Idea Factory Now Open

Seung Hyun Suh
Approved 2013.11.05 01:37
Comments 0

KAIST has installed Idea Factory, a fabrication laboratory (fab lab) on campus to promote active idea development and prototype building.

In general, fab labs provide widespread access to modern means for invention. Fab labs have started as an outreach project from Center for Bits and Atoms (CBA) of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). CBA assembled various machines for research in digital fabrication with the ultimate goal of targeting at developing programmable molecular assemblers that will be able to make almost anything. Fab labs have now spread over 16 countries, from inner-city Boston to rural India, South Africa, and north of Norway. Activities in fab labs are diverse, ranging from technological empowerment to peer-to-peer project-based technical training, local problem solving, small-scale high-tech business incubation, and grass-rots research.

KAIST Idea Factory provides its students an opportunity to try out various ideas by using effective equipment such as the 3D printer and the laser cutter. Other equipment will be further installed in Idea Factory.

Other than providing equipment and materials for building prototypes, Idea Factory is planning to support the students in other various ways as well. On September 13, an education session for idea exploration and commercialization was provided at 2 p.m., at Room 1105 of the Education Support Building (W8). The session was about the manuals for 2D and 3D CAD, the 3D printer, and the laser cutter and other general information about fab lab operations.

Moreover, various support programs for prospective startup companies will be established. Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH) will support the students in Idea Factory by ensuring high quality in prototype building. Idea Factory will also provide the skills and connection for commercialization, such as business model development.

Awards will be given out to outstanding ideas at the end of each semester to further motivate KAIST students to actively develop ideas.

Seung Hyun Suh hyunsuh@kaist.ac.kr

See Other Articles