LEVERAGING OPEN FABRICATION FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND AQUATIC GERMPLASM CONSERVATION

Germplasm conservation is driven by the need to preserve genetic diversity in natural populations, and to back up lines of genetically modified and improved organisms for current and future applications. Advances in plants and terrestrial animals  used for food have been significant  for several decades. In contrast,  germplasm preservation of  aquatic species important for aquaculture, fisheries,  conservation, and biomedical research has advanced at a slower pace. The large variation of reproductive mechanisms and the number of species involved requires considerable efforts to prevent loss of genetics in these organisms. Although diverse, aquatic germplasm preservation requires tools and hardware that can be similar in function but adapted to particular characteristics of each user and species. Open fabrication makes possible custom production of hardware  (e.g., tools and devices)  in ways that traditional proprietary development cannot .

T he shared information for  open fabrication (e.g. design files)  should be suitable for transfer in electronic format. This can be initiated by single users, or groups of users with common or similar problems . These can  include  researchers, or innovators that design particular solutions. Th ese solutions  can  then be distributed to early adopte rs,  who will provide insights on the usability of the proposed solution, in real- life situations, and  provide  feedback to the innovator group. This will result in a diversified set of option s, that  can be integrated into the design cycle.  After the design and usability steps proceed, the technology can be put in the hands of users. For example, repository developers, germplasm centers, or hatchery managers that want to maintain the genetics of broodstock. At this point the possibility of transferring electronic files such as CAD/CAM (c omputer aided design and manufacturing),  provides  a fast and cost-effective  system  and allows users to become makers, that is  fabricate their own tools or devices, for example through 3- D printing. Furthermore, these makers can eventually become developers and design their own technology. These changes, from  acquiring technology to  fabricate and developing their own hardware can be greatly enhanced by the formation of communities that allow the exchange of ideas, tips, and troubleshooting in the way that old sewing and carpenter groups use to do, but a much faster digital-era speed (Figure 1) .