The Banyan 5 axis CNC machine is a professional CNC system using a Syntec 60W-E control system.
It has a 10kW HSD spindle, a 10 tool autochanger, a drill head, a 3m long rotary B-Axis and a C-Axis available as one of the tools.
There is a vacuum table with 8 zones for workpiece hold-down.
Machine Status: Commissioning
(more…)
As part of its Nouveaux lieux, Nouveaux liensprogramme, the French National Agency for Territorial Cohesion (ANCT) unveiled 61 new Manufactures de proximité on 18 July.
The Pangloss Labs association is proud to have been selected in the 3rd and final wave to become the only Manufacture de Proximité in the entire French Genevan metropolitan area and the 3rd in the department of Ain.
This is the second label received by Pangloss Labs, which has been a Fabrique de territoire since October 2020! Pangloss Labs is also the only manufacture de proximité with a renewable energy sector.
There are currently 100 third-places with the Manufacture de Proximité label, deployed throughout France.
The "Manufactures de proximité" scheme was launched in July 2021 by the National Agency for Territorial Cohesion (ANCT) and the General Directorate for Business, in conjunction with France Tiers-Lieux, to provide long-term support for entrepreneurs and craftsmen throughout our territories, and to provide impetus, within the framework of France Relance, for a programme of economic and engineering support for third-space production sites.
As a reminder, third-spaces are physical spaces for doing things together (coworking, connected campus, shared workshop, fablab... Third spaces are the new places for social links, emancipation and collective initiatives.
What is a Manufacture de proximité ?
Manufactures de proximité are productive third-spaces, which animate and provide services to a professional community. The aim of these local manufactures is to support local economic activity by enabling craftsmen, entrepreneurs and very small businesses to come together in small local production units and to benefit from services and training. The Local Manufactures will become a resource for local industry in order to relaunch the manufacture of products in France.
The Manufactures de proximité will receive grants of an average amount of 250,000 euros over two years to help them invest in local production machinery and equipment to improve their manufacturing capacity, consolidate their business model and purchase equipment for their professional community. The selected Local Manufactures all benefit from an engineering programme that has two components: A four-month incubation phase for project leaders to consolidate the project presented; a two-year tailor-made support phase for each factory, once the funding has been granted, to accompany the implementation of each project. This support aims to create a local economic dynamic and to encourage the promotion of trades, skills and know-how.
Manufactures de proximité are at the heart of the revival of business through territories and the revitalisation of territories through business. I have long defended these third-spaces that bring together VSEs, SMEs and craftsmen around sectors, objectives and values of the future, anchored in people's daily lives. These first 100 labelled structures contribute to our economic sovereignty: they must therefore inspire new ones
Manufactures de proximité are unique places where production tools and techniques can be shared, and they help to create a new economic and social dynamic in our territories. They are a lever for promoting our unique heritage and know-how. Our territories are a wonderful breeding ground for initiatives: I am delighted that these first 100 manufactures de proximité are helping to revitalise them!
"Facilitating access to a world of possibilities".
This is the raison d'être of Pangloss Labs, a non-profit association created in 2014. The mission of the association, based in Ferney-Voltaire in the Pays de Gex (Ain), is to create laboratories for experimentation and prototyping to support local entrepreneurial activities.
Pangloss Labs is a third-space that offers easy access to multiple physical spaces to share and pool tools, machines and workspaces, and provide opportunities for collaboration on different projects. Currently, we offer a Fablab, a Coworking space, and a shared wood workshop (the Woodlab), and are developing a metal workshop (the Metal lab) in beta test. The Pangloss Labs association has about 100 members with various skills. They include professionals (engineers and scientists, designers, creators, artists and entrepreneurs), but also students, retirees and passionate amateurs. By offering production tools, machines and professional skills that are simply not available elsewhere in the Pays de Gex, Pangloss Labs has a lighthouse role and thus responds to a need of companies, social actors and citizens of the territory.
Our action plan as a "Manufacture de Proximité" foresees the increase of the manufacturing capacities of our Fablab, the development of a professional services pole to support local companies and the development of professional training activities.
We are developing cross-border cooperation with various universities and schools: USMB, UNIGE and HEPIA. We are providing prototyping and experimentation support for the new renewable energy eco-system that is being developed in and around Hotspot, the first building of the Ferney Genève Innovation project.
Guillaume Cabrié, co-founder of Pangloss Labs and co-director of the Fablab, said: "We have already helped hundreds of local entrepreneurs with their businesses and increased the number of digital fabrication machines in the region. This award is recognition of this and will help us to move quickly to the next stage, making more and better products right here in France. "
We have a modified LD System RJ8 portable 50W PA system. Comes with wheels and a battery, which lasts around 14 hours. We replaced the speakers to make music sound better. We have a microphone clipped to the side using a 3D printed mount, and it has guitar/instrument inputs and either line-in or bluetooth, all mixable.
t-bone wireless microphones for events, conferences and live performances (yes we found a way to make them work for Karaoke).
We have 4x handheld microphones like this
and 2x headset mics like this
Paul Bristow, Klaus Röhrich, Harald Wirth, 25 November 2021
The technology around the use of hydrogen is advancing rapidly. Today, the hydrogen bus has autonomy of around 300 km, enough for one day of operation. Multiple projects of transformation of the public transport are already realized. Why not use these quiet and efficient vehicles to turn the Line F between Cointrin and Gex into green transport?(more…)
July 2021 The controller of the hydrogen bicycle takes shape
Charles and Paul are finalizing the processor for the hydrogen bicycle. A ESP 32 microcontroller unit reads various current sensors and controls the fuel cell.
22 June 2021 refuelling a small bottle
Refuelling the hydrogen bicycle remains a challenge. We finally decided to work with pressurized hydrogen in a 2 litres bottle for storage on the bicycle. With a few OTS components we were able to fill the small bottle from a larger bottle.
10 Oct. 2020 Science Festival
Fuel cell, hydrogen bottle and controls with buffer batterie all fit into a box which can be mounted on the bicycle. The box with compartments for the various components was 3D printed in the FabLab.
12 Oct. 2019 Science Festival
For demonstrations, Klaus exploses ballons filled with air, butane and hydrogen.
Crowd Funding (May to Oct. 2019)
We were looking for fifteen thousand euros but in the end got only 2500 euros.
With the money we bought a Horizon H100 fuel cell for approximately 1500 euros (incl. taxes and shipping) as well as a 15 litres hydrogen cylinder at 200 bar from Linde for rent and various other components.
28 May 2019 OpenGeneva Innovation Festival
Harald and Olivier present the bicycle which has been equipped with an electric motot and models of fuel cell and hydrogen container.
Fête de l'Innovation
23 Mar. 2019 Pangloss labs Open Innovation Festival
A day of reflections and activity.
We thought of getting a bicycle from the bicycle pound in Geneva (http://www.fourriere-velo-ge.ch/ : "Our bikes are between 100 and 200 CHF depending on their condition") but then Klaus found a little-used one in his cellar.
The association Pangloss Labs provided us with a conversion kit with pedal motor (Bafang 8FUN, BBS-01 250W pedal motor conversion kit; approx. €450). A battery is not included in the kit.
12 Jan. 2019 Pangloss Hackathon “How to make a Hydrogen Bicycle.”
The bicycle should be a donation by one of the group members and the bicycle’s crankset motor BAFANG BBS01 will be a contribution from the Pangloss Labs association.
18 Oct. 2018 Meeting GE mobilité H2
Pangloss Labs participates in the Meeting GE mobilité H2 in Geneva.
13 Oct. 2018 Science Festival
The idea is presented at the 2018 Science Festival in the Château de Voltaire at ferney Voltaire.
18 Sep. 2018 Visit Atawey, Chambery
Harald, Klaus and Olivier visit Atawey, manufacturer of hydrogen refuelling stations. Atawey has a hydrogen bicycle. Harald had a ride on it.
7 Sep. 2018 Réunion H2 Leman
Following the Open Geneva Hackathon, a group of people intersted in hydrogen think about what actually could be done. The idea to develop an open source kit for converting a bicycle into a hydrogen powered electric bicycle is born.
9-15 April 2018 Open Geneva Hackathon
This weekend’s Pangloss Hydrothon as one of the Open Geneva Hackathons ended with the Hackshow at HEAD on Sunday. Paul did a great job getting our Pangloss Hydrothon converge into a poster which was presented at the Hackshow. The last item at the Hackshow was a Thank You to the organizers. Thanks again, Paul.
Pangloss Wood Lab is a 90m2 shared wood workshop that offers professional woodworking machines to association members. It is located in the center of Sergy (01610) in the Pays de Gex. The workshop exists as a complement to the Pangloss FabLab in Ferney-Voltaire.
The workshop is accessible seven days a week, but the large (noisy) machines can only be used during the hours regulated by the municipality of Sergy. All the tools, except the digital machines, are made available with the workspace and included in the prices.
We have a range of different machines in the woodlab, suitable for different types of project, from hobbyist to professional. We do not (yet) sell material for making your projects, but may have small scrap/leftover pieces for testing. Before using a machine, you will need to be trained by the lab manager. Use of machines is on a first come first served basis. Hand tools, and portable electric tools are also available. Members must supply their own wood, sandpaper and glue.
Pricing:
Pangloss membership - annual 30 Euros
Wood Lab workshop access - 5 Euro/hour per pack of 10 hours (valid for 6 months)
Unlimited Wood Lab workshop access for one month - 50 Euros
What is a fab lab?
Fab labs are a global network of local labs, enabling invention by providing access to tools for digital fabrication
What’s in a fab lab?
Fab labs share an evolving inventory of core capabilities to make (almost) anything, allowing people and projects to be shared
What does the fab lab network provide?
Operational, educational, technical, financial, and logistical assistance beyond what’s available within one lab
Who can use a fab lab?
Fab labs are available as a community resource, offering open access for individuals as well as scheduled access for programs
What are your responsibilities? safety: not hurting people or machines operations: assisting with cleaning, maintaining, and improving the lab knowledge: contributing to documentation and instruction
Who owns fab lab inventions?
Designs and processes developed in fab labs can be protected and sold however an inventor chooses, but should remain available for individuals to use and learn from
How can businesses use a fab lab?
Commercial activities can be prototyped and incubated in a fab lab, but they must not conflict with other uses, they should grow beyond rather than within the lab, and they are expected to benefit the inventors, labs, and networks that contribute to their success
On 22 October, the Minister for Territorial Cohesion and Relations with Local Authorities, Jacqueline Gourault, unveiled the 60 new winners of wave 3 of the "Fabriques de territoires" call for expressions of interest which was launched by seven members of the Government in July 2019.
The aim is to support the development of third places in France and help them to become more structured and professional.
Pangloss Labs appears in this selection, the only tiers-lieux in Ain amongst 8 others in the Auvergne-Rhône Alpes region.https://www.cohesion-territoires.gouv.fr/les-60-nouveaux-laureats-de-lappel-manifestation-dinteret-fabriques-de- territoire-annonces
The first Fabrique de Territoire National Meeting was held on Monday 16th November online, Pangloss Labs participated.
Fabriques de Territoires will receive a grant of 150,000 euros over three years to support the start-up of their project, their influence beyond the territory in which they are established, the formation of their team and the search for their economic balance. In this way, they become part of a community driven by the values of sharing, the production of common goods, the experimentation of participatory governance models and the ambition to create social links for the benefit of the inhabitants of their territory.
"Facilitating access to a world of possibilities."
This is the raison d'être of Pangloss Labs, a non-profit association created in 2014.
Creating experimentation and prototyping laboratories to support the creation of local entrepreneurial activities is the mission of the association, based in Ferney-Voltaire in the Pays de Gex (Ain). Thus Pangloss Labs is a collaborative third-space that offers its members several spaces to share and pool tools, machines and workspaces:
The Pangloss Labs association has around 100 members with a variety of skills. Among them are professionals (engineers and scientists, designers, creators, artists and various entrepreneurs), but also students, retirees and amateurs.
By offering production tools and machines and professional skills that are not available elsewhere in Pays de Gex, Pangloss Labs has a flagship role and thus meets a need of companies, social actors and citizens in the area. Pangloss Labs also provides services to partners, public organisations and municipalities, and works with them on joint projects.
Our action plan as a "Fabrique de territoire" includes the development of digital training activity (courses on Fablab's machines and digital expertise and support for members in their activities to fight the digital divide), support for social activities and support for activities working towards sustainable development; increasing the number of members; strengthening communication and external relations; extending the scope in the areas of digital transition and energy transition; and helping to develop the territorial network of third places in the French Genevan area.
State support should help us to increase the association's resources and make Pangloss Labs a key third-space in our region.
The short version: the fablab is capable of fabricating some medical things locally if needed. Read on for details.
UPDATE: Working with the Region Rhone-Alpes, we have been supplied with materials for fabricating face shields. If you are in the Pays de Gex and need some, please make a request at the Visiere Solidaire web site and we'll be in touch
Even if our fablab is currently closed, Pangloss Labs members have been studying the possibilities for making the equipment needed to help fight COVID19 in case we are needed.
The open source community around the world has stepped up magnificently. There are a number of groups online, designing and testing different types of equipment. From face masks to face shields to automated ventilators that provide oxygen to patients in difficulty. Designs are undergoing medical tests in Ireland and Spain. The most active seems to be this one on facebook which has a crowd sourced document on potential solutions and needs for fighting COVID19.
We have been solicited by the region Rhone-Alpes Auvergne to tell them of our capacities for digital fabrication and have done so. More than 130 3D printers have been made available across the region.
Some people around the world started immediately 3D printing face masks, which is certainly feasible, if a bit slow. However, 3D printed face masks have a number of downsides, not least of which is that filament-based 3D printed objects are difficult to sterilise (not impossible, but more difficult than an injection moulded plastic design) and, of course, they do not conform to national standards.
So what is feasible to do in a Fablab?
We have 3D printers, laser cutters and mechatronics capabilties. We are not, for the most part, medically trained. We have collected together some of the open source designs that would be feasible to fabricate in our fablab :
3D printed door handle extenders
These are designed to make it so doors can be opened with arms instead of hands - reducing the spread of COVID19. Materialise have created an open source collection of designs for different types of doors. These take 2-4 hours to 3D print.
3D printed door openers
this time so a person can carry it from door to door and not have to touch them with their hands to open it. Thingiverse has a collection of designs. These take roughly 30 minutes to 3D print.
Facemasks
Making filters for facemasks is a simple process of cutting the correct shape from the appropriate filter material. In the event that facemasks and the proper materials are really not available, studies have been done to find "last resort" replacements
For cloth facemasks, you don't really need a fablab. Scissors and a sewing machine will work fine.
Many enthusiastic 3D printing communities have designed and printed facemasks on the grounds that they are better than nothing. . There are a number of different designs from HEPA filter based, to simple frames for a cloth mask. It's impossible to choose which ones would be useful locally, but if there are clear local needs, there are plenty of open source designs available for us to use or modify.
Face shields
If masks are not available, then face shields can protect medical staff against direct droplet infection - like from a cough. Face shields can be laser cut from clear plastic which is much faster than 3D printing. There are even designs which use A4 plastification sheets.
There has been at least one case where a hospital in Italy has had valves for reanimation devices 3D printed when they weren't available from the supplier. We have machines in our fablab that can do this.
Our production capacity in the fablab is limited but we have links with other fablabs/makerspaces/hackerspaces around us.
To local doctors, the Pays de Gex medical centres, local hospitals, and the Mairies around us we make this simple statement.
"If you need us, we will help".
If any of this will help you, contact us at fablab[at]panglosslabs.org and we will be in touch to discuss your precise needs.
And if it turns out that we have all the medical equipment we need, so much the better, we will stay home like everyone else.
Développement d'un kit de conversion «open source» pour transformer un vélo «classique» en vélo électrique à hydrogène
Il s’agit de quoi ?
Nous proposons de développer un kit de conversion «open source» pour transformer un vélo «classique» en vélo électrique à hydrogène.
Dans le projet proposé nous créerons une infrastructure pour l’hydrogène au sein du FabLab de Pangloss Labs et nous construirons un prototype de vélo électrique à hydrogène avec des composants « off the shelf».
Nous prévoirons la présentation du vélo H2 au Fête de la Science à Ferney-Voltaire en octobre 2019.
Pourquoi ?
Nous voulons inciter l’utilisation d’hydrogène vert par les particuliers et ainsi promouvoir les énergies renouvelables. Nous voulons créer, dans le Pays de Gex et le Bassin Lémanique, une première cellule de compétence autour de l’hydrogène complémentaire de l’électricité verte. Nous voulons contribuer à développer la mobilité douce dans le grand Genève, notamment dans un territoire très impacté par les déplacements pendulaires frontaliers relativement courts.
Quels avantages ?
Notre kit ouvrira l’utilisation de l’hydrogène à tous et visera une flexibilité permettant de couvrir un maximum de situations de conversion.
L’autonomie du vélo sera plus importante que sur les vélo électriques car l’hydrogène permet plus de stockage d’énergie sur le vélo. Elle ne sera d’ailleurs plus réduite par la température extérieure.
La recharge est limitée à quelques minutes. La distribution d’hydrogène (cartouches ou gaz à la pompe) reste à préciser.
Dans le cycle de vie du produit, les déchets ultimes dangereux provenant des piles sont fortement réduits.
Porteurs de projet et partenaires ?
Pangloss Labs est très engagé dans des projets pour initier l’économie de l’hydrogène, notamment dans le Grand Genève, à travers ses activités dans le cadre d’Open Geneva, sa participation à la Fête de la Science et au Mobility Hub du Grand Genève
Harald Wirth
Klaus Röhrich
Olivier Eugene
Physicien qui rêve de la transition énergétique vers l’hydrogène vert
Physicien avec idées et idéals
Ingénieur passionné des vélos
Marché et opportunités commerciales
Actuellement, il n'y a que très peu de fabricants de vélos à hydrogène, et un vélo H2 coûte près de 7.000 €.
Le kit à un prix cible (les composants produits en petite série) bien inférieur à 2.000 € est destiné aux particuliers, mais aussi aux petits ateliers (tiers lieux, ateliers d'insertion, etc.). En plus des vélos de ville, le kit sera utilisable également sur d’autres types de vélos (tricycles, vélos cargos, long tails, etc…)
L’opportunité d’affaires importante réside dans la distribution et l’échange des containeurs H2. Avec une infrastructure d’approvisionnement en hydrogène le marché est énorme, regardant p. ex seulement les déplacements pendulaires.
L’introduction du kit sous licence « open hardware » aidera à arriver plus rapidement à une taille de marché d’importance pour la production des composants ainsi que pour des services liées.
Nous cherchons 15.000 €
Nous avons accompli des recherches préliminaires, regardé ce qui est sur le marché et visité des entreprises et participé à des salons. Nous avons réalisé la conversion d’un vélo « normal » en vélo électrique, en « hackant » des pièces disponibles dans le commerce (p. ex pour outils de jardin).
Les fonds nous permettrons d’aboutir, dans une année, à un prototype d’un vélo à hydrogène suivant les étapes suivantes :
Création d’une espace chez Pangloss Labs pour travailler avec de l’hydrogène, équipement de maniement des gaz et électronique de contrôle
Ajout d’un conteneur d'hydrogène et une pile à combustible au vélo. En ce qui concerne le conteneur H2 et la PAC, nous envisageons une collaboration avec des entreprises spécialisées.
Simulations (p. ex modélisation sur OpenModelica) pour dimensionner le système optimal.
Construction du vélo, optimisation des composants (impression 3d, assemblage dédié de la batterie tampon et de la pile à combustible, etc.)
Démonstration du prototype. A ce stade, un premier produit utilisable devrait être disponible sous licence ouverte, en utilisant des composants disponibles dans le commerce, des pièces imprimées 3d et des logiciels spécifiques.
Les récompenses
Tous donateurs seront mentionnés dans les publications du projet et invités lors d’une démonstration publique. Vous êtes tenus au courant des développements, événements et plus encore !
Vous recevrez également une message sur nos médias sociaux pour montrer au monde entier à quel point vous êtes un être humain conscient et généreux !
Pour 10 € ou plus : Une minute sur le vélo à hydrogène lors d’une démonstration publique et votre nom mentionné dans nos publications.
Pour 100 € ou plus : Votre photo sur nos publications, particulièrement dans nos pages WWW et Facebook.
Pour 500 € ou plus : Vous serez invité.e d’honneur lors de la première démonstration publique.
Les entreprises ou sponsors donnant 1.000 € ou plus verront leur logo affiché dans nos publications ainsi que lors des présentations.
Because of the need of storage for renewable energy, hydrogen is on the way to becoming a popular means of storing energy in large quantities. This hydrogen is available either for back-conversion into electricity or for direct use as in hydrogen cars or, as in this case, to power a bicycle. With our kit for converting a traditional bicycle into a hydrogen-powered electric bicycle, we want to bring hydrogen to broad public. We want to make it common, we want to get used to its use with an application that is affordable and available to everyone.
Hydrogen, ist it really clean ?
Hydrogen is clean provided it is produced from renewable resources with appropriate technologies. This is the case of hydrogen produced by electrolysis with green electricity. So it is the consumer's choice.
Isn't it dangerous ?
Hydrogen is no more dangerous than gasoline or natural gas. The charateristics of combustion and therefore of a possible explosion of these fuels are different. Hydrogen is the lightest of all these molecules and the impact of an improbable explosion is less important. With modern handling and storage equipment, the risk of a leak or explosion is very low.
Whate are the advantages in comparison to electricity ?
First of all, in hydrogen we store more energy than in electricity. So the autonomy of a vehicle, car or bicycle or bus, is considerably increased.
Conversion kit
Why a kit ?
Existing hydrogen bikes have a high level of component integration. They are expensive not only because of the cost of the components, but also because of the cost of their manufacture and the amortisation of the development. With an open source kit, the user only has the costs of purchasing the hardware. With the conversion kit turning a traditional bike into a hydrogen-powered electric bike, the H2 bicycle becomes much cheaper and therefore affordable.
Why open source ?
We are Pangloss volunteers, philanthropists, who take pleasure in developing something useful. Our hope is to get feedback on ideas to improve the system. But our biggest interest is to get as many users as possible enthusiastic about the system so that suppliers can commit to making better and cheaper components.
Is there any competition ?
They have seen hydrogen-powered bicycles for about 20 years. They were prototypes or small series reserved for industrial users and public organizations. With the kit, we open the door for the private individual.
Where can I refill my bicycle ?
Hydrogen supply is a concern. There are recharging stations for example by Ataway in Chambery, or the hydrogen cartridge distribution system from Aaqius in Paris and Geneva. With the proposed kit we give them the motivation to create a regional charging network. If not, there is the possibility to install a small electrolyser at home. This is a relatively expensive, but available solution.
Economy
What will be the price of the kit ?
Today we buy components for the kit, electric motor, fuel cell, hydrogen storage, microcontroller, tubes, fittings and cables for about six to seven thousand euro. The projected price of the components, scaling with increasing production numbers, allow us to speak about a price for the kit in the order of 1000 euro.
How much costs a recharge ?
On a bicycle you typically store 50 grams of hydrogen. This is 60% more energy than stored on an electric bicycle. Based on the price of one kilogram of hydrogen of ten euro, as for hydrogen cars, the cost of recharging is half a euro.
A propos
Why all this ?
We want to encourage the use of green hydrogen by private individuals, and thus promote renewable energies. We want to create, in the Pays de Gex and the Lake Geneva Basin, a first centre of competence around hydrogen as a complement to green electricity. We want to contribute to the development of soft mobility in the Greater Geneva area, particularly in an area that is heavily impacted by relatively short border commuters' journeys.
Why us ?
As technical people - Harald and Klaus are physicists, Olivier is an engineer - we are naturally interested in new technologies. Our concern for the climate, the environment and the sustainability of our social system has led us to think about renewable energy applications and hydrogen. At Pangloss Labs we have found a favourable environment and an atmosphere nourishing our ideas.
What is donators' money used for ?
In order to buy components and build the hydrogen bicycle, we need a budget of about 15 thousand euros. Hydrogen-related components, fuel cell, hydrogen container, bottle with refill system, tools and accessories will consume 85 percent of these funds. We have included a small amount for travel for meetings with potential partners. The rest is used for consumables and contingencies.
Who takes care ?
Making the hydrogen bicycle is a Pangloss Labs project. It is, therefore, supported by the association. The project has already received funds to buy an electric motor, which has been installed on the bicycle that was donate by one of the members of the association. At Pangloss there is furthermore the possibility of rent workshop space in the FabLab. The project is lead by Klaus Röhrich, Harald Wirth and Olivier Eugene.
A brief history of hydrogen-powered bicycles, or simply hydrogen bike or H2 bike. The information and images are the result of research on the Internet between October 2018 and February 2020. Sources are added at the bottom of the document. Certainly, this story is not perfect, but it gives a good impression of past projects.
Klaus Röhrich, Pangloss Labs, March 2020
The Beginnings
The first hydrogen-powered electrically-assisted bicycles were built in research enviroments.
The US-American "Hydrocycle" by Manhattan Scientifics with a German 670W PAC from NovArs was presented in 2000.
At the same time in Rome, Italy, ENEA was also working with hydrogen. Their small SCENIC 150 system (Sistema Cella EneaNuvera a Idrogeno Combustibile da 150 Watt) was used to assemble a hydrogen bicycle.
A little later, the Italian bicycle manufacturer Aprilia SpA took up the idea. As a professional bicycle manufacturer it redesigned the Hydrocycle of Manhattan Scientifics and built the first commercial hydrogen-powered bicycle. The Aprilia Enjoy Fuel Cell Bike was presented in 2001 with a 300 bar composite hydrogen storage cylinder. This H2 bicycle was called "An Invention of The Year" by Time Magazin on November 13, 2001 (article).
As an anecdote from this pioneering period, student Jörg Weigl from the University of Ulm in Germany broke the autonomy records for H2 bikes. With his recumbent bike construction he cycled 1200 kilometres during the Wasserstoff-Expo in Hamburg 2002..
Evolution
The company Aprilia became quiet about its H2 bike around 2005. There was the American WL Gore & Associates who presented an evolution of the bikes of Manhattan Scientifics and Aprilia at the Fuel Cell Expo 2005 in Japan, but without any commercial success.
But the idea was disseminated. Universities, research centres and enthusiasts immersed themselves in the world of hydrogen, fuel cells and bicycles. Here is a review of the achievements.
Since its first prototypes, ENEA in Rome has not stopped developing hydrogen bicycles. Their 2009 model worked with a fuel cell of only 50W (6V x 8.5A) with 900 litres H2 on board. The autonomy was thus more than twice that of a conventional pedelec. Or, on the occasion of the Formula E Grand Prix to be held in Rome in April 2019, ENEA participated with a hydrogen bicycle in the E-Parade of ecological 2, 3 or 4-wheel vehicles.
ENEA 2000
ENEA 2009
ENEA 2019
Since 2008, a hydrogen bicycle was developed in Australia. The University of New South Wales built the H2 bike with a first prototype running in 2014 and a second one, the Hy-Cycle 2.0 in 2016.
In Italy, Vincenzo Antonucci in collaboration with TRE SpA (Tozzi Renewable Energy) and CNR-ITAE (Messina) presented his 26 Kg H2 bike at the "H2 Roma Energy & Mobility Show" in 2009.
In 2012, Trifyl surprised with their hydrogen-powered bike. This prototype was designed by Trifyl, the Departmental Service for the Recycling of Household Waste in the Tarn, in collaboration with the Ecole des Mines d'Albi and Albhyon, which specialises in hydrogen. Presented during a stage of the 2012 Tour de France, this bike was not, however, commercialized.
Also in 2012, at the Hochschule RheinMain, a prototype was built by Michael Röser, Stefan Dietrich and Georg Derscheid based on a Sustamo bicycle.
The development of the Gernweit Ped-Hy-lec bike began in 2008. The business consultant Holger Hanisch was supported by the Department of Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology of the University of Applied Sciences RheinMain, in cooperation with Ralph Luh Engineering Co. and Schunk Bahn- und Industrietechnik GmbH (all in Germany). The hydrogen bicycle had been developed until 2014. Its weight was 34.6 Kg and its price was somewhere above €7'000.
Besides the more traditional bicycles, in 2012 futuristic prototypes were conceived by visionaries. Examples are the design model by the Swede Johan Persson for Aprilia, or the “Hydogenia”, a hybrid between pedelec, rickshaw and fuel cell from IFAM (Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials), Dresden.
Johan Persson’s Aprilia, 2012
Fraunhofer E-Bike Hydogenia, 2012
More recent are the prototypes of Vorradler (Germany 2014), Tc Mobility (Italy, 2015), Alex Bevan from Birmingham University (United Kingdom, 2017) with H2 internal combustion engine or the bicycle by Ankica Đukić at the University of Zagreb (Croatia, 2017).
Electrolyte Vorradler S3 FC, 2014
Tc Mobility Frisbee «Scoobi» H2, 2015
Alex Bevan, Birmingham University, 2017
Ankica Đukić, University of Zagreb, 2017
The Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR) developed a pedelec shown in 2014. This bicycle is now in their museum. DLR also developed a cargo bike. The technology is now exploited by Rytle GmbH in Hamburg, Germany.
DLR BZ-Rad, at the DLR museum
DLR Cargo Bike, 2015
At the Fraunhofer Institute ISE in Germany the LiteFCBike had been developed since 2016. This complete fuel cell system with hydrogen storage in twelve metal hydride cartridges and buffer battery can be mounted on any electric bicycle replacing the battery. In combination with an electric bike conversion kit almost any bike can be converted into a hydrogen bike. The energy stored with the kit is about 270Wh, so only half of a standard pedelec battery (about 500 Wh).
Fraunhofer ISE, 2016
the hydrogen pack
We have not found any more information about the MicroBike E-go Hydrogen, advertised on the internet in May 2019 with a price of €4'500.
Of course, we've also seen industrial manufacturers trying to commercialize hydrogen-powered bicycles.
In November 2004, Palcan Fuel Cells Ltd. of Vancouver, Canada inaugurated its first assembly line at the Shanghai Tongji Nanhui Science and Technology Industrial Park and partnered with Nanjing Fuel Cell Company Ltd. Eventually, Palcan abandoned this business. In 2009, Palcan supplied a 300W PAC to the Chinese company Shanghai Giant & Phoenix Bicycle to power a hydrogen-scooter.
The German Masterflex AG had a little more success. Suppliers of fluid handling components and analysis systems, Masterflex began to get involved in the PACs business in 2001. The prototype of its HyBike with a 250W PEM and 45 grams of hydrogen on board was shown at the Hannover Messe 2004. In 2007, the city of Herten in Germany, a champion in the application of green technologies, bought ten HyBikes for €70'000. The hydrogen was to be supplied by its "Blue Tower" factory, but apparently there were technological problems. In the meantime Masterflex built the CargoBike together with the German bicycle manufacturer Hawk Bikes Entwicklung & Marketing GmbH. The Deutsche Telekom tested 14 CargoBikes in Berlin in 2008. There was no follow up from these prototypes, and in April 2011 Masterflex announced that it had divested its bicycle business.
Masterflex HyBike, 2004
Masterflex Cargo Bike, 2008
Palcan's bike has had a successor in China. In 2007 Shanghai Pearl (Shanghai Pearl Hydrogen Power Source Technology Company) presented its "Hydrogen Fuel Cell Powered Bicycle PHB". This bicycle weighed 32 Kg. Its price was estimated at $2,650 with a projection of $350 for mass production.
Valeswood ETD Ltd. in Birmingham, UK, used Shanghai Pearl technology to create its own hydrogen-powered bicycle in 2007. Since 2010, Valeswood ETD Ltd. seems no longer in business.
Valeswood 2007
Valeswood 2010
Another derivative of the Shanghai Pearl bicycle was marketed somewhat later by the Italian company Acta SpA. The company presented its first prototype in September 2009 at the EICMA Motor Show. The Acta bike would be used to gain experience, for example in Spain by the Fundación para el desarrollo de las nuevas tecnologias del hidrógeno en Aragón and the CCI Instituto Tecnologia de Canarias in Pozo Isquierdo, Gran Canaria, Islas Canarias. However, Acta has since abandoned this application to concentrate on the development of electrolysers.
Similar to the bikes of Shanghai Pearl, Valeswood or Acta was Iwatani's bicycle. Iwatani Corporation developed hydrogen-powered electrically-assisted bicycles between 2006 to 2008 participating in the Japan Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Demonstration Project (JHFC). The outcome was presented at the Kansai International Airport in October 2009.
Also in this category of small bikes falls that of Pedego Electric Bikes. This Californian company was working with SiGNa Chemistry in the development of a range extender for their electric bike Pedego Classic Comfort Cruise. "For every 1.5 lbs. of weight a rider carries, an additional 700 Wh is available (compared to ~350 Wh for an ultra-high performance lithium-polymer battery at a weight of 7 lbs.)."
At the same time in Austria and Germany, the company Linde at Vienna, Austria, a supplier of industrial gases and technology, was active in the field. A pilot series of one hundred hydrogen-powered bicycles was produced and distributed to institutional and political users in 2015. The bike weighs only 23.6 kg with a price tag above €7'000, but Linde is not interested in marketing it.
The French company Gitane (Cycleurope Group) presented its prototype hybrid called Alter Bike in Nice in May 2013. It had been developed in collaboration with the French companies Pragma Industries and Ventec. The hydrogen is stored in interchangeable and recyclable metal-hydride capsules. The Alter 2 bike appeared in 2016.
Gitane Alter Bike, 2013
Gitane Alter Bike 2, 2016
Today
The hydrogen bicycle αlpha is a development of Pragma Industries (Biarritz, France). The project is supported by ADEME. Pragma Industries had presented a prototype in 2015. These bicycles weigh 25 kg, comparable to the weight of an electric bicycle. They were given a price tag of €7'000, with the prospect of reducing the price to €3'500 by 2020. There are several projects using the αlpha such as the CARGHO project, which is a fleet of hydrogen bicycles tested by users in Chambéry and at Savoie Technolac, or also the Bhyke project in Cherbourg and Saint-Lô in the Manche with a fleet of 20 bicycles. Pragma Industries has also unveiled hydrogen eTrikes for the last meters in the delivery chain.
The MovR cargo bike by Rytle (Bremen, Germany) has been on the market since 2018. The company is a spin-off project of DLR's Fuel Cell Power Pack (FC PP).
Atena Scarl is the high-tech centre for energy and the environment in Italy. Its flagship technology is a small fuel-cell system that is put on hydrogen-powered bicycles, scooters and micro cars. The systems are equipped with interchangeable cartridges or can be recharged independently. The hydrogen bicycle is supported by ENEA, Università Parthenope di Napoli and Università degli Studi di Perugia. In 2019, three models were available: Touring 250, Sport MB250, Sport MB500, but without price or point of sale.
In September 2019 CYCLEUROPE and STOR-H presented the Gitane Sneaker, a hydrogen-powered three-wheeled bicycle. The electric motor has a power of 250W. Two metal hydride cartridges provide a range of 50 km. The company Aaqius, supplier of the returnable cartridges, plans to create a local network of distributors.
Sources
List of the most important web pages visited, almost complete, in alphabetical order :
We want to co-create a conversion kit «open source» to transform classical bicycles into hydrogen powered electric bicycles.
Who we are ?
The project "Kit pour Vélo H2" is a project of Pangloss Labs association at Ferney-Voltaire, France. The project is one of the many co-creation projects of the members of the association.
Raison d’être : Promote green hydrogen at fair price to promote the use of renewable energy.
Hydrogen is not easily available to the individual. Today, use of hydrogen is confined to • subsidized projects which are run by the supplyer of the hydrogen equipment, • particular applications like vehicle fleets , and • trained guided users like La Poste. In this environment we lack the opportunity for doing something ourselves, for using hydrogen in our daily life. With the concersion kit for the hydrogen bicycle and a viable hydrogen distribution available, we start into a new phase in the evolution of the hydrogen economy, the one that includes the common person.
Vision
An economy in which it is easy to get green hydrogen, even in small quantities and at affordable price, for individual use p.ex. to heat, to cook or -as is presented here - to move around on a motor assited bicycle.
Mission : Promote the use of renewable energy (“appellation hydrogène verte”).
Our primary goal is the creation of a kit to convert a standard bicycle into an electric bicycle powered by hydrogen. Making a prototype will serve to raise funds for the next stage. The second goal is proposing a regional hydrogen infrastruture which is appropriate for the needs of the cyclists, and which is easy to copy and implement elsewhere.
Batterie or hydrogen power for the electric bike ?
For short rides in town, the electric bicycle is a good solution. But when you need to move over larger distances for example in the coutnryside, the electric bike's range is often too shorts. In particular commuters between a home in the outskirts of the city and a job inside can be disadvantaged by the autonomy limited by the energy stored in the battery. With hydrogen, the range of an electric vehicle can be much larger, because more energy can be stored in comparison to batteries.
Why hydrogen ?
To achieve our environmental and climate goals we must reduce CO2 emissions massively and utilise the advantages that come with renewable energies. For the storage of renewable elecricty produced with photo-voltaic panels or wind power generators, hydrogen is being established as a primary storage medium. Surplus energy is transformed into hydrogen - rather than being discarded - which thus is available not only for reconversion into electricity but also for direct use in a multitude of applications, in particular in individual mobility. Such hydrogen is truely green as it does not impact patterns of consumption like it is the case of electricity when renewble energy for transport cuts into the supply of renewable energy to other sectors.
Why Open Source ?
The use of hydrogen applications is generally confined to organizations and professional users. One of the obstacles is the cost of the equipment. With an open source development of the conversion kit the invidual users can construct his or her own hydrogen bicycle at the cost of the components only. This entails larger numbers of users and in turn cheaper components. Feedback from users will accelerate the development.
The advantages …
Increased autonomy because of larger energy storage on the bicycle with hydrogen than with batteires.
Changing a hydrogen cartouche or a battery takes about thesame time of a few minutes. But recharging a cartouche (50 gr H2) or a battery (0.5 KWh) makes the difference: few minutes for the hydrogen but hours of the battery.
Reduction, even elimination, of the hazardous materials in the batteries.
Hydrogen storage does not leak. There is no auto-discharge like it is observed with batteries.
The H2 bike has a greater lifetime that the battery electric bike.
The price of the conversion kit can be comparatively low. Therefore the hydrogen bicycle will come with an interesting price tag.
Potentially lower operational cost and therefore an advantageous TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) compared to battery-electric bicycles - once investment cost is reduced. (R. Berger, “Business case for FC-electric bikes”, FCH 2 JU, 2017)
A heat-exchcanger at the fuel cell can be integrated into the bike. The heat can be used to warm seat and handles. Or for heating a metal hydride cartouche.
Today, the weights of hydrogen and battery electric bicycles is not much different. With the conversion kit the weight of the hydrogen bicycle possibly can be further reduced.
Both hydrogen and battery electric bicycles produce no other emissions than water vapour, they are « zéro émission » vehicles.
Hydrogen and battery electric bicycles are particularly quiet.
Eventually it will be possible capturing energy from breaks or when rolling downhill with a reversible fuel cell.
… and the disadvantages
Primary energy consumption is approximately twice as that of an electric bicycles (conversion efficiency e- → H2 → e-) for the same autonomy.
There is no appropriate hydrogen distribution, neither for small gas bottles nor for metal hydride containers. Electrolysers are expensive.
The price of hydrogen is (still) high because of the investments for the infrastructure.
The challenges
Fuel cells exist. We need to find the right fuel cell for use on the bicycle.
We need to find appropriate, i.e. cheap, light and compact hydrogen storage either as compressed gas in a bottle or dissolved in a metal hydride container.
We need to create the hydrogen infrastructure (storage container leasing, vending machines, centralized or individualized recharge) ?
During the Open Geneva Innovation Festival 2018 a group of Pangloss members and others assembled to think about how to introduce hydrogen as a clean energy vector in our society. Various ideas were aired. A condensation took place for the Fête de la Science in Ferney-Voltaire half a year later. One of the concepts put forward was that of bringing hydrogen bicycles to the people. Two workshops (hackathons) on the subject followed in January and March 2019.
The hydrogen powered electric bicycle (HPEB) is not a new idea. Already 20 years ago such vehicles were constructed, but they were never made available to the common person, not to talk about production in series. The latest version, the Alpha bike of French company Pragma Industries is produced in batches of a hundred units and distributed to users, usually organizations, who can afford the rather hefty price of the bicycle of the order of 7'000 euros and the massive cost of a refilling station upwards of 50'000 euros.
At Pangloss Labs we have the idea to make all this cheaper with the goal to enable everybody profitting from green energy and clean hydrogen thus making a measurable contribution to a more sustainable world.
Harald, a member of Pangloss Labs next to the Alpha hydrogen bike of Pragma Industries at BePositive Expo Lyon 2019.
Our concept turns around the creation of a kit for converting normal bicycles into hydrogen powered electric bicycles (HPEB). Such kits should be cheap. The HPEB should not cost more than the equivalent electric bike but - and this will be the major advantage for the cyclist - with much larger autonomy. We think that eventually we can store 50 grams of hydrogen on the bike, which is equivalent to 750 Wh using a decent fuelcell, 50% more energy than typically stored on an electric bicycle. Bigger hydrogen containers and more efficient fuel cells will soon bring the advantage to 100% doubling the autonomy.
The crew in the Pangloss FabLab at Ferney-Voltaire on their way installing the electric motor and other components on the bike on 23 March 2019.
The Saxifrage 3 axis Mini CNC machine is a small, solid 1610 CNC using GRBL firmware and OpenCNCPilot control software. It is specifically for milling prototype PCBs.
Machine Status: Working
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On Wednesday 6th December, 2017, Paul Bristow represented Pangloss Labs along with 5 other startups with innovations in the circular economy in Brussels . We were chosen from across all of the EU to participate in a high-level policy discussion at the European Parliament, hosted by Nespresso and the EU40.
MEPs Franc Bogovic (EPP, Slovenia) and Davor Skrlec (Greens/EFA, Croatia) hosted the roundtable debate preceded by six start-ups that pitched their innovations and spice up the discussion.
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Designing and creating objects that connect to the Internet and each other. Mostly based around raspberry pi, openhab, mqtt, and Arduino variants. Includes programming, hardware design, and our smartlab based on openhab allows experimentation with more than 300 different IoT protocols!
Recent additions to the lab include LoraWAN for remote IoT sensors, NFC and RFID tag technology and more.
This is the place for AI, bots, dataviz and things generally interacting with the internet and the real world.
Price for Pangloss MembersPangloss membership is €30 per year€30
Learn about the world of 3D printing from one of our fablab experts. In this introduction course you will learn the basics of 3D printing and how to use a filament-based 3D printer, including the all important first print.
What the course covers
This is a two hour course including hands on exercises with a Pangloss expert.
At the end of it you will be able to use the Pangloss Labs 3D printers, and be much more expert with your own 3D printer at home or work.
The course includes:
3D Printing Technologies
3D Models
Slicing into layers
Controlling the printer
Your first print
Print Designs
Pre-requisites
No specific knowledge is needed for this course. Your technical ability should be "can click a mouse".
Practical
Bring a laptop computer or tablet if you can. If not, you can use one of ours. We will use open source software "Cura" on this course so if you like you can install it on your computer before you come.
This course is available on demand and take place in the Fablab in Ferney-Voltaire. Fill in the form below to indicate interest and we will arrange a date to suit you. Payment is only due once the date has been arranged.
This course is available in both English and French.
Pangloss collaborates with specialists to organise and host a variety of conferences and courses, with the aim of supporting innovation and entrepreneurship in the greater Geneva area. For example:
Business and technology conferences about innovation in the Leman area
Business Courses on company strategy and entrepreneurship
Courses on the machines in the Fab Lab: how to operate 3D printers, 3D scanners, laser cutters and CNC mills and how to design in 2D and 3D.
On June 14th 2017, representatives from Pangloss Labs were invited to participate to the UNHCRannual consultation with NGOs. From the sustainable development innovation lab, Paul, Charlie & Gianluca decided to dedicate one day to this. With our partners from the Global Humanitarian Lab (based at the Palais de Nations), we exhibited some of the things that digital fabrication - and more importantly the entrepreneurial, problem solving mindset around it - could enable in refugee environments. It was an eye-opening day for all of us, and each of us decided to tell the story in our own words.(more…)
Vous vous êtes certainement posé les questions suivantes sur la beauté
«Qu’est-ce qui est beau ? »
«Comment être beau? Existe-t-il une méthode, une recette pour faire du beau ?»
«Pourquoi moi je trouve ça beau mais pas les autres ? »
Un proverbe arabe dit : « la beauté est dans l’œil qui regarde ». En fait la réponse de notre être à l’esthétique, est purement personnelle, et dépend de nombreux facteurs culturels et émotionnels.
La beauté d’un visage par exemple peut être appréciée comme une absence de défaut. C’est la beauté qui rassure quant à son vécu personnel. Mais au contraire cela peut être une aspérité qui étonne au lieu de susciter notre rejet.
Dans la réponse esthétique, on trouve le plus souvent une émotion qu’il est difficile de comprendre pour soi et encore plus d’expliquer aux autres.
Un jour j’ai découvert l’univers de l’espace mathématiques de Mandelbrot. D’abord subjugué par la richesse des images produites à partir d’un simple zoom sur un point particulier de cet espace, où les formes se répétaient avec des variations étonnantes, je me suis fait expliquer ce qui générait ces formes.
La réponse était étonnante. La fonction génératrice était l’étude de suite, dans le simple plan des complexes, dont on étudiait la vitesse de convergence.
On donnait une couleur au point à partir duquel la suite était calculée, en fonction de sa vitesse de convergence.
Un élève de terminale peut comprendre le problème posé, cependant la question est bizarre, originale. La réponse à cette question est, elle, époustouflante.
Si Benoit Mandelbrot avait gardé pour lui le secret de cette génération en ne divulguant que le résultat artistique de ses recherches, jamais on aurait compris le principe générateur de ces formes d’une richesse infinie.
Cela choque beaucoup de personnes, mais de nombreux mathématiciens pensent que tout est nombre. Le réel physique d’existerait pas et l’univers ne serait que le résultat de perceptions diverses.
En décomposant, la complexité on arrive à de simples fonctions primitives, finalement assez pauvres.
Jeune étudiant j’avais été choqué par l’énoncé du théorème de Fourier.
Ce théorème dit que tout signal cyclique, aussi complexe soit-il, peut se décomposer en une somme de vibrations à différentes fréquences.
Une vibration est une simple vague qui fait monter et descendre de façon continue, répétitive et monotone.
La vibration en tant que cycle rassure, car on sait qu’après être redescendu, on va remonter, puis redescendre. Ça ne finit jamais et c’est sans surprise.
La fonction mathématique qui porte cette vibration est la fonction Sinus.
N’ayant comme talent artistique que celui du contemplatif, j’ai imaginé des formes qui ne seraient que des sommes de vibrations, dans tous les sens, dans plusieurs dimensions. En les combinant, on génère des formes douces, organiques, qui rappelle des muscles, des viscères, un squelette. On repère quelques répétitions signant la simple vibration, la simple vague, la simple fonction sinus, mais ces répétitions ne se répètent pas complètement à l’identique et surprennent un peu dans leur rendu parce qu’elles sont simplement combinées avec d’autres. On entre progressivement dans le domaine du vivant, ou dans l’illusion du vivant.
Mon œil est surpris par le résultat. J’espère que le votre aussi.
On the 12th of January a small, determined group met at Pangloss Labs in Ferney-Voltaire to discuss why there isn't yet a Pangloss Labs Geneva site and what to do about it.
In a nutshell, although we have found some spaces in Geneva that meet our original half office / half workshop criteria, they are very few and far between. With the rent costs being much higher in Geneva than neighbouring France, to replicate directly what we did in France would need 45 peoplewilling to pay a proportion of the rent, before we have the space. In addition, leases in Geneva tend to start at 5 years. With some of the offers we have, on projects under development, we'd need 45 people willing to commit to contribute to a collaborative association for 5 years, starting in 1-2 years time. That's almost impossible to do.
So, with the facts on the table, and with the aid of some decent French wine, we brainstormed on the possible ways forward. With lots of whiteboards, and different experiences and backgrounds we came up with the following plan:
Simultaneously, use co-creation to decide amongst our Pangloss Labs community in Geneva, which set of Innovation Labs make sense for them. This may well be a very different set from the 10 chosen in the Pays de Gex.
Build up the space requirements for each Innovation Lab. See if each Lab can start using time and space in existing physical spaces around Geneva. If so, partner with the appropriate physical space, and do that, resulting in a win-win for Pangloss members and existing physical spaces, along with cross fertilisation between communities.
This doesn't solve the problem of a large maker space in Geneva, but it does solve the problem of how to get the other Innovation Labs really working for those members unable to easily get to Ferney-Voltaire and it provides something concrete as a partnership with our other innovation space friends around Geneva.
Once things are up and running, we can decide if we need another physical space in Geneva, or if working collaboratively with existing spaces is sufficient.
What do you think?
The Calendula 3D scanner is a printed in the lab rotating scanner, based on the ATLAS 3D open source project, and using a Raspberry Pi to derive full colour point clouds and STL meshes from the object being scanned.
Machine Status: Working but needs frequent calibration
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The Primula 3D printer is a modified open source iTopie design with a diamond head triple mixing extruder for providing full-colour FDM printing.
Machine Status: Needs Z axis calibration
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The "Blue Lotus" Laser Cutter is a largish 90W CO2 laser cutter with a cutting bed of 1000x400mm, capable of cutting wood, plastic, card, paper and fabric, and engraving more materials.
Machine Status: Working
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The Forget-me-not 3D printer is a robust, solid Printrbot Simple Metal with heated bed, extended X axis and an Octoprint-based Raspberry Pi controller.
Machine Status: Working
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Fifty million tons of hydrogen are used every year mainly for making fertilizers and for refining petroleum. Today, it is also explored as an energy storage medium because electricity storage at large scale is costly and inefficient. Hydrogen can be used as a chemical, in particular to make hydrocarbons, so it can replace petroleum, and it is a source of clean power –for transportation for example- because its use results in water only and nothing else.
Wouldn’t it be great to make hydrogen in a clean and sustainable way?
The history of H2P began in 2001 on the premises of Creative Services s.a.r.l. with contemplations about what to do with acetylene. From a coffee table discussion the subject evolved into patent applications and the search for funds to realize the idea.
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One hour course Syllabus:
One hour to know if Design Thinking is for you.
In one hour, we will share with you the mindset and the key things for you to know if design thinking can help you.
We believe it will ! Come and see us to find out how this will boost your ideas and meet other autonomous and independent entrepreneurs.
Our next course will take place on September 8th from 2pm to 3pm and for future events, please check the Pangloss online event calendar.
To register please click on this link.
To express interest for a different date, please email Yves Zieba (yves@panglosslabs.org) or call 0041795611054 or 0033952118168
The modular design of technology, facilitated by an open source approach, could be a key feature of a circular economy – and it could open up significant business advantage in the process.
This article was written by Pangloss Lab's own Paul Bristow and published at Circulate News, the news website of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
Read it there:
http://circulatenews.org/2016/06/business-benefits-of-open-source-modular-design-for-the-circular-economy/
The modular design of technology, facilitated by an open source approach, could be a key feature of a circular economy – and it could open up significant business advantage in the process. This article was written by Paul and published at Circulate News, the news site of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
http://circulatenews.org/2016/06/business-benefits-of-open-source-modular-design-for-the-circular-economy/
One of the great things about being based in Geneva is the interesting people you meet. While working on innovation for “International Geneva”, I met up with the ICRC’s innovation team. They have been working on a global makeathon for humanitarian causes. One thing led to another, and I ended up giving a webinar on rapid prototyping and following that up with a long blog post which you can read on the Enable Makeathon’s site
Globalisation only flows one way. At least that’s the experience of the last 30 years. Manufacturing fled Europe, looking for more and more economies of scale, making millions of identical objects for the cheapest possible price.
Mass manufacturing has changed the world, but every process comes to an end. When something becomes “the only way to do things”, innovation kicks in and find a alternative.
Open Source distributed manufacturing is that alternative. New, open source technologies have reduced the costs of machinery by a factor of tens to hundreds. Things that were complicated and expensive, like accurate positioning in 3D space, have become trivially simple and ridiculously cheap. The result is that it has become much less expensive to make individual customised objects – something that mass manufacturing cannot do at all.
FabLabs, like this one, are described as a place when you can make “almost anything”. We know what the things we cannot yet make are, and many of the projects in these spaces are open source machines to overcome these limitations. Just in the last two years we have seen machines for knitting clothes, printing fabrics, printing concrete, and laminating wood/carbon fibre composites, as well as DNA sequencers, projects to grow bricks, produce all sorts of energy efficient vehicles, and build your own energy efficient houses.
These projects are not developed by individual geniuses in their garages. The internet was designed as a collaborative tool, and has delivered magnificently. Local communities of people interested in making things have found each other online, and joined together to create physical spaces where they can collaborate together. These projects, in turn collaborate online in globe-spanning open source projects, creating amazing collaborative answers to problems that might not be solved in any other way.
Right now it’s not for replacing the things you can buy in the shops, more for replacing the things you cannot buy in the shops. How often have you searched and not found the thing you were looking for? Simply not been able to buy a spare part, or not found a table the right size in the right wood. Those are the sorts of things maker-spaces can produce using parametric design and shared resources.
In twenty years the very idea that you would buy something that is the same thing that any of your neighbours have will seem quaint, like Henry Ford’s “any color you like as long as it’s black”. You will be able to easily customise the object you want to suit your exact needs and have it quickly manufactured in your local fabrication centre. Or have a brand new thing designed just for you from scratch using open source tools, technologies and techniques.
Around Lake Geneva, this is a work-in-progress. On the 27th of June 2015, the makers of the Lac Leman region unified for the first time to put on the “Leman Make” Festival. At the start, we knew of two hackerspaces in the region. One year later we had dozens of local fabrication spaces involved in the festival, all of whom were making stuff right here.
Technology should be a slave, not a master. It’s time it stopped being exclusive – something for other people far away to master – came back home, and was made accessible to everyone. As children we were all taught to share, and it turns out that sharing really can change the world for the better.So the answer to the question “is Lake Geneva ready to make stuff again?” is definitely a resounding yes. We hope you’ll join in.
The Art and Design lab proposes a place for creatives, graphic and web designers and artists where you can exchange knowledge, learn about other people's projects and anything towards the creative thinking.
The Sustainable Development lab is where we try to improve the way we do things to ensure a better future for us all. Projects range from renewable energy, to new repair techniques, to education, to re-localising production and beyond.
From an entrepreneurial perspective, if you're looking for problems to solve, the UN has co-created a list of seventeen goals that they are trying to achieve by 2030. It will need most everyone in the world to actually do this, so there are plenty of opportunities.
The Business Lab facilitates connecting individuals seeking business and growth opportunities. This laboratory has tools and methodologies for management, sales, marketing, profile building, effective project presentation, and focuses on agile, disruptive and fast growth strategies.
Within the Business Lab, several projects supporting businesses are being developed, notably in the form of orientation panels and conferences.
Business Lab – Resources
Its leaders and participants derive from the pool of members of the association Pangloss Labs.
The Business Lab as part of the Pangloss Labs has access to its resources like the Fablab, the Co-working space, its conference rooms and its communication tools.
The Business Lab is one of the various virtual laboratories (“Labs”) of the Pangloss Labs. It has easy access to subject-specific networks through this connection.
Competences relating to the creation and the operation of a company.
Business Lab – Open meetings
We organise open meetings from time to time. The meetings typically take place on Thursdays at 18h30 at Pangloss Labs, Zebra room. They are announced in the Slack Business Lab group.
Our meetings are genuine Living Labs where one can present and discuss one’s ideas and projects. The mix of project leaders, experienced people and people simply interested, has the capacity to produce useful and inspiring answers.
Business Lab - Participants
Only participants with a Pangloss profile in English are shown.
What's more, she has at her disposal all Pangloss Labs tools such as Slack for internal communication, and Google Drive for sharing documents.
Pangloss Slack : https://panglosslabs.slack.com/
Bilingual Business Model Canvas
A Business Model Canvas is a strategic template for developing business scenarios. We wanted to have a large version of the Business Model Canvas up on the wall of the lab, but around here it had to be in at least English and French. We created this and have made it available as a Creative Commons licensed download : Bilingual Business Model Canvas
Project Maturity Level
The Business Lab defines stages in the evolution of a project from the first idea to the creation of a company. Projects are classified according to their maturity in “Project Maturity Levels”. This method of assigning some kind of maturity to a particular project is based on its readiness to operate successfully from a perspective of management. The purpose of this classification is to offer, for each level and as needed, appropriate assistance and services. A pitch to a Panel of members of the Business Lab Panel can speed up the identification of maturity and need. → Maturity Levels
Readiness for a product or service to be employed may be classified according to EU or NASA “Technology Readiness Levels”.
Financial Forcasting Template
The Business Lab suggests using a spreadsheet tool for building a financial simulation of a contemplated business. Members of the Business Lab have had good experience with FISY by Remi Berthier (https://www.fisy.fr/). An example of such a financial simulation is available on request from our focal person. : Jean-Laurent FERVEL
It is also possible to get personalized training in financial mathematics and in using spreadsheets (EXCEL) from members of the Business Lab.
Our media lab covers all forms of media projects, ranging from mobile first website development (CMS Wordpress, Joomla!, Strikingly) to augmented reality and virtual reality developments.
We also create wikis and contribute to local and specialised knowledge management platforms.
Our lab includes the making of videos, podcasts, infographics and photographs, from a practical and creative angle.
Hands on building of (almost) anything. Prototyping, finished products and repairs. With digital fabrication machines from 3D printers to lasers to large format CNC machines.
A Fablab is a space for learning new skills and sharing your skills. We do not have resources to fix things for free, but will happily show you how you can learn to repair and make things. To find out more, visit us on one of our regular open days.
So far we've had projects including Art & Design, Prototypes & Repairs, Furniture & Decoration, Electronics & Automation, Experimentation & Research, Robotics, along with DIY & Education. If you're not sure where to start, we even have group projects where you can learn with others.
You don't have to start from zero. Come and learn how about the world of digital fabrication with our regular training courses. Our introduction courses are suitable for everyone, with reduced prices for Pangloss members!
We have a range of different machines in the fablab, suitable for different types of project, from hobbyist to professional. To use one of our machines, you will need to be a member of the association. We do not (yet) sell material for making your projects, but may have small scrap/leftover pieces for testing. Before reserving a machine, you will need to be trained in one of our training courses. Use of machines is on a first come first served basis and requires payment. Hand tools, table saw, scroll saw, drill press etc are available in the space and are free for members to use. Fees are displayed in the fablab and, for members, on the appropriate web page, but start at €2/hour for filament-based 3D printers.
What is a fab lab?
Fab labs are a global network of local labs, enabling invention by providing access to tools for digital fabrication
What’s in a fab lab?
Fab labs share an evolving inventory of core capabilities to make (almost) anything, allowing people and projects to be shared
What does the fab lab network provide?
Operational, educational, technical, financial, and logistical assistance beyond what’s available within one lab
Who can use a fab lab?
Fab labs are available as a community resource, offering open access for individuals as well as scheduled access for programs
What are your responsibilities? safety: not hurting people or machines operations: assisting with cleaning, maintaining, and improving the lab knowledge: contributing to documentation and instruction
Who owns fab lab inventions?
Designs and processes developed in fab labs can be protected and sold however an inventor chooses, but should remain available for individuals to use and learn from
How can businesses use a fab lab?
Commercial activities can be prototyped and incubated in a fab lab, but they must not conflict with other uses, they should grow beyond rather than within the lab, and they are expected to benefit the inventors, labs, and networks that contribute to their success
Discovering cultures through language conversation, correcting language mistakes in a friendly manner, improving capacity for everyone to communicate towards larger markets.
Carmz was one of the co-founding members of Pangloss Labs in 2014. Currently based in Marseille, Carmz is an English coach, an ESL tutor for all levels and ages, a Filipino language tutor (Tagalog & Bisaya), an avid paper crafter, and a self-taught portrait artist. She loves organizing language and cultural meetups, paper crafting events, and karaoke parties.
We attended the LemanMake Festival in Nyon, to go and meet the hackers, makers in the region and to see how to democratise what can be done with fablab machines. Workshops for kids, impressive demo, conferences, everything was there to discover what the future will look like.
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Also a great opportunity to meet with our friends from all parts of Switzerland.
We are following the CBS Social Entrepreneurship as a team.
Yves Zieba leads a project on inclusive classroom and Universal Design Learning on the Babele Social Crowdfunding Platform. You can follow everything about our project here.
Gadget Guru is a short weekly radio show on World Radio Switzerland that I do with Tony Johnston.
Here's the show from March 10th, 2015:
Here's the usual set of links & videos from the show:
From the Mobile World Congress we had the LG Flex2 self-healing phone...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjig8CkuenY
But this week is mostly about the Geneva Motor Show, which runs from the 5th to the 15th of March
The ED Design Torq - Electric Driverless Racing Car - which apparently could have a racing driver inside, but who'd want to without windows?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HP5MdxC8iJo
Bentley EXP10 Speed 6 with 3D printed parts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8v5d9fmkSw
The Quant F and Quant Quantino Nanoflowcell cars have a range of up to 1000km between refills with ionic electrolyte fluid.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q05Oc9M9V4o
The EDAG Light Cocoon (for the blinky light fans)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoTIw9SMxOE
The Aston Martin all electric DBX concept
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7r53N9cDv1c
The Swiss Rinseed Budii that will hand the steering wheel to you if you feel like driving
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GPkw_qdbjc
There is also the completely bonkers Koenigsegg Regera "hybrid" which does 0-400km/h <20 seconds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWm8xEapjuQ
There are 76 cars at the motor show which emit less than 95g of CO2 per kilometer, and most of them are in production
Oh, and this week Apple launched the most personal computer ever designed. This goes on sale in France on April 10th, and in Switzerland "sometime in 2015"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-waTi8BPdk
See you next week!
Gadget Guru is a short weekly radio show on World Radio Switzerland that I do with Tony Johnston.
Here's the show from March 3rd, 2015:
Here's the usual set of links & videos from the show:
For the Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnYtWWDor2s
The Virtual Private Network (VPN) comparison site I mentioned is https://www.bestvpn.com
Just to be safe, I suggest you use either Paypal or an e-card (one time use card number) from your bank to make the payments to these companies. It's not that they aren't safe, but I've noticed that they come and go over time.
Open source routers will allow you to VPN to your own home, but I won't give you a link. If you don't know how to find these, you shouldn't be attempting it. Surf safely!
And remember - a VPN is just a pretend (really long) network cable.
For details of the next Pangloss events click here.
Gadget Guru is a short weekly radio show on World Radio Switzerland that I do with Tony Johnston.
Here's the show from February 24th, 2015:
Here's the usual set of links & videos from the show:
The Internet of Things market is expected to be huge, with pretty much all market forecasts in the high billions of dollars. By 2020, there are expected to be more than 100 billion devices connected.
The home monitoring (air quality, temperature etc) system I have is from Netatmo My little drone is the Parrot Minidrone Rolling Spider, available from 1000ordi in Geneva for 135-7 CHF. They also have a range of Connected Objects and speak English (not a lot, but enough!).
The lighting system from Philips that's getting towards what I'd like
And of course, the build it yourself option with the Arduino Micro from Sparkfun and the Femtoduino
We held the first Pangloss Labs Internet of Things meetup on the 23rd of February in Eaux-vives. For details of our next events click here.
Gadget Guru is a short weekly radio show on World Radio Switzerland that I do with Tony Johnston.
Here's the show from February 17th, 2015:
Here's the usual set of links & videos from the show:
If you've ever wanted to fly like a bird you need to catch up with the BIRDLY bird simulator.
https://vimeo.com/91069214
And the amazing EPFL telescopic contact lense is here.
The Pangloss Labs Internet of Things meetup will be held on the 23rd of February in Eaux-vives. You don't need to be an expert - just bring an object and tell us how you'd like it to be connected (or not!) For details on this and all our events click here.
Pangloss Labs and Impact Hub Geneva have partnered up to participate in the Data Canvas project with Swissnex and LIFT to provide ongoing environmental monitoring. I chose the Impact Hub location because it's interesting to get a view of air quality, pollution and noise just behind Gare Cornavin.
You can see the data at the data canvas website
Gadget Guru is a short weekly radio show on World Radio Switzerland that I do with Tony Johnston.
Here's the show from February 10th, 2015:
Here's the usual set of links & videos from the show:
The totally brain-resetting LIFT Conference web site so you can see what you missed. The presentation from my workshop on Designing Alternative Currency Systems can be found on the Pangloss Labs site.
The BikeCityGuide can be found in the app stores for iOS and Android, or take a look at their web site. The Geneva map basically goes from the Jura to the Saleve.
You'll need to use google translate or the Chrome browser (which has google translate built in) to read the Norwegian findmysheep.com website, but it's worth it to find out how to get those 21st century cowbells.
Being more serious, the European Space Agency Technology Transfer program is designed to bring space applications into our daily lives, so if you are a startup company, you'll want to take a look.
You know about the awesome Solar Impulse project, but have you heard of Solar Stratos - using solar power to get to the edge of space? Another local project, as is Swiss Space Systems - who are hiring.
The Pangloss Labs Internet of Things meetup will be held on the 23rd of February in Eaux-vives. You don't need to be an expert - just bring an object and tell us how you'd like it to be connected (or not!) For details on this and all our events click here.
Gadget Guru is a short weekly radio show on World Radio Switzerland that I do with Tony Johnston.
Here's the show from January 27th, 2015:
Here's the usual set of links & videos from the show:
Our list of Pangloss Labs events so you won't miss our next robot workshop
The Open Source (hardware and software) Thymio robot from EPFL and it's programming environment
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTi7DjqlGO8#t=42
The NAO robot
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8-SSwKMGnY
and the much more serious and large ATLAS robot from Boston Dynamics:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27HkxMo6qK0
And one of my favourite French open source robot projects, InMoov:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2L4MCFubLs
Isaac Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics:
A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
Have a good week, and remember that according to the original Terminator movie humanity should have been destroyed by now, so we are definitely not in that future.
Paul was asked to speak at Impact Hub Geneva's crowdfunding launch event yesterday. The round table was about Social Innovation. With such people in the audience as representatives from the UNHCR and the ICRC he talked about the impact of crowdsourced open source hardware.
Projects described included Data Canvas Sense Your City real-time environmental monitoring, Publiclab - the citizen science portal, the Open Source Beehive project, Local Motors and the awesome E-NABLING the future project, providing low-cost customised prosthetic limbs all over the world and making people smile.
http://youtu.be/KcPjwq9-sDc
Gadget Guru is a short weekly radio show on World Radio Switzerland that I do with Tony Johnston.
Here's the show from January 20th, 2015:
Here's the usual set of links from the show:
The Google Translate app for iPhone and iPad
The Google Translate app for Android
The Kuratas Giant mech suit from Suidobashi Industries in Kyoto on Amazon for $1million
Why would you want one of these? Just watch...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iZ0WuNvHr8
Gadget Guru is a short weekly radio show on World Radio Switzerland that I do with Tony Johnston.
Here's the show from January 13th, 2015:
Here's some links from the show:
More information than you ever wanted about CES.
A round up of wearable technology from Engadget.
How to get and avoid tech neck (hint - lift your phone up).
The Belty smart-belt is easier to see than read about.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOwCNWTUAqo
and the Sharp freeform display technology, so I can get my hexagonal screens :-)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiDWqFw4UDM
I love Pangloss
I recently acquired a Cricut electronic cutting machine and it has been glorious since then. It has given me the freedom to create crafting projects or to use the images from the Cricut Design Space to practice making different paper or cardboard-based projects. Cutting is one of the techniques that makers like me love to fiddle around with their hands. And with the help of the machine, cutting becomes more precise and less tedious.
Cutting has never been this much fun ever!
I didn't realize that you could spend a whole day so wrapped up with your crafting projects. To the point that my craft room always ends up really messy with papers, stamps, stickers and all. I even joined a small crafting group to experience how it would be like to craft with fellow enthusiasts. It is really amazing because I learned new techniques from them and I met new friends too.
Why Paper crafting?
I went on to educate myself with different paper crafting activities and I found out that you can create personalized and embellished cards to give away (or to sell). You can design beautiful scrapbooks. You can even design and create t-shirts (like the one I made below). Furthermore, you can also decorate almost anything at your house, including your walls with your vinyl.
Personalized Pangloss Tshirt as one of my crafting projectsChristmas boxes for give-awaysPaper Crafting Projects - Cards, 3D cubes, page marker, boxesThank You Card design by Cricut.comFuture Crafting Projects and Plans
With Pangloss Labs, I hope that we could also create our own crafting group who love to catch up, learn and co-work with each other. Then we could plan on joining or initiating Craft Events in our Pays de Gex region. That would be absolutely awesome.
So, if you're interested to learn more about how to make this paper or cardboard crafting projects or if you wish to join a crafting session with me, send me an email at carmz@panglosslabs.org. I'd love to know what you already know or show you what the cutting machine can offer you.
Have you wished that you could easily come up with a new idea that is really great, awesome and at the same time practical? Or just come up with some crazy idea to help save the world? How do great thinkers do that? What techniques do innovators use in idea generation? Would you like to learn how they do that? Then this MOOC is right for you!
Dr. Daniel Koch leads the team of 3 presentors in the MOOC on the methods of generating ideas.
Join Dr. Daniel Jeffrey Koch, Dr.-Ing. Dominic Buchholz and Felix Teufel of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology as they present and expound the different methods in generating ideas in this Iversity MOOC. This free Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) will begin on the 21st of January 2015 at the Iversity website. The course is presented in English. This course aims to explain techniques for the goal and process oriented generation of ideas.
Gadget Guru is a short weekly radio show on World Radio Switzerland that I do with Tony Johnston.
Here's the show from January 6th, 2015:
A few links from this show:
If your new years resolution is to get fit there's no better way than eat less and move more. Technology can't (yet) stop you eating but it can help with the moving, so here are some of the fitness trackers you can get from Fitbit, Withings and Jawbone.
Prices start from around 65 CHF. Or you can just use an app for your smartphone like Moves but then you must carry your smartphone all the time. If you put it down it won't track your steps.
If you want to hack your life then If This Then That is the site you need. Make the internet work for you doing things that usually only coders can :-)
If you want a heads-up on CES there is a useful CES preview at TechRadar. Plenty of wearables.
My VOIP provider that lets me have a UK incoming phone number is LocalPhone but there are others, including Skype. As expats living on an international border having multiple incoming phone numbers in different countries can be useful.
Here's the Octopus:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvvjcQIJnLg
and here's the four-finned robot cuttlefish:
Next week we'll look at the output from CES.
Gadget Guru is a short weekly radio show on World Radio Switzerland that I do with Tony Johnston.
Here's the show from December 23rd, 2014:
A few links from this show:
3D Printed cookie cutters can be downloaded from thingiverse or you can design your own. The best place to try 3D printing is your local hackerspace.
Post Tenebras Lab in Geneva has an open evening each Tuesday.
Fixme in Lausanne has an open evening each Wednesday.
FabLab La Cote in Nyon has it's open evenings on Mondays.
The Christmas Shopper Simulator from Game in case your shopping was too easy this year
The Norad Santa Tracker
The cool magnetic levitation hoverboard
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSheVhmcYLA
and the noisy one that you can make yourself
and 2x headset mics like this
The Saxifrage 3 axis Mini CNC machine is a small, solid 1610 CNC using GRBL firmware and OpenCNCPilot control software. It is specifically for milling prototype PCBs.
Machine Status: Working
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Vous vous êtes certainement posé les questions suivantes sur la beauté
«Qu’est-ce qui est beau ? »
«Comment être beau? Existe-t-il une méthode, une recette pour faire du beau ?»
«Pourquoi moi je trouve ça beau mais pas les autres ? »
Un proverbe arabe dit : « la beauté est dans l’œil qui regarde ». En fait la réponse de notre être à l’esthétique, est purement personnelle, et dépend de nombreux facteurs culturels et émotionnels.
La beauté d’un visage par exemple peut être appréciée comme une absence de défaut. C’est la beauté qui rassure quant à son vécu personnel. Mais au contraire cela peut être une aspérité qui étonne au lieu de susciter notre rejet.
Dans la réponse esthétique, on trouve le plus souvent une émotion qu’il est difficile de comprendre pour soi et encore plus d’expliquer aux autres.
Un jour j’ai découvert l’univers de l’espace mathématiques de Mandelbrot. D’abord subjugué par la richesse des images produites à partir d’un simple zoom sur un point particulier de cet espace, où les formes se répétaient avec des variations étonnantes, je me suis fait expliquer ce qui générait ces formes.
La réponse était étonnante. La fonction génératrice était l’étude de suite, dans le simple plan des complexes, dont on étudiait la vitesse de convergence.
On donnait une couleur au point à partir duquel la suite était calculée, en fonction de sa vitesse de convergence.
Un élève de terminale peut comprendre le problème posé, cependant la question est bizarre, originale. La réponse à cette question est, elle, époustouflante.
Si Benoit Mandelbrot avait gardé pour lui le secret de cette génération en ne divulguant que le résultat artistique de ses recherches, jamais on aurait compris le principe générateur de ces formes d’une richesse infinie.
Cela choque beaucoup de personnes, mais de nombreux mathématiciens pensent que tout est nombre. Le réel physique d’existerait pas et l’univers ne serait que le résultat de perceptions diverses.
En décomposant, la complexité on arrive à de simples fonctions primitives, finalement assez pauvres.
Jeune étudiant j’avais été choqué par l’énoncé du théorème de Fourier.
Ce théorème dit que tout signal cyclique, aussi complexe soit-il, peut se décomposer en une somme de vibrations à différentes fréquences.
Une vibration est une simple vague qui fait monter et descendre de façon continue, répétitive et monotone.
La vibration en tant que cycle rassure, car on sait qu’après être redescendu, on va remonter, puis redescendre. Ça ne finit jamais et c’est sans surprise.
La fonction mathématique qui porte cette vibration est la fonction Sinus.
N’ayant comme talent artistique que celui du contemplatif, j’ai imaginé des formes qui ne seraient que des sommes de vibrations, dans tous les sens, dans plusieurs dimensions. En les combinant, on génère des formes douces, organiques, qui rappelle des muscles, des viscères, un squelette. On repère quelques répétitions signant la simple vibration, la simple vague, la simple fonction sinus, mais ces répétitions ne se répètent pas complètement à l’identique et surprennent un peu dans leur rendu parce qu’elles sont simplement combinées avec d’autres. On entre progressivement dans le domaine du vivant, ou dans l’illusion du vivant.
Mon œil est surpris par le résultat. J’espère que le votre aussi.
On the 12th of January a small, determined group met at Pangloss Labs in Ferney-Voltaire to discuss why there isn't yet a Pangloss Labs Geneva site and what to do about it.
In a nutshell, although we have found some spaces in Geneva that meet our original half office / half workshop criteria, they are very few and far between. With the rent costs being much higher in Geneva than neighbouring France, to replicate directly what we did in France would need 45 people willing to pay a proportion of the rent, before we have the space. In addition, leases in Geneva tend to start at 5 years. With some of the offers we have, on projects under development, we'd need 45 people willing to commit to contribute to a collaborative association for 5 years, starting in 1-2 years time. That's almost impossible to do.
So, with the facts on the table, and with the aid of some decent French wine, we brainstormed on the possible ways forward. 
With lots of whiteboards, and different experiences and backgrounds we came up with the following plan:
Geneva, but it does solve the problem of how to get the other Innovation Labs really working for those members unable to easily get to Ferney-Voltaire and it provides something concrete as a partnership with our other innovation space friends around Geneva.
Once things are up and running, we can decide if we need another physical space in Geneva, or if working collaboratively with existing spaces is sufficient.
What do you think?
The Primula 3D printer is a modified open source iTopie design with a diamond head triple mixing extruder for providing full-colour FDM printing.
Machine Status: Needs Z axis calibration
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The Oak 3 axis CNC machine is an open source Openbuilds OX CNC using a smoothieboard as it's control system.
Machine Status: Working
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The Comfrey 3 axis CNC machine is a robust, solid Badog X2 CNC using Mach3 control software.
Machine Status: Working
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One hour course Syllabus:
One hour to know if Design Thinking is for you.
In one hour, we will share with you the mindset and the key things for you to know if design thinking can help you.
We believe it will ! Come and see us to find out how this will boost your ideas and meet other autonomous and independent entrepreneurs.
Our next course will take place on September 8th from 2pm to 3pm and for future events, please check the Pangloss online event calendar.
To register please click on this link.
To express interest for a different date, please email Yves Zieba (yves@panglosslabs.org) or call 0041795611054 or 0033952118168
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Also a great opportunity to meet with our friends from all parts of Switzerland.
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Also a great opportunity to meet with our friends from all parts of Switzerland.
The Pangloss Labs Internet of Things meetup will be held on the 23rd of February in Eaux-vives. You don't need to be an expert - just bring an object and tell us how you'd like it to be connected (or not!) For details on this and all our events click here.
