Open Lab Hours in the Lichtwerkstatt Makerspace

Pupils, students, scientists, creative artists, enthusiasts, professionals... the Lichtwerkstatt Makerspace is open to everyone who would like to learn and try out new things.

Maker ("makers") are people who make things themselves using the latest technology. The maker movement has links to do-it-yourself and hacker culture with historical roots in the Arts and Crafts Movement. A Makerspace is a physical space with technology and equipment, an open creative workshop. The Light workshop Makerspace at the Abbe Center of Photonics in Jena is Germany's first and so far only Photonics Makerspace. We offer a wide range of low-tech and high-tech equipment for free use by all creative people and maker enthusiasts who want to implement their own ideas and try out new things.

For the very first contact with the Lichtwerkstatt Makerspace, we offer Open Lab Hours in which we explain the tools and show examples of best practice. The Lichtwerkstatt Makerspace is open every Wednesday from 4-6 pm and we are on site. Anyone interested can drop by without registering and either get an introduction to the available equipment (3D printer, laser cutter, embroidery machine, cutting plotter, microcontroller, wood and metalworking, CNC milling machine, and much more) or work directly on their own project. During this time, there is always someone from the team in the light workshop to provide help and advice.

Authorized users of the light workshop receive free 24/7 access from us and can give free rein to their creativity independently in the light workshop.

A selection of projects that other users of the Lichtwerkstatt Makerspace have produced and implemented:

• Brain-computer interface
• Home-made smartphone microscope
• Bike Sensor
• and much more.

The great devices and tools that are available to all Lichtwerkstatt users are listed here:

• 3D printing, 3D scans
• Laser Cutting
• VR and AR glasses
• and much more.