Issue (WIWE) status: Submitted, Unpublished

Weak Signal's progress: Advanced

This Weak Signal came from: 
European Commission Framework Programme for RTD

The theme/scheme related to this Weak Signal: 
Theme 8 - Socio-economic Sciences and the Humanities

The sub-theme that best relates to this Weak Signal: 
Blue Sky Research on emerging issues and other research economies

When did the Weak Signal manifest ? 
before 2000

Weak Signal's description: 

The concept of Fablabs - fabrication laboratories for everybody with flexible manufacturing equipment, consisting of several production tools such as laser cutters, CNC-Machines, 3D-printers, water jet cutters and injection molding machines – was developed by Neil Gershenfeld from the MIT. These small-scale workshops empower individuals to create personalised products solving local problems and answering personal needs by themselves. “Fabs” exist already in the United States, South Africa, Ghana, India, Norway and Costa Rica.