FabLab at the Hub stimulates award-winning creativity

Students from Pecanwood College (Grade 9) and Re-E-Lwela Primary School (Grade 7) make use of some of the tools at the FabLab at The Innovation Hub.

Almost a year and a half after the concept was first introduced to South Africa right here at The Innovation Hub, the "Fab Lab" or Fabrication Laboratory programme has grown in leaps and bounds across the country, with five FabLabs now operational in four provinces.

FabLab manager at The Innovation Hub, Naas Zaayman explains that the vision is to "bring personal fabrication to the people". This is achieved by giving users the ability to conceptualise, design, develop, fabricate and test almost anything through the use of advanced equipment that enables one to create just about anything from inexpensive and readily available materials.

The labs can essentially become a training ground for students, innovators entrepreneurs and business people - teaching them how to use these tools to create whatever they want without having to have a science, engineering and maths background - and instead, learning only what is necessary to make their product.

The FabLab at the Hub has already helped two young people win gold and silver medals respectively with their fabricated creations at this year's Eskom Expo for Young Scientists, as well as producing one Top Ten qualifying entry in the Eveready Young Inventors and Creators Award competition. Two students from Waterkloof High School received the Eveready nomination for their Smart Stick - a walking stick with a light, which was designed to help the elderly make their lives a little easier by lighting up stairs when it is dark.

Zaayman is particularly gratified by the FabLabs successes so far in approaching their goal of bringing practical technology solutions closer to the people. Through the establishment of the Soshanguve FabLab, the programme has become heavily involved in helping communities to solve their own problems in their own way. ""We want to empower people to be able to do things for themselves. In that way they learn a lot more, which stimulates more creativity and creates a different way of looking at problems".

In addition to the two FabLabs in Tshwane, there are also more labs in Cape Town, Bloemfontein and Potchefstroom. "We are prioritising the less fortunate provinces around the country and currently looking into the possibility of establishing more labs in Limpopo and the Northern Cape", says Zaayman.

According to him, the FabLab here at the Hub will take on more of a R&D focus as these other labs evolve by exploring further what can be done using the FabLab model and available technologies, while also assisting the other FabLabs around the country with skills and tools and assessing what the unique needs are for FabLabs in South Africa. "It is very exciting because nobody really knows how far this programme can go. There are so many possibilities", says Zaayman.

The FabLab at the Hub is open to the public on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays and operates on a 'first come first served' basis.

For more information on the FabLab, contact Naas Zaayman on +27 12 844 0325.

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