apprenticeships
and developing career skills, Dodge
said. He added that he looks forward to
welcoming the Westminster community
into the space for events.
“We’re sort of betting on an autonomous future and creating academic interdependency between our schools and our
industry experts and employers here in
this region,” Dodge said. “We hope that
through all these efforts, Carroll County
and Westminster emerge as winners
in the future of autonomous economic
development.”
Carroll Technology
and Innovation Council
The Carroll Technology and Innovation Council aims to be a one-stop shop
for STEM opportunities in the county,
providing a space for anyone interested in
STEM to find resources and like-minded
peers.
The council supports STEM activities
within Carroll County Public Schools and
at Carroll Community College, contributes to scholarships for students and
sponsorships for robotics clubs, among
other initiatives.
Conceived in 2001 by the Carroll
County Chamber of Commerce, the
council was formed to assist businesses
and the community with their technology
needs. As the council matured, it became
an independent and nonprofit organization in 2004.
Since its conception, its focus has
been on building relationships among
member organizations to facilitate business connections in the county. Members
include businesses focused on cybersecurity, IT services, web development, health
care and education, as well as community
and governmental organizations.