InDATA Hackathon in Polifactory

InDATA is a research project who investigates the role and potentialities of data as activators in the design process identifying in speculative design and prototyping its application fields.

DATA < > MATERIALS is a two-day Hackathon dealing with Bio-based materials, Digital Manufacturing, Speculative Design, Smart and Interactive Artifacts. The event started on October 25th at 9 am, and ended on October 26th at 7 pm, at Polifactory, building B3, via Candiani 72 – Campus Bovisa.

The participants experimented with bioplastics, sensors, and Arduino to produce interactive material prototypes able to sense and respond to data, starting from a future scenario. They picked their own sensor, actuators, and scenario! Participants split into working groups entailing different skills.

When data meets digital manufacturing technologies it nurtures the construction of smart material systems. We leverage such ability to enable envisioning and prototyping. We materialized hybrid materials in the form of prototypes and experimental demonstrators in order to explore both the technological potentialities and the limitations of using bio-materials! Clearly, with a speculative design approach.

The activities started by problematizing and contextualizing possible materials in a social, environmental and ethical future dimension. The purpose was thinking and envisioning potential applications.