CSV and JSON data describing the quantity and content of uploads to Thingiverse for 2015-2020

The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly affected various aspects of daily life,
particularly the supply and demand of essential goods, resulting in
critical shortages. This included personal protective equipment (PPE) for
medical professionals and the general public. To address these shortages,
online "maker communities" emerged, aiming to develop and
locally manufacture critical products. While some organized efforts
existed, the majority of initiatives originated from individuals and
groups on platforms like Thingiverse. This paper presents a longitudinal
analysis of Thingiverse, one of the largest maker community websites, to
examine the pandemic's effects. Our findings reveal a surge in
community output during the initial lockdown periods in major contributing
nations (primarily those in the western-hemisphere), followed by a
subsequent decline. Additionally, throughout 2020, pandemic-related
products dominated uploads and interactions during this period. Based on
these observations, we propose recommendations to expedite the
community's ability to support local, national, and international
responses to future disasters.