Abstract
How can we harness the precision of machines for the creativity
of individuals? Digital fabrication tools promise quality production in low
volume, but the applications are still largely limited to simple
fabrication tasks. What about application-specific tasks? As digital
fabrication becomes personal fabrication, what are the differences in
infrastructure these new users need? In this talk, I show machines,
workflows, and processes we are developing to support machine agency.
Bio
Nadya Peek develops unconventional digital fabrication tools, small
scale automation, networked controls, and advanced manufacturing systems.
She directs the Machine Agency at the University of Washington where she is
an assistant professor in Human-Centered Design and Engineering. Nadya
advises a diverse crowd on manufacturing and making including the White
House Office of Science and Technology Policy; NASA Ames; the Shenzhen
Mayor’s office; Moog Aerosystems; and Jeff Koons. Nadya is an active member
of the global fab lab community, plays drum machines and synths in the band
Construction, and got her PhD at MIT in the Center for Bits and Atoms.