Although they started out as areas for protest, today Hacklabs are places where people interested in science and technology exchange their knowledge. To that end, just a few weeks ago UPF opened its own Hacklab in the CRAI on the Poblenou campus.

One of the people behind it is Marcel Farrés, a graduate in Audiovisual Systems Engineering from UPF and currently a student on the Master in Brain and Cognition, also at UPF. He admits that at the beginning he had his doubts as to whether the project would work or not, but now he has an increasingly heavier workload in terms of managing the needs of those have decided to participate in this collaborative space.

"I wish that this had started before, and not now I'm in my fourth year. I always wanted to work with people in Audiovisual Communication, but there was no place to do it until now," said Pedro Vílchez, a student on the bachelor's programme in Audiovisual Systems Engineering, who like Diego Iruela, a student on the bachelor's programme in Audiovisual Communication, is one of the first members of this new group.

What exactly is a Hacklab?

Pedro Vílchez (P.V.): It's a forum for technology where we share projects. Our goal is to make this Hacklab a place where people from all degree courses can work on the same project: some doing the programming, others providing the audiovisual aspect, and others translating, for example. This would enhance the product a great deal, and would be an opportunity for synergies between degrees, which is something lacking at the University.

How did the idea of creating a Hacklab at UPF come about?

Marcel Farrés (M.F.): About a year ago, some friends and I started to participate in Hackathons [events where many computer programmers get together to carry out one or more projects within a limited timeframe]. The University decided to support us in terms of space, equipment and training, which is what we students lack, and they suggested that we get people together who were interested in starting the project.

What do your projects involve?

Diego Iruela (D.I.): Mine consisted of a webcam that detected eye movements and made a new image appear on a computer with each blink. The engineering students at the Hacklab told me that the camera wouldn't work, so they gave me an eye-tracking system to track the movement of the eyes, which I couldn't have got hold of myself.

P.V.: In my group, we are trying to create a free and open network infrastructure that only works in the Hacklab. This would mean we could manage it ourselves when we do the tests that people bring to us. It's something we can't do on the University's network, because - for good reasons - they won't let us touch it.

What infrastructure do you need?

P.V.: For example, the group which works with robots needs some lockers so that they don't have to take their material home every day. We need a place where we can put our things and know that they will still be there the next day.

M.F.: The space needs to be remodelled. The University is working on installing the lockers, a projector and a screen. These big tables also need to be replaced by others that you can fold up so that we can take them out for meetings. We need to make the space as versatile as possible.

How many people are part of the Hacklab collective at UPF?

M.F.: Right now we have a list of 50 people, who are kept up to date by email. But not everyone comes. What we need to do is explain exactly what we do here, because there are many people who don't know.

D.I.: The other thing is that many people think you need a very high level of engineering knowledge to come and work here, which isn't true. You only need some initiative, to really want to do it and not to be scared of making a mistake.

What do you think is the most effective way of raising this place's profile?

D.I.: We need to make clear what this space is and what it is used for. People often see the classroom empty and come in to work in groups, so the space loses its meaning. Right now, we are still in a transitional phase and we don't have the necessary materials, so we're not that bothered that the space is used for other things, but we will have to do something about it in the future.

Do you think that you need to become stronger as a community to provide impetus for all the projects?

P.V.: Yes. Hacklab will be a success when you come in through the door, you see someone working, and you could start helping them. But before we get to that point, we have to create a living space with workshops and meetings. You build a community after you have the infrastructure. We have just planted the seed.

What activities do you have planned for Hacklab?

M.F.: We haven't done much so far. I'm finding out what people are interested in so I can organize various things. It doesn't make much sense to start giving lectures if it turns out that nobody's interested. We have to choose the activities together, and the more we do, the easier it will be get us in touch with each other.

Do you think that all universities should have a space like this one?

P.V.: The idea's good, but it's still an experiment and it is too early to say whether it works or not. The University launched the idea and we have picked it up and run with it. In a year's time, when we have seen how people have responded, we'll know whether it will carry on or not.

M.F.: How useful these spaces at universities are depends a great deal on the students' personal projects. Most people do what is asked of them in class and that's it, when it would be very important to spend time thinking about what you could do to get some extra training. People will begin to come to places like this w hen we manage to encourage that.