The summer school on Sketching with Hardware: Prototyping Tangible Artificial Intelligence recently concluded in Munich, Germany, leaving participants inspired and equipped with the skills to bring their AI ideas using hardware prototyping to life. The two-day program offered an immersive learning experience, combining interactive sessions and hands-on workshops focused on prototyping tangible AI using balloons as a medium.
The summer school aimed to introduce participants to the exciting world of hardware prototyping, empowering them to create interactive and responsive physical systems through microcontrollers, sensors, and actuators. The thirteen attendees were immersed in an environment that fostered rapid prototyping, allowing them to test their ideas quickly and effectively. They were taught how to connect sensors and actuators to microcontrollers and explored various programming techniques to create interactive systems. The unique approach of utilizing balloons as a tangible interface brought a refreshing twist to the prototyping process, stimulating creative thinking and encouraging innovative designs.
The opening keynote by Prof. Albrecht Schmidt provided valuable insights into the emerging trends and challenges in the intersection of hardware prototyping and tangible AI, setting the stage for an engaging and enlightening event. The keynote encouraged participants to explore new possibilities and think outside the box.
Four instructors guided participants through various engaging activities, including introductory sessions on hardware prototyping fundamentals. These sessions provided a solid foundation, explaining the role of microcontrollers, sensors, and actuators in tangible AI projects. Here, Dr. Sebastian Feger said, “Using balloons as a tangible interface brought a new level of interactivity and excitement to the prototyping process. We are thrilled about the innovative projects.”
The culmination of the summer school was the project presentation session, where participants showcased their balloon-based tangible AI prototypes. Each participant had the chance to explain their project’s concept, design, and implementation, highlighting the challenges they encountered and the lessons they learned along the way. The presentations demonstrated the participants’ remarkable creativity and technical prowess, showcasing the potential of tangible AI projects.
The Sketching with Hardware: Prototyping Tangible AI summer school, held over two days in Munich, Germany, has successfully equipped participants with a solid understanding of hardware prototyping techniques. The event expanded technical expertise and encouraged creative thinking and exploration of the possibilities at the intersection of hardware prototyping and tangible AI.
Jesse Grootjen
Sophia Sakel
Dr. Sebastian Feger
Prof. Dr. Sven Mayer
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