Sketching in Hardware is a creative three day meeting to discuss tools for physical computing/Internet of Things prototyping: how to make them, how to make them better, how to use them, and how to teach with them. Sketching in Hardware 2015 is the tenth annual summit where a small group of designers, developers, manufacturers, artists and educators gather for an intimate, hands-on discussion.
The Sketching 2015 theme is "Utopias."
Implicit in every tool is a vision of the world, a utopia. In the enthusiasm of invention it's easy to imagine how our new tools will make the world better, maybe even perfect in some way. Such visions inspire us late into the night, whether to solder or to paint placards for a demonstration, and they keep projects going when challenges move the goal much further than was originally estimated. Yet when projects really don't work out, when difficulties grow insurmountable (as they often do), utopian visions can be dashed, abandoned for sad bitterness. The final crowdfunding update is never sent, the protest placards are packed away. During this Sketching in Hardware we will examine our fondest hopes, our biggest plans, and our bitterest disappointments.
