Alacrity AirBox Bootcamp
An experience that meshes all STEM fields into one complex personal project for all aspiring engineers.
About the programme
AirBox Bootcamp was an educational experience for over 150 students across Romania. As of June 22, 2026, they had the chance to take part in comprehensive, detailed online STEM courses that lasted 3 weeks and to practice what they had learned through well-made, thought-provoking homework. In the second phase of this bootcamp, 12 students across the country were picked based on their performance to build an AirBox themselves in the Alacrity Center of Culture and Technology, an activity that took one week.
Online activity
In this stage of the bootcamp, students participated in five courses, some of which were structured over several sessions, with each course lasting three hours. Together, these courses provided the basics and skills needed for building the AirBox V2.
Each course had a distinct role in preparing the students (scroll left to see all):
Electronics
Introduced students to various electrical components and provided essential knowledge for understanding and designing circuits
Computer science and programming
Provided an introduction to the C programming language, important for establishing connections between hardware and software
Chemistry
Covered the fundamental principles behind how batteries work and how semiconductor sensors function
Scientific Communication
Aimed to develop important skills, relevant to both academic and professional environments, such as target audience identification, the use of appropriate language, and effectively conveying scientific information.
In-person activity
July 2026
Day 0 - Getting to know each other
During the first day, everyone was welcomed with an introduction of the mentors and an overview of the program for the upcoming week. This was followed by a hands-on soldering practice session.
July 2026
Day 1 - Multitasking
This was a busy day for our students. Besides applying their newly acquired soldering skills to build the base for the actual device, they also tackled challenging concepts in electronics and learned the basics in PCB design.
July 2026
Day 2 - Programming with Arduino IDE
Throughout this day, the basics of programming in Arduino IDE were taught. While doing so, they also had the opportunity to practice by working with real electronic components, such as LEDs.
July 2026
Day 3 - Coding
Building on their newly discovered abilities, everyone wrote their own firmware for their AirBox. While on a break, they also had the pleasure of meeting a special guest!
July 2026
Day 4 - Assembly and Deployment
On this day, the students assembled the AirBox into their carcases and went all around the city to set them up. By the following day, everyone had collected their own data to analyze.
July 2026
Day 5 - Data analysis
The students carefully analyzed their first set of data and began working on the first draft of their scientific poster.
June 2026
Day 6 - Presenting the Results
On the final working day, the students finished their posters and presented their work to their colleagues and mentors. Later that day, during the closing ceremony, everyone had the opportunity to share a few words about their experience throughout this one-month bootcamp.
June 2026
Day 7 - The End
Everyone went home with an AirBox of their own, free to place it wherever they consider it most useful.
Our Special Guests
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Prof. Kip Thorne
As a Nobel Prize winner and theoretical physicist, known for his work on relativity and black holes, he wished all the students success with their AirBox project. He also encouraged everyone interested in science to continue exploring this field, warmly welcoming them into the scientific community.
Kip_Thorne.mp4
Alexandra Căpitănescu
Winner of The Voice of Romania and an Eurovision finalist, she shared her journey through the world of music, the challenges she had to face along the way, and her aspirations. Alongside her achievements and confidence, she was incredibly warm and, overall, a wonderful person, taking the time to listen and answer every question.
Gallery
Looking for more?
About AirBoxV2
The AirBox V2 station is an open-source device designed for monitoring air quality. It's able to measure particulate matter, CO2, VOCs, and NOx levels, operates on a solar-charged lithium battery, and transmits data via Wi-Fi.
Our laboratory
The first ever open lab in Romania. Designed specifically with one thing in mind: to help anyone with a great idea achieve their goal.