Machineshop: Steps Toward Exploring Novel U 0 Devices for Computational Craftwork

The riotion of “cottipittatiotial crcgtitig ” focuses oti the tiiinierous ~ * a y s in which coniputatiotial niedia tilay be used to expand the expressive range of traditional editcational crufts. One itnportant dimension of this approach involves a close re-examination of titi issue often taketi f o r grtitited iti educational technologytinniely, the desigri and use of I/O devices. The next decade is likely to produce a fascitiatitig arrciy of novel U0 devices mid techriologies; these iti tiirti offer sirbstantial proniise of augnzetiting the power of coniputcitiorial tools f o r childreti’s craftwork. This paper describes initial M.orX‘ toward developing citi educational crcftitig iipplication fo r the desigti of niechiitiical toj‘s arid aittonzata. Our application, MacliineShop, is ititended to allorc, studetits to create niechanical parts (e.g., canis, gears, arid .shufts) thLit tnuj’ De crtstottiized rind sinirrlated oti the conipiiter screeti. arid ,fitially “prititecl out” 011 N laser cutter f o r rerilizatioti in niaterials such as rvoorl and foam core. We describe the curretit (earl),) state cf the appliccitiori arid discuss its itiiplicntions f o r the desigti arid use of novel or unorthodox I/O devices it1 educatiotial technology.