The fine art of electronics : paper-based circuits for creative expression

This thesis investigates the creative possibilities enabled by combining circuit building with paper craft to create paper electronics-a medium that adds the magical interactivity of electronics to the physical intuitiveness and expressive potential of paper. I designed this medium to take advantage of the skills and creative associations that most people already have with paper, in order to ease everyone into creating expressive electronics. This work outlines the basic set of tools, materials and techniques used for making electronics with paper-from drawing circuits with copper tape to actuating paper with shape memory alloys. I also share my own creative journey and development as a result of working with this new medium. Finally, I document the creative results and lessons learned from others' explorations through workshops. These workshop results show how paper electronics can inspire and enable diverse audiences to create personally expressive artworks with technology.

Department dc:contributor.department

Program in Media Arts and Sciences (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2012

Author dc:creator

• Qi, Jie

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Leah Buechley.

• Architecture. Program in Media Arts and Sciences.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/77811

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/77811