Engaging Amateurs in the Design, Fabrication, and Assembly of Electronic Devices
Author(s)
Mellis, David Adley; Buechley, Leah; Resnick, Mitchel; Hartmann, Björn
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This paper explores personal fabrication as a means of engaging new audiences in the creation of electronic devices, which play an ever-increasing role in our lives but which most people have little involvement in creating. We describe a six-session workshop in which eight participants made wificonnected devices through the design and fabrication of custom printed circuit boards. We explore the implications of using components and processes analogous to those in commercial products, as opposed to the limited set of higherlevel building blocks found in toolkits for hobbyist electronics. We highlight unique advantages and challenges of a personal fabrication approach. We explore the role of attitudes in identifying a suitable audience for these activities. We discuss insights into commercial electronic products offered by personal fabrication and explore its role in a world of massproduced electronic devices. Finally, we suggest opportunities for future tools and technologies.
Date issued
2016-06Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Media LaboratoryJournal
Proceedings of the 2016 ACM Conference on Designing Interactive Systems
Publisher
ACM Press
Citation
Mellis, David A. et al. "Engaging Amateurs in the Design, Fabrication, and Assembly of Electronic Devices." Proceedings of the 2016 ACM Conference on Designing Interactive Systems, June 2016, Brisbane Australia, ACM Press: 1270–1281
Version: Final published version
ISBN
9781450340311