Clara CERON (
picafabra.com)
Makers and menders on the move. How can mobile fablabs fit in the ecosystem of urban makerspaces? Like their «brick and mortar» counterparts, mobile fablabs have seen their number steadily increase, although they can be very diverse in their typology and purpose. Are they just a gimmick catering to the mobility trend? Or do they fulfill specific needs? And how do they fit in the ecosystem of urban makerspaces* and beyond*? We will be exploring the intersection of mobility and making, assessing existing initiatives and imagining new uses. * I’ll use the word as an umbrella term for fablabs, hackerspaces and other collaborative digital fabrication workhops. And why stop there? I will also mention other repair and mending workshops and even recycling centres [
ressourceries], which share some values and missions with them.
Olivia KOTSIFA (stiwdio everywhere)
Yes, there could be chemistry between a textile designer, an outdoor photographer, a maker, an entrepreneur, a programmer. and a surfer. The question is, where do they all get the chance to meet and talk about their passion that could turn into a collaboration and/or a potential business.
According to a global co-working survey, 1.7 million people will be working in around 19,000 co-working spaces around the world by the end of 2018. Is it because people travel more? Is it because they are seeking a better work-life balance? How does their workplace/ co-working space look like? What happens in the case of a maker?
When I started setting up Fab Lab Cardiff, there were 60 Fab Labs worldwide, and only one in the U.K. There are currently 42 in the U.K. and around 1300 worldwide. Why is there a need for more Fab Labs and why are everytime more and younger people so passionate in extending their knowledge by taking the Fab Academy courses?
This talk would discuss the similarities and differences between the two networks, the possible future of work and education and the possibility to make almost anything while traveling.
Simo LEMHANDEZ (Maharal)
Last-mile logistics and e-commerce packages delivery in urban areas.
Peter Pihlmann PEDERSEN ,
www.cambikesensor.net, University of Cambridge, UK , Sensor Systems Engineer
A cyclist’s mobile sensor hub for big data citizen science
The aim of this project is to build a mobile sensor network for monitoring of the local environment in the city of Cambridge by citizens, using modular sensor hubs that can easily be fitted on bicycles.
The sensor hub’s modularity will allow for the monitoring of parameters of interest to the citizens and communities of Cambridge. Initially, we will aim to collect spatially tagged measurements of air quality, bike traffic, and road surface quality. Such measurements are currently only taken at a few fixed points, and so may not yet accurately reflect citizens’ exposure or experiences.
To incorporate the sensor hubs into a network, we will develop a platform that can collect and analyse the sensor measurements efficiently. The local positioning system and transmission of data will rely on a SigFox wireless network, which exploits a pre-collated map of Wi-Fi networks for local positioning within Cambridge. This will minimise energy consumption during data transfer, and function independently of power-intensive positioning methods such as GPS. To further prolong device longevity, and reduce battery costs, we are interfacing the sensor to a dynamo-like energy-harvesting device.
By enabling citizens to assemble and use the sensor hubs, as well as access the analysed data, this project will bring the world of science closer to the community and promote engagement with the issues relating to the quality of the local environment. In order to involve the largest possible number of citizens in the project, we aim for the hub to be easy-to-build and accompanied by a comprehensible instruction booklet. To further incentivise citizens to become involved, we will attempt to incorporate an anti-theft bike alarm system into the device.
