Fablabs in Higher Education

Fablabs as Hands-on Learning Spaces Frank Kresin / Research Director institute for art, science & technology

Collaborations between
Users
Designers
Programmers
Artists & Scientists
Publish or Perish => Demo or Die

USERS AS DESIGNERS

OPEN SOURCE / CONTENT / DATA HARDWARE

3D PRINTING

OPEN DESIGN - technology 3D LASERCUT OBJECT - UNKNOWN 3D CNC STRUCTURE - FABLAB BCN 3D PRINTED WHISTLES - FABLAB UTRECHT BLUEPRINT - JORN VAN ECK 3D PRINTED ARCHITECTURE - D SHAPE FAB @ HOME 3D BIOPRINTING- ORGANOVO 3D FABLAB HOUSE - FABLAB BCN 3D PRINTED OBJECT - HUNG CHE LIN

OPEN DESIGN OPEN SOURCE HOUSE C_MM_N - OPEN SOURCE CAR

OPEN DESIGN FABLAB @ WAAG SOCIETY

FABLAB TOOLS

http://www.arduino.cc/

FABLAB @ NORWAY

FAB LAB
Mission Fablabs are a global network of local labs, enabling invention by providing access for individuals to tools for digital fabrication.
Access You can use the Fablab to make almost anything (that doesn't hurt anyone); you must learn to do it yourself, and you must share use of the lab with other uses and users.
Education Training in the fab lab is based on doing projects and learning from peers; you're expected to contribute to documentation and instruction.

Personal Power Plant http://www.instructables.com/id/personal-powerPlant/

SelfCity Wearable http://fablab.waag.org/selfcity

MooiMuis http://fablab.waag.org/mooimuis/

ChocoPI http://amsterdam.fablab.nl/node/1719/ & http://chocopi.blogspot.com/

Design for your future self – PICNIC’11

q
LemonBow http://www.lemonbow-swimwear.com/

FabFi http://fabfi.fablab.af/

open prosthetics http://amsterdam.fablab.nl/node/1943

PRINCIPLES
The best producer is the actual user
He/she can learn to build (almost) anything
Share blueprints & stand on the shoulders of others
A network of Fablabs over the world (more than 60)
Connected by video conferencing links

“ Once you start drawing or making things, you open up new possibilities of discovery. Doodling, drawing, modeling. Sketch make things, and you're likely to encourage accidental discoveries. At the most fundamental level, what we're talking about is play, about exploring borders.”

DESIGN THINKING
Design Thinking is a practice & process to solve problems and develop and improve situations, products or services by using applied, practical creativity.
The intention of Design Thinking is improve the quality of life – on a big and a small scale.

DESIGN “STANCE”
Empathy
Integral Thinking
Optimism
Experiments
Collaboration

DESIGN THINKING FOR EDUCATORS http://www.designthinkingforeducators.com/

http://www.designthinkingforeducators.com/

CASE: UVA
February - May 2010
Collaboration UvA – Waag Society
Professor: dr. Michel Avital
Course: Information and Innovation
Department of Economics
50 students
Using Fablabs & Design Thinking to teach students how to innovate.
Proces precedes over results
Challenge: design a product or service for Sustainable Urban Living in a Digital Age
More info: http://avital.feb.uva.nl/Courses_dev/info+innovation.html

Develop IT-enabled solutions in novel situations
Practice collective thinking and teamwork
Gain an insight to the way things around you work
Be creative, generate and evaluate ideas, design everything better
Thrive on your success rather than be bogged down with constraints
Increase the impact of your ideas by persuasive communication
Learn to see the whole picture with the systems approach
Apply and enhance your research skills
LEARNING GOALS Pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/34773415@N05/sets/72157623552461797/

PROCESS
Theory lessons
Introduction to the Fablab & Design Thinking
Presenting the Assignment
Developing Paper Prototypes
Research User Preferences and Constraints
Developing Prototypes
Feedback on Results & Process
http://www.flickr.com/photos/34773415@N05/sets/72157623552461797/

Sustainable Fitnesstrainer
http://group09.wordpress.com/

Testimonials
"I can honestly say that the course was the most interesting and most enjoyable of the classes I have taken...I plan on putting the project that was completed in this class on my resume.”
"Challenging course, a lot of self-directed thinking...Lot's of practical, hands-on experience.”
"Wow, this was a challenging class. Not so much in the sense of quantitative work, but as it requires me to figure out how things really work. I learned so much.”
"Good learning environment and good teamwork. It was an excellent opportunity to experience project development in a safe environment.”

WHAT DO STUDENTS LEARN?
Sharing & Collaborating
Product development
Prototyping Processes
Innovation Processes
User Research
Mindset of the designer: solving problems
…

QUEST
How can Fablabs & hands-on design-thinking be employed by your company or institution?
What do you need for this and what are the gains?

Frank Kresin Research Director Waag Society @kresin waag.org [email_address]

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Fablabs in Higher Education

by Frank Kresin on Dec 01, 2011

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