MozBus Project (en)

MozBus visited the Tokyo tower and the Akihabara area to celebrate Firefox's 10th anniversary on Nov 9th.

The bus with 10th anniversary decoration.

At Shiba kouen park, with the Tokyo tower.

At Akihabara, with famous Maid cosplay.

MozBus visited Shonan area to provide workshop on August 8th.  Shonan area is famous for beach and marine sports.

MozBus helped the event called "Sustainable Seafood Workshop".  The workshop used "Parapara Animation".  Participants of the workshop drew their original characters on tablet to design their animation.  Designed animated characters swam together with other participants' characters on the Web.  At the end, collaboration of all participants made an animated wall which represents the rich ocean with diversity.

Participants leaned animation technic from the other participants' characters and designed their new characters.  Therefore, at the beginning of the event, there were only a few characters were swimming on the Web.   After the event the screen was covered by full of characters.  The activity to make a rich ocean on the web with other participants taught participants that the Web is made up with contents by a lot of people around the world.  Also, they learned that the ocean is made up with various kinds of fish and animals.  It is important to use ocean resources by sustainable way.  They learned what they can do in the daily life to protect it.

MozBus will join "Sustainable Seafood Workshop" at Kugenuma by Sustainable Seefood Week committee on Aug 8th.  

The workshop will use Parapara Animation.  Participants will draw their original fish character on tablet or smartphone using editor function of Parapara Animation, then, fish will automatically swim with other participants' character on the screen which is installed on the side of MozBus.  Participants will learn the importance of seafood and sustainable ocean resources.

The workshop will be supported by students of local universities, Keio University Shonan Fujisawa Campus and Nihon University College of Bioresource sciences.  Also, interns of Mozilla Japan and Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) will participate the workshop as a staff. Event Information Date: Aug 8th 11:00AM - 4:00 PM Place: 1-17-3 Kugenuma Kaigan, Fujisawa, Kanagawa,

Mozbus will participate International Space Apps Challenge Tokyo on April 12th, 2014.  This time, Mozbus will be a mobile digital fabrication base for Hackathon participants.

Mozbus will be equipped with 3D printer, stiker cutter and "Suitcase Fablab" developped by Hiroya Tanaka Lab of Keio University SFC.  It is a set of digital fabrication tools stored in a single suitcase for portability.

On Feb 24th, Mozbus visited Otsuchi High School in town of Otsuchi Iwate Prefecture.  At the high school, Moilla Japan team provided a workshop to 1st and 2nd grade students.  It is about "Digital Fabrication" from Mozilla Factory's activity.  Students learned about that Web can share digital information for real objects. At first, Prof. Hideki Sunahara, Graduate school of media design Keio university,  gave a lecture.  He is also a board member of Mozilla Japan.  He talked about (1) digital and analog, (2) Processing, copy, and sharing of information on the cyber space, (3) Collaboration between the cyber space and the real space.

Then, Mozbus team demonstrated 3D printer and cutting sheet cutter.  We showed that 3D printer, for example, can outputs digital data on the cyber space to the real space.  Then we showed students how to make a 3D CAD data for 3D printer, difference between the several 3D printer materials like PLA and ABS, basic skills to operates the printer.   After the 3D printer demonstration, students make their original sticker. They made own character or design on their PCs, then printed out from the cutter.  Not only that, the share their data on the Web to share with others in the classroom.  From this activity, they learned that sharing and remix from fun way.  Also, we introduced about copy rights and creative commons, to understand correct usage of digital data on the Web.  This is a one of the sticker made by a student.

On Sep.19, Mozilla Japan announced the start of the Mozilla Bus (MozBus) project under Mozilla Factory with mentors from corporations and organizations from various fields.

The objectives for the project are as follows:

Deliver the Web to all people (any time, anywhere, in any circumstances)

Research the use of the Web as a component of disaster prevention infrastructure

In the case of a disaster, using its on-board network

This will be expanded into an Asia-wide disaster prevention project infrastructure, MozBus can become a network and information hub

Conduct roving workshops

Teach the Web using Webmaker

Conduct Web and fabrication (laser cutters etc.) workshops

Produce materials for teaching IT skills

Explore new possibilities for using, experiencing and building the Web

In order to achieve the above objectives, together with corporations and organizations from various fields, we launched the MozBus project to perform research and conduct the above activities.

So that the bus can always be used regardless of location or circumstances, it is equipped with a generator, networking facilities, computers, and other necessary equipment. Furthermore, we have reduced the requirements needed to run Webmaker and other Web and fabrication workshops down to a bare minimum.

Along with conducting the roving workshops, we also expect to perform various research activities and experiments as open projects.

The results of such projects will be shared openly in a manner that allows them to be re-used.

In order to maintain fairness and openness, these projects will be conducted under the umbrella of Mozilla Factory.

The costs and equipment required for management and research will be covered using support from corporations who sponsor and participate in the projects.

Already, university organizations as well as research institutions and corporations have begun to participate in MozBus including the following (as of September 19, 2013):

Keio University SFC

OpenStreetMap Foundation Japan

The National Astronomical Observatory of Japan

IPSTAR

Cisco Systems

The design of the MozBus was created by the Mozilla Factory community.

We hope, through MozBus, to provide opportunities for everyone to experience and understand the Web, and to explore new possibilities for the shape of the Web to come!

Photos from press briefing in Mozilla Japan Office at September 19, 2013.