Fab Academy 2027 at Chaihuo Makerspace: Learn to Make (Almost) Anything！
What if you could turn an idea in your head into something you can actually hold, test, and use?
From 3D printing and laser cutting to electronics, embedded programming, and mechanical design, digital fabrication gives you the tools to bring ideas into the physical world.
But learning to use these tools is only the beginning. The real challenge is understanding how different technologies work together to turn an idea into a functioning project.
That’s what Fab Academy is all about.
Applications for Fab Academy 2027 at Chaihuo Makerspace are now open! Whether you’re a maker, designer, engineer, developer, or simply someone curious about how things are made, this is an opportunity to develop practical digital fabrication skills, work on your own projects, and connect with a global community of makers.
Ready to start making?
What Is Fab Academy?
Fab Academy grew out of MIT Professor Neil Gershenfeld’s influential course, How to Make (Almost) Anything, which introduced students from different backgrounds to the possibilities of digital fabrication.
The course helped inspire the development of Fab Labs: workshops equipped with digital fabrication tools and technologies that allow people to design, prototype, and make things locally.
Today, Fab Academy connects learners through a global network of Fab Labs and makerspaces. It offers a structured, hands-on learning experience that combines global online instruction with practical work at local teaching locations, known as Nodes.
Rather than focusing on a single technology, Fab Academy encourages students to explore the entire process of making — from initial ideas and digital design to electronics, programming, fabrication, and final project development.
What Will You Learn?
Fab Academy covers a broad range of digital fabrication skills. Throughout the program, students work with different tools, materials, and technologies while developing projects of their own.
Some of the key learning areas include:
- Digital Design: Computer-aided design, 3D modeling, and 3D scanning.
- Digital Fabrication: 3D printing, laser cutting, CNC machining, molding, and casting.
- Electronics: Electronics production, circuit design, input and output devices.
- Programming: Embedded programming, interface development, and networking.
- Mechanical Design: Designing and building machines and interactive systems.
- Project Development: Combining different skills to develop a final project, while exploring applications, intellectual property, and ways to bring inventions into the world.
The curriculum is intensive and project-based. Students don’t just learn how individual tools work — they learn how to combine them to create something meaningful.
See the official Fab Academy curriculum for more details.
From Ideas to Reality: Meet the 2026 Chaihuo Student Projects
One of the best ways to understand Fab Academy is to see what students actually make.
In 2026, Chaihuo Makerspace welcomed 13 Fab Academy students, twice as many as the previous cohort. Throughout the program, they explored different technologies, experimented with ideas, and developed projects that brought together digital fabrication, electronics, programming, and creative thinking.
Here are three examples from the 2026 cohort.
Lucky Bot — A Desktop AI Voice Companion
What if your desk had its own AI companion?
Jerry Rong combined voice interaction, AI conversation, a display, and embedded hardware to create Lucky Bot — a desktop device that can listen, respond, and interact with its user.
By integrating speech recognition, AI-powered conversation, and voice feedback, the project explores how digital fabrication and AI can come together in an interactive everyday device.
Smart “Fu” — An Interactive Take on a Traditional Chinese Decoration
How can traditional cultural elements be reimagined through technology?
Alison Yang brought the traditional Chinese Fu character decoration into the world of digital fabrication and interactive electronics.
Combining an e-paper display, touch sensors, and electronic circuits, Smart “Fu” transforms a familiar decorative object into an interactive experience. When someone touches a sensor near the doorway, the device responds and updates its display.
It’s a creative blend of traditional culture, digital technology, and everyday interaction.
Smart Morin Khuur — A Musical Instrument That Lights Up with the Music
What happens when a traditional musical instrument meets digital fabrication?
Sunny Zhao reimagined the structure of the traditional Mongolian Morin Khuur, combining 3D design, embedded electronics, a microphone, a microcontroller, and LED lighting.
The result is an instrument whose lights respond to the rhythm of the music, bringing a new interactive dimension to a traditional art form.
These projects show that digital fabrication isn’t limited to making mechanical parts or electronic devices. It can also open up new possibilities in art, culture, music, and everyday life.
Want to see more?
Explore the 2026 Chaihuo Fab Academy student projects.
Learn at Chaihuo Makerspace
Located in Shenzhen, China, Chaihuo Makerspace is one of China’s first Fab Labs certified by the Fab Foundation.
As a Fab Academy teaching location, Chaihuo has participated in the global program in 2020, 2021, 2024, 2025, and 2026. Across these five cohorts, Chaihuo has accumulated extensive teaching experience, with a cumulative student graduation rate of over 95%.
Over the years, we’ve supported students in turning early concepts into working prototypes through design, fabrication, testing, and iteration.
For Fab Academy 2027, Chaihuo will continue this journey as an official Fab Academy Node, welcoming a new group of learners to explore digital fabrication and develop their own projects.
Students can access learning spaces and digital fabrication facilities in both Shenzhen and Chengdu, with opportunities to learn, experiment, and collaborate throughout the program.
Meet Your Instructor: Matthew Yu
Matthew Yu graduated in Electronic and Electrical Engineering (EEE) from the University of Strathclyde in the UK. His background spans electronics engineering, artificial intelligence, and software and hardware development.
He has a particular interest in artificial intelligence and natural language processing (NLP), and has worked with health and social care organizations in Glasgow on exploring AI-assisted approaches to depression screening.
Matthew completed Fab Academy in 2024 and went on to serve as an instructor in 2025 and 2026. Through these experiences, he has developed practical knowledge of digital fabrication and interdisciplinary project mentoring.
More recently, his interests have expanded into AI Agent Runtime, focusing on how AI agents execute tasks, work with tools, and interact with real-world applications.
For Fab Academy 2027, Matthew will bring together his experience in AI, electronics, and digital fabrication to help students explore new ideas and turn them into working projects.
More Than a Course: Join a Global Maker Communit
Fab Academy is part of a much larger global maker ecosystem.
Throughout the program, students document their weekly assignments and project development in their online portfolios. Their work is reviewed by local instructors, regional experts, and the global Fab Academy team as part of the evaluation process.
Students who successfully complete all course requirements and pass the global evaluation receive a Fab Academy Diploma, recognizing their achievement in digital fabrication.
And there’s another exciting opportunity ahead.
FAB27 will take place in Oulu, Finland, from August 1–7, 2027. The international Fab Lab gathering will bring together makers, educators, researchers, and innovators from around the world. The Fab Academy 2027 graduation ceremony is planned as part of the event.
For students completing the 2027 program, it offers an opportunity to connect with the wider Fab Lab community, share their work, and exchange ideas with people from across the globe.
Fab Academy 2027 at Chaihuo Makerspace — Apply Now!
Ready to move beyond ideas and start making?
Join Fab Academy 2027 at Chaihuo Makerspace and explore the technologies, tools, and creative processes behind digital fabrication.
| Program details | Information |
|---|---|
| Program | Fab Academy 2027 |
| Node | Chaihuo Makerspace |
| Course period | January 2027 – June 2027 |
| Tuition | USD 5,000 |
| Application deadline | December 25, 2026 |
| Learning locations | Shenzhen and Chengdu, China |
| FAB27 | August 1–7, 2027, Oulu, Finland |
Who should apply?
Fab Academy welcomes people from different backgrounds, including makers, designers, engineers, developers, artists, educators, and entrepreneurs.
You don’t need to be an expert in every technology before joining. However, some familiarity with design, programming, or electronics can be helpful. As the global classes are conducted in English, applicants should have sufficient English speaking and writing skills to follow the lessons and document their work.
How to apply
- Visit the official Fab Academy 2027 Student Registration Form.
- Complete your application details.
- Select Chaihuo Makerspace as your Node.
- Follow up with the Node and Fab Academy team regarding the application and enrollment process.
Ready to make (almost) anything?
We’re looking forward to welcoming the 2027 cohort at Chaihuo! It’s always exciting to see what people bring to the table — their ideas, curiosity, different backgrounds, and the things they’re eager to create. We can’t wait to see what you’ll explore, build, and share throughout this journey, and how those little ideas will grow into something real.
See you at Chaihuo in 2027!🎉
About Author
