Augmenting and Quantifying Digital Fabrication Spaces

Digital fabrication spaces (DFSs) offer a technology-rich platform for designers and consumers to create innovative solutions and prototypes using subtractive and additive manufacturing technology and electronics prototyping tools. DFSs promote a circular economy and redistributive manufacturing, allowing product reuse, repair, remanufacturing, and recycling. In educational settings, DFSs promote open-ended, hands-on, and project-based learning. Despite the importance of digital fabrication-based prototyping, limited efforts have been made to understand and support this process. This research therefore aims to quantify and augment the digital fabrication-based prototyping process and its outcomes. First, we identified the factors influencing creativity, the development of digital fabrication skills, and students’ experiences in DFSs. Second, we presented a method for capturing prototyping activities and collaborative interactions using computer vision technology and presented a case study highlighting the connection between student interactions and creativity. Third, we integrated a dedicated prototyping-capturing tool to facilitate the documentation of the prototyping process. Fourth, we proposed a conceptual framework for sustainable digital fabrication-based prototyping.
The results showed that learning activities in DFSs fostered creativity and digital fabrication skills. In addition, compared with collaborative work, individual work contributed more to the development of digital fabrication skills. Furthermore, we demonstrated that a monocular vision method could capture prototyping activities and student interactions, providing valuable insights for tuning maker-based pedagogy to assist struggling students. Finally, the results showed that the sustainability of the prototyping process could be evaluated and enhanced by incorporating the sustainability indicators presented in the literature.
The findings can enhance learning in digital fabrication-based makerspaces and optimize maker-based pedagogy to teach technical and soft skills to learners. The findings also benefit social and engineering design professionals and researchers working with digital fabrication technology because they promote sustainable and creative outcomes. The findings can also be utilized by DFS staff to enhance the utilization of consumables and machines through a sustainable approach and monitoring their DFSs use patterns.