Sketching in hardware is the process through which we understand the capabilities of emerging hardware technologies.
As digital technology moved into everyday consumer products, the economics of mass production and marketing moved products from open systems that enabled experimentation to closed systems that emphasized ease of production over the ease of consumption. This technology creation culture emphasized scale, a deep understanding of basic electronics and the development of monolithic products designed for use largely in isolation from one another.
However, that may now be changing. Miniaturization, power-reduction and knowledge embedding enable smart components that abstract much of the low-level engineering complexity, while keeping the capabilities of the technology accessible and affordable to people outside of heavy industry. This has re-created the possibility of vernacular technology that can be built from smart parts. People who would otherwise be unable to directly engage with digital technology tools can now augment, manipulate, experiment, build, explore. In other words, sketch.
This years' theme is INTERCONNECTIONS. As we recognize the value, and changing place, of information processing technology beyond laptops and mobile phones, and as we create technologies to connect people, investigate the world, and express ideas, what do we need from our prototyping tools? What do we want? Where do the parts need to connect, and where do the seams between the parts reveal new possibilities?
