MIT Project Manus

Product Design - Industrial Design - User Experience

'The Deep' Makerspace

JUNE 2018 -- November 2019

Maker in Residence, Makerspace Instructor + Mentor

Project Manus

Project Manus was initiated in October 2015 by MIT Provost Martin Schmidt. The mandate for this new MIT office was to develop the gold standard in next generation academic makersystems.

The Deep

The Deep is one of the new makerspaces on MIT campus. Summer 2018 I was hired to develop the space in preparation for its grand opening Fall 2018.

Makerspace Instructor + Mentor

My job as a mentor was to receive training on several shop tools and then design training courses for future shop users. Shop tools included the lasercutter, 3D printers, drill press, metal lathe, and more. After the grand opening, the mentor team tested the training courses and implemented finalized courses to new shop users

Another aspect of being a shop founding instructor is making signs and other shop hardware. For example, on the right, an eye protection storage/holder.

Maker in Residence

As a maker in residence my task was to design small project kits for shop users. The kits are designed to provide users a productive excuse to practice operating shop tools, and ultimately a useful product they could take home.

The project kits include: image guided online instructions, tool files, project materials

Sample Project Kits

MIT- Lasercut Bowl; This is an intro project I designed for shop users to learn the Laser Cutter tool/ machine. Spiral design becomes 3D when it is placed onto a basic cross-brace stand, also lasercut from the same single plywood sheet.

MIT Acrylic Pencil Case (Image 1); This fun project is a more advanced Lasercutter project kit. Features a live hinge (bendy plastic by using many tiny cuts on rigid material).

Wooden Bee Puzzle(Image 2 + 3); Alternate Lasercutter project. Basic puzzle assembly.

Meet the Makers -

MIT Spectrum Magazine

MIT Spectrum magazine and the MIT Campaign for a Better World wrote articles about the importance of makerspaces at MIT. The emphasis is that they are sites that foster innovation and entrepreneurship.

I was interviewed for the Fall 2019 Issue of the MIT Spectrum Magazine. My perspactive was to analyze the role of makerspaces on MIT campus. In addition, I gave commentary on my own role as a shop Maker and Instructor. Below is a button link to the MIT Better World Campaign website where the interview video is hosted.