Andrew Quitmeyer, Georgia Institute of Technology;
Michael Nitsche, Georgia Institute of Technology
Hannah Perner-Wilson, Plusea.at

Denver 2015: Design and Planning

This exhibition presents the concepts of Hiking Hacks and Wearable Studio Practice as models for critically analyzing and understanding scientific processes. The Hiking Hacks are a series of mobile Critical Making-style workshops. Diverse groups of biologists, engineers, and documentarians venture together into remote natural areas. Here they strive to build novel devices for exploring digital interactions with local flora and fauna. Then, while immersed in the natural environment, participants also engage in critical discussions and activities analyzing the cultural, technological, and biological factors affecting their work.

The Wearable Studio Practice concept supports such situationally specific making through by creating mobile studio infrastructure. The wearable studio contains the tools necessary to explore concepts in physical computing optimized and adapted for mobility and the limited resources in the field. Items like butane powered soldering irons are further empowered with rapidly deployable furniture, such as backpacks customized to turn into hanging electronics organizers.