Open since February 2014, FABlab Namibia has recently the introduction of their Intensive Product Development Program where a team of experts will help participants through a the product development cycle. The 4 step program begins with research and development and runs for approximately 3 months and includes weekly sessions with deadlines to help develop products in stages. It works towards solidifying a brand identity and finished with an actualized prototype.
They also created the amazing HERD initiative to help regional Namibian farmers advance the local wool industry through market research and innovative development. They have collaborated internationally with SAIS of the Finnish Government and locally with AGRA Namibia, The Ministry of Trade and Industry on this project.
Check out this video from their BBC feature from the awesome members and staff!
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Located in the international metropolitan area of El Paso del Norte is Fab Lab El Paso Having opened its doors in November 2013, this Fab Lab is the brainchild of El Paso native Gustavo Arriaga and his partner Cathy Chen. Behind Fab Lab El Paso the idea is to share as much knowledge as possible. They encourage people to develop open source projects so people can make and improve upon them. The collaborations reflect that as well, embodied by a beautiful wooden beehive made through open source technology in collaboration with Fab Lab Barcelona.
The Lab has also assisted Augment El Paso with 3D printing, created pieces with Gishwhes (the greatest scavenger hunt in the world), and helped create shelving for local businesses. Over the summer they have run various children’s Maker Camps with themes like ‘Make Believe’ and ‘DIY Music’, working on solidifying a place in the El Paso community.
On the maker movement, Arriaga says ‘There’s something that I always thought was funny about (it); that it’s only called a “maker movement” when a certain type of person does it. You know, like a certain class, a certain wealth status, a certain level of education. But people have been making their own things and hacking things together since forever. Especially Mexicans. We’ve been making things forever, you know, “jale Chicano”. And it’s nothing new. What it does is just amplify that DIY spirit. All we want to do is just give you more tools to make things more efficiently, more affordably, and to help you just take it to the next level.’ The concept of “el jale Chicano” is a Mexican term for a home-engineering quick fix, an attempt to macgyver broken devices despite a lack of knowledge or expertise. And that is what Arriaga and Chen look to bring to the Lab, for it to be a space of uninhibited learning that is not intimidating but instead is wide open to experimentation.
Fab Lab El Paso offers some other seriously amazing workshops like origami bow tie making where laser cutting is used to score the paper in advance, reducing the arduous process of manual tessellation to a less labor intensive practice. They have also hosted an Eggbot Workshop that enables highly detailed egg decoration through open source technology. They are currently seeking help crowdfunding a Particle Filter to get rid of the wood and glue dust that the CNC machine produces. Help them out here, there’s some great perks you can gain in return for giving them a leg up.
Statistically, children need a prosthetic replacement every 6-12 months, and adults every 3-5 years. The idea is that adjustments to the prosthetics can be made by the person using them as needed. In developing countries there are several issues that this project could fix, including the lack of trained professionals and reduction of associated costs. Western created prosthetics can be expensive and may not be designed for the rural Indonesian way of life.
Fablab Yogyakarta has also been involved in creating a handi-capable tricycle, called Special Trike 1.0 that is electric powered, eliminating pedals from the design altogether. The tricycle’s design will look familiar from those of our childhood but this time with an ignition key under the seat and a rear wheel that is connected to a battery.
There are a multitude of wonderful ‘fruits’ or projects that have been well documented on FabLab Yogyakarta’s site, including a joy division laser-etched chair, vinyl tetris shelves, lasercut satin patterns, and different items of vertebrae furniture. It’s great to see a FabLab cataloguing their projects so well and sharing ideas.
Newport, Rhode Island, is a small maritime city sits on the scenic Aquidneck Island with a population of around 25,000. Bordered by coastlines on the south, west and east, it relies heavily on tourist trade and has one of the highest concentration of colonial homes in the US. Nestled there, amoung habours buzzing with commercial fishing boats and Gilded Age homes, is Newport’s very own Fablab.
FabNewport is a unique organization that looks to empower their community through technology. Running out of the Florence M. Gray Center, their staff boast a combined 30 years of professional engineering experience and a further 40 of running small businesses. Their mission is to pass down technological and creative knowledge to all community members, especially youth, through play. FabNewport understands that a supportive environment is required to do this and that great mentors and coaches are the key to success. Since their opening in 2013, they have initiated an outreach program at the Newport County Boys and Girls Clubs, are pairing with Portsmouth, Middletown and Newport libraries and Jamestown Arts Center to build innovation hubs and are experimenting with students teaching students programs.
Recent projects have focused involving both youth and families through activities centered on developing projects, learning skills, exercising creativity and, of course, making. This spring, FabNewport invited families to be involved in the Float Your Boat project. Participants designed a boat on 3D rendering program Rhino, which were then cut at New England Boat Works. Local experts assisted in teaching the stitch and glue method of constructing the boats. A few months along, the participating families are in the process of constructing the life sized models to be cast onto the open water. They will then learn the ropes of boat handling and weather conditions.
Stay tuned to their site for the totally nautical results!
