Education
Solution by: MIT Center for Bits and Atoms, Fab Foundation
Global Labs for Invention through Technology Fab Labs are an international network of innovation hubs that invite members to imagine and prototype their inventions using openly available equipment and software.
SOCIAL The Fab Labs create local and international networks by building communities revolving around inclusive innovation through knowledge-sharing.
THE TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE
ENVIRONMENTAL Open innovation spaces such as the Fab Labs, where projects have included solar panels and wind turbines, can help to accelerate the invention of sustainable technologies.
Fab Labs are open spaces for invention equipped with industrial-grade fabrication and electronics tools furnished with open-source software and programs. What started as an outreach project at MIT’s Center for Bits and Atoms has expanded to more than 400 Fab Labs in operation all over the world, spreading access to modern technology and stimulating local entrepreneurship. Recognizing these platforms’ educational value, the Fab Foundation makes concerted efforts to reach young people. Many schools use Fab Labs to provide hands-on STEM education for students. By completing a project from conception to prototyping and iteration, students receive a more holistic learning experience that can be shared with other inventors across the world. WHY A SUSTAINIA100 SOLUTION?
ECONOMIC The educational opportunities available at Fab Labs equip young people with marketable skills.
Fab Labs embody the growing “maker movement” that is steadily democratizing access to tools for innovation and invention around the world. Empowering talented individuals with access to the tools they need to innovate generates valuable educational opportunities and accelerates the discovery of potential new sustainable technologies.
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© ’FabLab at Bozar, Brussels’. By Marc Wathieu. Licensed under CC BY 2.0. https://goo.gl/h08wEO
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