Fab FM
Fab FM explores the possibilities for personal fabrication of consumer electronic devices. It is a wood- and fabric-cased FM radio that can be manufactured in small volumes by an individual with access to a laser cutter.
Each radio can be customized with materials (e.g., wood or fabric) provided by the customer. Because the radio can be produced from its digital design files using minimal infrastructure, it offers a diverse set of possible business models and distribution schemes. For example, radios could be sold as kits to be assembled by the customer, or produced by individuals in many different cities.
Publication
David A. Mellis, Dana Gordon, and Leah Buechley. 2011. Fab FM: the design, making, and modification of an open-source electronic product. In Proceedings of the fifth international conference on Tangible, embedded, and embodied interaction (TEI '11).
Modify
Fab FM is designed to be easy to modify in a number of ways, including form, materials, and functionality. You can see some variations on the radio's design in the pictures to the left.
About
Fab FM is a project by David A. Mellis and Dana Gordon. It was first created as part of the MIT class How to Make (almost) Anything (taught by professor Neil Gershenfeld). The original description of the radio is still available on the course's webpage. Work on Fab FM is continuing as part of the High-Low Tech group (led by professor Leah Buechley) at the MIT Media Lab.