Arduino Microcontrollers and The Queen’s Hamlet: Utilitarian and Hedonized DIY Practices in Contemporary Electronic Culture
Garnet Hertz · ACADIA quarterly · 2011
In this paper, I will pull together concepts of utility-driven do-it-yourself (DIY) culture and pleasure-oriented DIY practice to investigate a significant trend in contemporary computing culture, the “maker” movement, typified by an interest in building personalized and handmade electronic devices with sensors, motors and lights, usually controlled by microcontrollers like the Arduino. My argument is that maker culture has been co-opted by consumer hobby culture, but this is not necessarily detrimental because it provides an important outlet for personal exploration, increases an understanding of how electronic media actually works and assists individuals to be actors in a culture that is increasingly complex, technological and digitized.