Python-powered Fab labs the next big thing?
Dethe Elza posted about Fab Labs on this list in 2005. http://mail.python.org/pipermail/edu-sig/2005-April/004676.html A year later, here is a mainstream new article on them: "'Fab labs' deliver high-tech tools: MIT's fabrication laboratories aim to help developing communities find innovative solutions to local needs." http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0927/p16s01-stct.html Excerpts: ... MIT opened the first international Fab Lab in Costa Rica four years ago and has sponsored nine others since then. Meanwhile, many more labs have opened on their own. "They're just sort of popping up," Lassiter says. "It's a good idea, and people want to do it." That's what is happening in South Africa, where the government has a stated goal of improving the country's science, technology, and manufacturing capabilities. ... "The high concept is to get these into the communities," says Naas Zaayman, who runs the Innovation Hub Fab Lab for Advanced Manufacturing Technology Strategy, a government program created to spread science and technology. "It's the idea that if you're somewhere in rural South Africa, and you want something for solar energy, you can go to a Fab Lab and make your own." ... Justinos Nkutshwev is one of the regulars. He sits at a computer, using the mouse to manipulate lines on a graphics program. He is building a bus, he says, and a generator to make it run. He is 15 years old and never used a computer before he came to the Fab Lab a few months ago. Now, he works with the lab's machines twice a week. "I come here because I can make interesting things," he says. Although the lab technically closes at 5 p.m., the staff regularly keeps it open hours later. Sometimes teenagers show up at staff members' houses on Sunday, begging them to unlock the doors. "They say 'We need to finish our projects, can you please open?' " Nkadimeng says. "It's great to see them so eager. There's no way to say no." === Looks like they use Python too: http://episteme.arstechnica.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/158007275731/m/6150040708... "We primarly use the computer in each Fab Lab for running our computer aided design (CAD) and manufacturing (CAM). Our main 3D tool is BLENDER (pictured on the left above) which we are extending in Python (for example, see cad.blend) for use with our specific audiances. We also use SDRAW and PSTOEDIT for 2D design." http://cba.mit.edu/projects/fablab/tools.html Anyway, just fodder for the imagination -- nice having Python running these things. --Paul Fernhout
Hi Paul, Thanks for pointing out the article, I hadn't seen that one. The Fab Labs have also been featured in Make Magazine, Wired, the Economist, Business Week and Science Friday and Neil Gershenfeld has a book out on them: http://www.amazon.ca/FAB-Revolution-Desktop-Computers-Fabrication/dp/ 0465027458/sr=1-11/qid=1159452431/ref=sr_1_11/701-4538240-5689161? ie=UTF8&s=books Also, the 2002 class "How to Make (almost) Anything" is available under MIT's Open Courseware program: http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Media-Arts-and-Sciences/MAS-863How-to-Make-- Almost--AnythingFall2002/CourseHome/ The FAQ has some good links: http://fab.cba.mit.edu/forum/faq1.htm There is now a Fab Central page at the MIT Center for Bits and Atoms: http://fab.cba.mit.edu/, and the tools page lists software resources, many in Python. There is a ton of info out there. The estimated cost of a new Fab Lab is $25,000 USD. I'm hoping my new job will at some point sponsor one, or at least provide space for one. Open source desktop manufacturing is on its way. --Dethe On 27-Sep-06, at 6:00 PM, Paul D. Fernhout wrote:
Dethe Elza posted about Fab Labs on this list in 2005.
http://mail.python.org/pipermail/edu-sig/2005-April/004676.html
A year later, here is a mainstream new article on them: "'Fab labs' deliver high-tech tools: MIT's fabrication laboratories aim to help developing communities find innovative solutions to local needs." http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0927/p16s01-stct.html
Excerpts:
...
MIT opened the first international Fab Lab in Costa Rica four years ago and has sponsored nine others since then. Meanwhile, many more labs have opened on their own. "They're just sort of popping up," Lassiter says. "It's a good idea, and people want to do it."
That's what is happening in South Africa, where the government has a stated goal of improving the country's science, technology, and manufacturing capabilities.
...
"The high concept is to get these into the communities," says Naas Zaayman, who runs the Innovation Hub Fab Lab for Advanced Manufacturing Technology Strategy, a government program created to spread science and technology. "It's the idea that if you're somewhere in rural South Africa, and you want something for solar energy, you can go to a Fab Lab and make your own."
...
Justinos Nkutshwev is one of the regulars. He sits at a computer, using the mouse to manipulate lines on a graphics program. He is building a bus, he says, and a generator to make it run. He is 15 years old and never used a computer before he came to the Fab Lab a few months ago. Now, he works with the lab's machines twice a week. "I come here because I can make interesting things," he says.
Although the lab technically closes at 5 p.m., the staff regularly keeps it open hours later. Sometimes teenagers show up at staff members' houses on Sunday, begging them to unlock the doors.
"They say 'We need to finish our projects, can you please open?' " Nkadimeng says. "It's great to see them so eager. There's no way to say no."
===
Looks like they use Python too:
http://episteme.arstechnica.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/158007275731/m/ 615004070831 "We primarly use the computer in each Fab Lab for running our computer aided design (CAD) and manufacturing (CAM). Our main 3D tool is BLENDER (pictured on the left above) which we are extending in Python (for example, see cad.blend) for use with our specific audiances. We also use SDRAW and PSTOEDIT for 2D design." http://cba.mit.edu/projects/fablab/tools.html
Anyway, just fodder for the imagination -- nice having Python running these things.
--Paul Fernhout _______________________________________________ Edu-sig mailing list Edu-sig@python.org http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/edu-sig
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participants (2)
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Dethe Elza -
Paul D. Fernhout