July 28th through July 30th
Masonic Temple
Detroit, Michigan

Technology is not neutral. Tools are not neutral. Every tool has, within it, an envelope of end results that it enables easily and others for which it creates friction. Some of those effects intentional, some are not, especially in the complex world of computational, information processing tools that sense the world and act on it directly. How do we make tools that make it easier to have a positive impact on the world than a negative? Simply making technology easier or cheaper does not necessarily make it better, and good design is not the same as design for good.

As in past years, Sketching will still primarily focus on tools for physical computing/Internet of Things prototyping. I expect to talk about how to make hardware more accessible, how to make our tools better, how to use them in more interesting ways, and how to teach with them. In addition, I would like to look at our hardware tools through the lens of their effects, their envelopes of possibility, in addition to their construction.

The meeting included presentations by all attendees, new technologies to try, and many opportunities to meet others and talk about this emerging field.

SKETCHING IN HARDWARE 2017 IS OVER. Thank you to everyone who attended.

Presentation files

July 31st through August 2nd
Henry Ford Museum
Dearborn, Michigan

This charrette focuses on the way that potent tools/technologies have the potential to reorganize human society, in ways that are predicted or desired-and sometimes ways that are not. It's about implements and the institutions that grow to condone, perpetuate, and extend them. Responding to a set of broad human challenges, we will sketch new ideas that could be built in the reality of 2017. Using those ideas as starting points, we will imagine what 2030 might look like if our ideas were to grow to scale.

Masonic Temple Venue Fri: Fountain Ballroom Sat & Sun: Crystal Ballroom themasonic.com 500 Temple Street Detroit, MI 48201-2693 (313) 832-7100
Henry Ford Museum Charrette thehenryford.org 20900 Oakwood Boulevard Dearborn, MI 48124 (313) 982-6001
Detroit Marriott
@ Renaissance Center Hotel marriott.com 400 Renaissance Drive Detroit, MI 48243 (313) 568-8000
Punch Bowl Social Thursday, July 27 punchbowlsocial.com 1331 Broadway St Detroit, MI 48226 (313) 749-9738
TechTown Friday, July 28 techtowndetroit.org 440 Burroughs St Detroit, MI 48202 (313) 879-5250
Polonia Saturday, July 29 http://www.polonia-restaurant.net 2934 Yemans Street Hamtramck, MI 48212 (313) 873-8432
The Heidelberg Project Tuesday, August 1st https://www.heidelberg.org/ 3600 Heidelberg St Detroit, MI, 48207 (313) 873-8432

Below is a list of previous Sketching in Hardware events.