uOttawa Richard L’Abbé Makerspace

People working in the Richard L'Abbé Markerspace. — Faculty of Engineering

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uOttawa Richard L’Abbé Makerspace

The uOttawa Richard L’Abbé Makerspace is a place that allows everyone to collaborate and build their dream projects. It is open to students and community members to invent, make, build and play. The space is led, organized and managed by students from different fields of studies.

About us

Our Makerspace is part of our maker ecosystem and identity at the university of Ottawa. It allows students in design courses to use the equipment and the space to test and prototype their designs. It fosters creativity and innovation by allowing students and community members to work on projects to solve real problems.

Makerspace also provides several services to students and community members to grow and support the innovation in the maker community:

MakerRepo: An open source repository of maker projects.
Makerstore: The uOttawa Makerstore sells components supplies to students and members of the community to help them create and finish their projects.
Workshops and training: We offer free training on the use of the equipment in the Makerspace. This training takes place in the Makerlab and is open to all.

In addition, we offer customized workshops (for a fee) for organizations and educational institutions.

Hours of operation

For the university community

From Monday to Friday from September to April, the Makerspace is available exclusively to members of the university community (faculty, staff and students).

Monday to Friday - 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For the university community and the general public

Throughout the year, the Makerspace is available for everyone to use on Sundays.

Sundays – 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Please note that the Makerspace will be closed during statutory holidays as well as during exam period in the fall and winter terms. For access on those days, please contact us via email.

What you can do here

3D printing

3D printing is an additive manufacturing process that creates a three-dimensional object from a digital model. It works similarly to a regular ink-and-paper printer in that it systematically moves through space to create the desired print.

Laser cutters

Laser cutters allow users to engrave and cut out intricate shapes in wood, fibreboard, acrylic, and more!

Student working with wires and computer equipment.

Internet of Things

Internet of Things (IoT) combines the network of software and hardware components. It allows objects to be sensed and controlled remotely across existing network infrastructure, creating opportunities for more direct integration between the physical world and computer-based systems.

Student and teacher working on computer with rainbow coloured glow-up dress in the background.

Wearables

Wearables are clothing or accessories that are equipped with a microcontrollers. This allows them to control a variety of components; wearables are usually designed with a practical component in mind or to make a desired fashion statement.

Virtual Reality

Virtual Reality (VR) replicates an environment that simulates physical presence in places within the globe or imaginary worlds and lets the user interact with that world. Video games by artificial means create sensory experiences, which might embrace sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste.

Design. Play. Create.

Customized workshops

Interested in hosting a private and customized workshop or training session for your organization or conference? Please connect with us via email at [email protected] for more details. A few of our clients include:

Makerspace provides young “Iron Man” with Mark II prosthetic

When six-year-old “Iron Man” Sebastian Chavarria arrived at uOttawa on March 20, he garnered national attention from media outlets. The boy, whose myriad congenital problems left him with a tracheotomy and a partially deformed left hand, received a new prosthetic hand as part of the uOttawa Makerspace Prosthetic Challenge.

Makerspace provides young “Iron Man” with Mark II prosthetic

Interactive student art hanging from ceiling in STEM Complex.

Interactive student art adds creative spark to STEM

Since early September, the brand-new STEM Complex has been home to two interactive works of art that these students created and constructed.

Interactive student art adds creative spark to STEM

Steampunk gala: a perfect blend of science and fantasy

On May 17, uOttawa engineering students took part in the National Science and Innovation Gala 2017 at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum. The event featured a steampunk theme to highlight the importance of education in the STEAM fields: science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.

Steampunk gala: a perfect blend of science and fantasy