Design, digital fabrication and entrepreneurship are all part of Rich Lehrer's daily work in education.

So is seeing extreme student engagement, as an exciting idea grows and flourishes.

Rich, who is now the Director of Academic Innovation and Design at the Alexander Dawson School at Rainbow Mountain, first came up with his "Problem Bank" concept while teaching science at Brookwood School in Manchester, Massachusetts.

We first spoke with Rich in 2017, after his new program had started off as the "3D Design Problem Bank".

3D printing for a better world

How the concept worked: community members submitted problems to the school, for which they believed 3D printed devices could be a solution.

Then, Rich led his students through the collaborative process of becoming "Changemakers", by designing and 3D printing devices to fill these needs.

Adaptive devices for senior citizens, prosthetics and classroom aids were among the items the students designed and developed, in close collaboration with the "clients" who gave them feedback.

Today, the Problem Bank has grown far beyond these beginnings.

Currently, Dawson School's middle-school STEM curricula include four courses based on client-based learning. Among these is the cornerstone class, the Dawson Design Company, which is run like a small business.

In addition to 3D printing, Dawson students are now using laser cutters and vinyl cutters to create items which solve problems. These creations can include websites, graphic design, media, signage, and much more. And in the design process, they never lose sight of the purpose: meeting client needs.

Besides entrepreneurship, the program places a strong emphasis on philanthropy and service.

Dawson Design Company students select one cause or organization, each semester. Then, they donate 100% of the proceeds from the products they make, to that group.

So far, Rich says, the Dawson Design Company has donated more than $11,000 to community organizations, including The Tyler Robinson Foundation.

And this Spring, some of Rich's students won the inaugural ATLIS Visionary Excellence Award, for their work with the Dawson Design Company!

Rich talked about his journey with the Problem Bank, explained ways fellow educators can set up a Problem Bank program in their schools (which he highly encourages!), and offered a preview of what's next.

"In the next ten years, I think we're going to see magic," says Metaverse strategist, entrepreneur and community builder Eddie Avil.

"...As a creator, I think (we're) sitting in the most fantastic point in human history."

We're at a crossroads, he goes on to explain, where our choices are crucial.

"I think (we'll have an) exciting world if we do the right things (with AI)," he says.

Eddie has numerous ideas on ways creatives can navigate current developments in XR and AI, towards a more human-centered Metaverse.

And he's no stranger to creating XR magic.

XR and innovation

Eddie is the Founder of XR India Summit, a Metaverse and Web 3.0 gathering. Designed as a movement, rather than simply an event, XR India Summit's mission is to empower the community to create the people-centered next edition of the Internet.

He's also the Founder of XROM, a Mumbai-based AR/VR/MR focused Marketplace/Digital News Magazine. In addition, he is the host of two podcasts, as well as the Metaverse Strategist for leading Indian entertainment conglomerate Shemaroo, which has entertained audiences for more than six decades.

From problem-solving to world-changing

Often, Eddie says, the innovations he creates are in response to a question: "How do we solve this problem?"

In 2019, that question led him to create Immersion, India's first international VR film festival and conference.

Along the way, he and his team circumvented the problem of "no affordable VR cameras available" by constructing their own virtual-reality camera and rig. They would go on to use these new implements to create India's first 3D virtual reality award-winning horror short film, Crackle.



Eddie talked about his creative journey, the challenges he sees today with the proliferation of AI and its future convergence with XR, and his perspective on ways to make the future your own, as a creator.

The ILO educational robot, from Quimper, France, is available for pre-order in the U.S.!

And ILO is unique in several ways.

Designed to teach programming progressively, it initially takes beginning students through elementary block-coding lessons. Then, as the students continue their learning journey, lessons become more involved.

Ultimately, the student will be able to program ILO by using the Python programming language.

In addition, ILO is designed to move both forward and sideways. And it's open-source, allowing users to 3D print their own accessories and customize their robots.

Plus, it's built for durability, with replaceable or easily-reparable components. Conceivably, a student could receive an ILO robot in elementary school, and use it throughout their entire academic career--including college.

(It's also extremely cute, with huge eyes and a small mouth that looks on the verge of smiling!)

In this interview from February 2025, just before the first models shipped, ILO Founder Simon Le Berre shared the story of creating his innovative educational robot, explained its capabilities and discussed what may be coming next!