Fabrication Laboratories (Fab Labs) were started as a community outreach program by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to provide digital fabrication tools for rapid prototyping to the... Show moreFabrication Laboratories (Fab Labs) were started as a community outreach program by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to provide digital fabrication tools for rapid prototyping to the general public. The Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago (MSI) has partnered with this IPRO to further develop their existing Fab Lab. IPRO 333 has been assigned the task of working with the Fab Lab administrators to design methodologies for furthering the use of the laboratory and determining its end goals for both the museum and the community. Once these goals are established, we will support them with a list of projects that we will create and execute. By working with the lab directors to broaden the possible uses of the lab, we hope to encourage hands-on learning in local schools. This will promote membership at MSI and involve the community in science and technology programs and education. To accomplish this, we have broken into two teams, each of which will focus on a different audience. The first team will be responsible for designing and creating programs for more advanced and knowledgeable users of the equipment specific to the Fab Lab, such as the students enrolled in the Science Achievers program as well as museum members; the second team will be responsible for designing and implementing programs for less advanced users with more constrained timeframes, such as visiting families or groups of school children. Show less
