FabAcademy in Hokkaido
Global Application Deadline
Global Application Deadline for FabAcademy 2025 is December 25th, 2024.
However, we highly recommend to register as soon as possible, so we can help you getting started and prepared.
See also Application Process.
About FabAcademy
FabAcademy Hokkaido 2025 Flyer (PDF)
For the latest info please see https://fabacademy.org.
What excatly is the FabAcademy?
The Fab Academy is a fast paced, hands-on learning experience where students learn rapid-prototyping by planning and executing a new project each week, resulting in a personal portfolio of technical skills.
Please have a close look at the main FabAcademy website, especially on the previous schedules, lectures and videos. As a next step you can look how different students responded to the different challenges.
Here is an overview of the classes from 2024, the classes for 2025 are currently in planning, but will most likely follow a similar pattern:
| Week | Content |
|---|---|
| 1 | Principles and Practices, Project Management |
| 2 | Computer-Aided Design |
| 3 | Computer-Controlled Cutting |
| 4 | Electronics Production |
| 5 | 3D Scanning and Printing |
| 6 | Embedded Programming |
| 7 | Computer-Controlled Machining |
| 8 | Electronics Design |
| 9 | Output Devices |
| 10 & 11 | Mechanical Design, Machine Design |
| 12 | Input Devices |
| 13 | Molding and Casting |
| 14 | Networking and Communications |
| 15 | Interface and Application Programming |
| 16 | Wildcard Week |
| 17 | System Integration |
| 18 | Applications and Implications |
| 19 | Invention, Intellectual Property, and Income |
| 20 | Project Presentation |
FabAcademy in Hokkaido
FabAcademy and FabLabs are still quite new to Hokkaido, there is FabLab Kuriyama, whose staff participated in FabAcademy in 2020 and 2022, in collaboration with FabLab Kamakura, but FabAcademy did not run for the General Public yet in Hokkaido!
Let's be ambitions, and make FabAcademy 2025 in Hokkaido happen!
Instructors
Tuition Costs
| FabAcademy Student | Auditing & Lab Access | Auditing | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Access to Archived Lectures | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| 2 days of FabLab Access/Week | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Local Instructor Feedback | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Global Instructor Feedback | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Official FabAcademy Student | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| FabAcademy Graduation Certificate | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Live Lecture Access | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Global Chat | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Own Repository at FabAcademy Website | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Final Project Evaluation | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Homework Project | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Costs | $5000 | TBA | $0 |
Auditing means trying out a class, but without grades or certificates. If you audit the course and decide to take it as a full student in the future, you will have to pay the full tuition fees.
More information about the FabAcademy Cost Structure
Application Process
Application Deadline
Application Deadline for FabAcademy 2025 is December 25th, 2024.
- Contact us by filling out the Application Form (FREE)
- We will get back to you and schedule an interview (FREE)
- Officially register for FabAcademy 2025 Registration Form
Please do not register for FabAcademy without contacting us before. We want to meet you before and make sure that the FabAcademy is for you.
Minimum Number of Students: 3
At least 3 students are necessary to cover the costs of materials and other fees. If there are less than 3 students it will not be possible to run FabAcademy in Hokkaido. Any paid tution fee will be refundend 100%.
Organised by FabLab Hamamatsu
The organising FabLab for FabAcademy 2025 in Hokkaido is FabLab Hamamatsu - with our Mentor & Guru Masato Takemura.
While FabLab Kuriyama is a fully-equipped FabLab, there is currently no qualified Local Instructor working at FabLab Kuriyama - that why we are excited to have Take-san as Mentor & Guru!
Therefore, if you fill out the FabAcademy 2025 Registration Form, please select FabLab Hamamatsu.
Pre-Fab
The course starts in January 2025, it will be an intensive journey - you will probably run out of time to finish the weekly assignments in the depth you want. We highly suggest that you take the time from now until the beginning of FabAcademy to learn more about:
- Git
- SSGs, Static Site Generators
- Parametric Modelling in 3D (Fusion 360, FreeCAD)
- Programming MCUs (Arduino, ESP32, XIAO, etc)
- EDA (Eagle, KiCad)
While you will have access to a 3D Printer, we highly suggest to get your own, especially if you plan to make longer prints and larger objects.
Interviews
We are happy to talk to you in-person or via Zoom about the benefits and challenges of FabAcademy. The reason why only ~50% of the students each year manage to finish the course and graduate is not because the course is so difficult, but because students underestimate the time the need for the course each week!
With the personal interview we want to make sure that you know exactly what you have to do for FabAcademy.
Please fill out our FabAcademy Info Form to schedule an interview.
Questions & Answers
Do I have to be good in English to participate?
FabAcademy is a global course, it is taught in English. You are also required to write your documentation in English, and your presentations and presentation video should also be in English.
As long as you can follow the English in the lectures, it should be fine.
How many hours/week do I have to spend for FabAcademy?
Depending on your expertise in parametric modelling, programming and circuit-design, somewhere between 25 hours and 40 hours.
Why do students have to pay for FabAcademy?
During the course, students will get 40 days free access to a FabLab, all the materials they need to make the assignments, and expert tutoring, both from Local and Global Instructors. And the pressure to finish the course is free. The tuition costs sounds a lot, but if you have the time and energy to commit to the course it is worth it. (Or if you want to go to MIT, like one of my students from Kamakura 2023 😁).
Can I audit the course?
If you don't want to pay for the course, there is the possibility audit the course, I suggest to watch the lecture and recitations videos, and do the homework. I am happy to give feedback - and if necessary - a little guidance. We can also arrange lab access - or you can arrange lab access for yourself.
Do I have to do the homework assignments every week?
Yes.
Do I have to join the lectures every week?
Yes, because the Random Generator might call your name and you will be asked to present and share your weekly homework.
Can I use 'AI' to write my documentaton?
You can use 'AI' chatbots to write your documentation, but you absolutely have to cite it - like any other reference. The goal of FabAcademy should be to learn the various fabrication topics, it's up to you if you want dive into the various topics and learn them - or if you just want to do the minimal amount of work to pass.
Any more questions?
Please get in touch via the Contact Form!