This workshop consisted of further speculating and creating more prototypes for on and off buttons, customized for your body and connecting them to electronic devices. What kind of button would your brain, neurodiverse or otherwise, like to have made? What gesture does your hand/other body part want to do to activate something (technologically)? What material do you find pleasant? What shape should such a button have? What is the scale? What do you want the button to activate? Should it be practical, poetic or very personal? Should it activate your favourite music playlist, open something physical or turn off a myriad of possibilities?

This was the second workshop of two, the first edition took place in March 2024 and focused on prototyping. The second iteration looked at possibilities of connections and took place in Zinneke, Place Masuiplein 13, 1000 Brussels.

On Thursday 13/06 from 13:00 to 17:00 we had the Button Walk-in Clinic, where you could prototype further, catalog the previously made on/off devices or bring a button that needs attention.
Friday 14/06 from 10:00 to 17:00 and Saturday 15/06 from 10:00 to 16:00 were reserved for connecting the buttons with electronics.

Wendy Van Wynsberghe, Marie Verdeil and Raaf (Unbinare)*, together with the participants, speculated on gestures, shapes, interfaces and scale of interactions, connecting them to bela’s, networks, Arduino like microprocessors. We tried to do as much electronic reuse as possible. There was prototyping material, related to tactility, look and feel available. We teamed up and shared skills.

*Wendy van Wysberghe is a DIY, sound and hardware artist and researcher and part of Constant’s core team. Marie Verdeil is a designer who uses design to explain how we see, build and use technology. This practice is based on empirical (DIY) and empathetic research, often resulting in the creation of tools, methods or experiences, rather than ready-made solutions. Unbinare is an e-waste reverse engineering lab. Their goal is to reduce the proliferation of e-waste by finding ways to reuse discarded electronic devices.

Practical info about the workshop:

> Please sign up before 03/06/2024 by writing to: wendy@constantvzw.org
> A vegetarian lunch and drinks are provided
> On Saturday we provide a multilingual childcare
> For more information on the accessibility of Zinneke, please go here: https://www.zinneke.org/contacts

In collaboration with Zinneke