REPORT ON THE GHANA FAB-LAB PRESENTED AT THE DIGITAL AND PERSONAL FABRICATION CONFERENCE. VENUE: INNOVATION HUB, PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA. 26th - 30th JUNE 2006.

Takoradi Technical Institute

Fab-Lab Building 

INTRODUCTION  We present to you a team from the Ghana Fab Lab made up of John Sylvester Boafo - Principal of the Institute, Mr. John Ocran the Vice Principal (Administration), Mr Emmanuel Azasoo the Fab Lab Manager and Master Abdulai Adam a second year Automotive Engineering student and a Fab Lab assistant. In addition, we a representative from the metropolitan office, in the person of Mr. Jake Ntiamoah, and a two member Fab Lab volunteers from Boston namely Mr. Martin Meo and Miss. Janice Lichtman with the Ghanaian team.  TTI as a Co - Educational Institution offers courses in Seven disciplines in engineering and building.  The Institute is privileged to have the Fab Lab established through the initiative of BOSEKTA- an association of Sekondi – Takoradi citizens and their friends in Bosten with assistance from M.I.T.

THE VISION OF THE INSTITUTE  TTI has made it as a trade mark that: - students acquire technical and vocational skills training and qualifications that meet the changing needs of the labour market, -training is consistent with Ghana’s Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS), -Training contributes to Private Sector Development.

MISSION OF TTI Our mission is to strive to be second to none in the production of middle level manpower for industry and self - employment.

FAB LAB GOAL  Our goal is to identify community problems and find solutions to them;  We are looking at developing the abundant natural resources (solar and wind energy ) to power machines and mechanize our rural agriculture and the Arts and Craft Industry. to power machines and mechanize our rural agriculture and the Arts and Craft Industry.

FAB-LAB PATRONAGE Patronage has been very encouraging; comprising the following:  Students of the Institute  Students from the Basic Schools and other second cycle Institutions,  Universities and Polytechnics,  Adults from the community which include Opinion Leaders, teachers, trade associations, NGO’s etc.

PROJECTS  Some of the projects initiated are yet to be completed.  To realize our goal which have been outlined above, we are working out the possibility of developing wind and solar projects that will be of immense benefit to the rural agro industry.  The need for this development become necessary as a result of increase in population leading to a high demand for energy without corresponding increase in Hydro source. This calls for an alternative source of which thermal is expensive.  In the process we held meetings with local Non- Governmental Organizations that support programs for enterprise empowerment and development, and another working on solar panel projects so as to find out what the facility at centre can offer to improve the product quality.  We have also had series of meetings with the University of Cape Coast for a necessary collaboration between the Institutions in the sharing of resources as well as technology transfer to the mutual benefit of the communities. There are signs of successful collaboration after a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been completed.  Through knowledge sharing with Fab-Lab volunteers digital electronics is being infused into our mechanical capabilities; this we hope would propel us into a new digital revolutionary world. The following slides shows excerpts of the activities at the Lab.

TTI STUDENT- Abubakari working on a seven segment display circuit TTI STUDENT- Abubakari working on a seven segment display circuit

An enthusiastic Polytechnic Student (Gibril) working on a counter ciruit.

TTI- POLYTECHNIC STUDENTS WORKING TO FINISH THE DISPLAY CIRCUIT

A Clock

Volunteers and students working at the Lab.

PROJECTIONS  Our projections for the coming years include developing energy to power small scale industry. Eg. Solar and wind in the areas of irrigation.  Construction of the Fab – Lab Complex to enhance and expand the scope of operation of the Fab Lab.  Making the Fab-Lab concept available to the other 23 sister Technical Institutions scattered all over the country.

CONCLUSION In summary, the Ghana Fab-Lab: In summary, the Ghana Fab-Lab:  Is managed by a team of officers from the Institute, Shama Ahanta East Metropolitan Assembly and counterparts from MIT.  Our vision is to provide quality training with the application of personal digital fabrication to our mechanical capabilities to enhance national development.  Our goal is also to identify communal problems and find solutions to them.  In addition we are looking at the possibility of utilizing the abundant natural resources to enhance poverty reduction.  The Lab is highly patronised by people form the academia, industry, NGO’s etc.  Some projects were initiated with others completed (prototype for exhibition)  We are also developing an MOU for effective collaboration with research Institutions such as Univ. of cape Coast.  Our ultimate projection is to expand both in facility and scope to meet the increasing demand of the community.  We would like to use this platform to thank our sponsors Advance Manufacturing Technology Strategy and the Center for Bits and Atoms of Massachusetts Institute of Technology for their support Thank you for your attention.