Memories Patagonia Research trip

Memories Patagonia Research trip Adriana Cabrera

in the framework of the opening of the FabLab Austral Chile 14th. 24th January 2019

Identification of the territory This document gathers some of the memories recovered during the trip the research expedition of Bio-Manufacturing practices in Patagonia and Puerto Williams in the context of the opening of the digital fabrication laboratory Fab Lab Austral The general purpose of introducing an open-source methodology for the exploration of critical territories, either in areas of difficult access in terms of ecosystem conditions, is the first attempt to define standard parameters. Besides the essential purpose of the materials systematization, this is an informal and illustrative story of the activities that were carried out during this visit to highlight some of the facts that were meaningful during the visit Thanks to the Department of Equal Opportunities for Women of the Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences, for providing the support to discover these experiences and contribute a piece of expertise in the transfer of knowledge to extreme territories. Thank for empowering open knowledge, cultural exchange, sustainable alternatives. For this great experience, I thank you very much for your support.

On the road Villa UKIKA The last destination of indigenous communities in the south of Chile’s Antarctic , Yagan Community

Thanks to the department of computational design of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology MIT. To the FabLab austral and Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Fab-Foundation, the laboratory of Bio-fabrication LABVA and countless citizens and people who participated in this experience, it was a a great honour to take part of this expedition, I extend our sincere gratitude.

Puerto Williams Ecological and Biodiversity Institute - Chile

Adriana Cabrera Senior Consultant Innovation & Product Development Matrix GmbH & Co KG Guest Scientist Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences | FabLab Kamp-Lintfort adriana.cabrera.@gmail.com

Puerto Williams Peatlands(turberas), a natural source of water storage and production by means of moss

Knowledge transfer

Moulding and casting

The big challenge of the week was to think not only about the manufacturing process but also the adequacy of the digital manufacturing laboratory. A high expectation of the Puerto Williams community would react to the use of the machines.

I was in charge of making the assembly of the slatted board, which caught the attention of many of the women leaders of activities in the community of Puerto Williams.

Based on a wax mould previously milled on the Roland CNC milling machine, prof. Neil Gershenfeld wanted to make some coins for the opening of the lab.

The objective of this exercise focused on to demonstrate the variety of manufacturing methods and processes of both traditional manufacturing and bio-fabrication.

Set up and test machines

Testing the Brother single head embroidery machine

Wax mold, previously milled on the CNC milling machine, to make the silicone mold

casting coins with Low Melt Fusible Bismuth

great satin stitch embroidery from the fab lab and bio lab

Explaining step by step to the new potential instructor how to make her own designs

Melt Fuse Bismuth coins

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Collection of materials for bio-fabrication In the meanwhile, different samples were collected based on: Anthropic resources such as carbon. The remains found in nature such as lignin, from the trees, Which represent 30% of the non-fossil organic carbon.

Other natural resources were found in great abundance in this region such as seashells and algae.

Other plants like calafate, which are considered weeds, produce a berry richs in flavour and colour, which can be used for different products ,e.g. the production of wine, and jams, dyes and the production of a biomaterial with its biomass.

Berberis microphylla is a spiny evergreen shrub endemic to the Argentine and Chilean Patagonia, its fruits are eatable, and by some citizens, it is considered a weed in their lands.

Lignin, a material that represents a large part of the biomass of the tree’s cuttings, a material that can be used for 3D printing of biomaterials

Algae is one of the most abundant resources of the Pacific coastal area. In this territory, the algae are plentiful and can be used in different ways for bio-fabrication.

Since most of the heat source is wood smoke, the ashes can be reused for the production of biomaterials.

Seashells of different kinds, which were collected and selected for preparation as described below.

Opening FAB LAB AUSTRAL

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Numerous participation of children from the schools and people from the academic community and the region participated in the event. It still seemed incredible the idea of having the machine that made embroidery, be layers of embedding electronic circuits in textiles. but the most exciting thing was the smiles and joy of the children playing and learning from these new possibilities

With high expectation, many people from the community participated in the opening of the laboratory after intensive days of testing machines, adapting what was missing.

Incredibly, children from the schools and people from the academic community and the region participated in the event.

a great surprise for the children of the Puerto Williams school building the laser cutter press an fit kit

Inauguration of the Fab Lab Austral

Sherry Lassiter finishing off the FabLab Austral logo stickers

Workshop area, electronics, laser cutter and embroidery.

Presentation and setting-up the Bio-Fabrication area. Results of some of the samples collected in the expeditions.

Memories after the inauguration. This event mobilised research and citizenship in the far south of the planet.

El Mercurio: National newspaper article mentioning the opening of the FabLab Austral.

In the most southern city of the world, where everything arrives by ship or by plane, this laboratory will serve to manufacture products at a local scale.

Although this is not a chronological account, we try in different ways to establish contact with the community, during the visit to the Ukika community and the last native of the Yagans aborigines.

Community outreach We were also able to make contact with the citizens and later on, we have the first people interested in making something in the Lab, showing the opportunities to develop small ideas from the laboratory, such as packaging, how to use materials or rather waste and resourses of the nature

During the visit, Mrs. “Eli”, an active leader of the city, was interested in all the processes, telling her about the processes of bio-manufacturing, she introduced us to the calafate, as a source of manufacturing products such as wine and jam.

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Aboriginal niece of the last woman of the Yagan community of Cristina Calderon

Yagan community crafts

Mrs. “ Eli’s” hands through the years of harvesting the calafate berries.

image designed by Carolina Pacheco , for Mrs. Eli, so she can print a brand for the label of her bottle, which could be produced in the FabLab

dyeing of reused textiles with the calafate berries.

Visit to the Ukkika community, invitation to the community and integration of the daily activities of the community, for the evaluation towards the territorial approach.

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Samples processing

Subsequently, experiments were carried out with two of the collected previously. e.g. algae from which the alginate is extracted, as well as the processing of the seashells. This process is described in more detail in the article:

Once the search was completed, the samples were processed in the Bio-Fabrication laboratory located in the city of Valdivia LABVA. In this laboratory, you will find a sample and file and systematic search of bio-materials practices in the area of Valdivia and Chilean Patagonia where the resources for the processing of the samples were available as well as visits to the region. examples biomaterial samples and production of objects e.g. based on mycelium, beer barley scraps, eggshells. for the use of the recipes is registered under creative commons in the platform materiom in the following Link: https://materiom.org/.

Prototype of a self-sufficient bio-fabrication protocol for remote territories.

For more information please visit the following

experimental matrixes of Mussel Seashell from Sieved Ø 1Mm - to Ø 3Mm

Aníbal Fuentes Palacios, Carolina Pacheco Glen, Adriana Cabrera Galindez, Alejandro Weiss Munchmeyer, and María José Besoain Narvaez. “Prototype of a self-sufficient biofabrication protocol for remote territories”. Dearq, no. 26 (2020): 110-118. https://doi.org/10.18389/ dearq26.2020.12

Archive of samples of biomaterials and their technical file.

conclusions and map to follow of the process as shaping a protocol how to approach a new territory.

https://revistas.uniandes. edu.co/doi/abs/10.18389/ dearq26.2020.12

Agar Extraction Processing Ulva rigida, seaweed on the Valdivia coastline