Mahatma Gandhi University (MGU) will soon set up a Fab Lab aimed at nurturing young talents having a passion for digital fabrication.
Fabrication Laboratory, popularly known as Fab Lab, is a workshop-like facility for digital fabrication with the help of cutting-edge equipment and machines.
Vice Chancellor Babu Sebastian said the State’s working group on higher education had given its nod for setting up the Fab Lab at the varsity. “This will greatly benefit students, innovators, and student entrepreneurs nurtured by the varsity’s Business Innovation and Incubation Centre (BIIC),” he added.
The proposed Fab Lab, which will be set up under BIIC, will enable students to access, use, and experiment with state-of-the-art technology.
The facility is expected to play a key role in personalising invention and ensuring the trickle-down of technology to any common individual, regardless of his education or experience.
Termed as the hub of personal digital fabrication, the Fab Lab will be equipped with numerous computer-controlled appliances covering several length scales like 3-D printers and CNC milling machines. It will also have technology-enabled products. An official release said the facility would equip users to design and manufacture their own products. They can also tinker with varied appliances and technology sets leading to the development of new products and innovations.
The objective is to create a set of people who are good at designing, prototyping and developing new products or devices that can be tailor-made to specific or personal needs. Training will be given to faculty members on using the Fab Lab to foster an innovation ecosystem.
BIIC has already approached the Fab Foundation at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) as part of setting up the Fab Lab. Experts from MIT are expected to visit the campus and hold preliminary discussions with the varsity authorities.
BIIC will reach an agreement on inventory, expenditure, and other aspects pertaining to the setting up of the lab. Details about medium-term operational and maintenance expenditure for the facility will also be discussed.
