Workshop: Sketching in Hardware 2011

Art Center College Of Design, Pasadena CA

Investigators

Abstract

Sketching in Hardware is a three-day workshop from July 28-31, 2011 on the design, use and teaching of physical computing toolkits. It is the only annual gathering devoted exclusively to the discussion of digital hardware tools for non-specialists. The development of digital hardware toolkits has motivated significant academic research in the past decade. However, though powerful, these toolkits are still in early stages of development, akin to the earliest Web authoring programs. This annual workshop brings together key researchers, designers, developers, manufacturers, users and educators for an intimate, hands-on discussion of tools for physical computing prototyping. Its goal is to create a dialogue between disciplines and thereby lower the barrier to entry to working with digital hardware for people without a formal engineering education into. The 2011 workshop will focus on how tools build on each other, and how they work together to spawn new ideas. More specifically, it will aim to: * Encourage development of new tools and expansion of existing ones; * Support the interconnection of existing toolkit technologies; * Create software that support explorations of electronics hardware exploration; by non-specialists through interfacing with familiar software creative tools; * Identify common challenges and create opportunities for collaboration in solving those challenges. Every participant will give a 20 minute presentation, with an emphasis on topics that have not been presented publicly before. In the past these have introduced new and improved tools, demonstrated new techniques for teaching physical computing, and identified non-traditional areas where physical computing prototyping is important. In addition, there will be several guided discussions of major issues (determined in advance through email discussions). Several hours will be spent in breakout groups to introduce new toolkits and techniques. Broader Impacts: The devices, software, techniques, and social connections presented and created during the workshop are highly influential across a broad range of disciplines and audiences. By bringing together individuals from a wide range of disciplines and career stages and emphasizing the relevance of work over seniority or background, the meeting brings talented young people and people outside the usual social networks into those networks. The published talk slides are downloaded thousands of times and passed around the Internet, while connections made at the event create lasting bonds and collaborations between researchers in disparate fields.