Craft-Techmen Project

Home appliances have been becoming increasingly complicated, and therefore they tend to be discarded. However, if they have integrated craft techniques, they can be repaired with added value, and handed down to the next generation.

In response to the trend of mass consumption, sewing is implemented for assembling the appliances so that they will be easily disassembled and repaired when they are broken.

Not only that, but the thread is also conductive and it gives a new function, a simple dimmer switch. By rotating a certain part, the sewed conductive threads are adjusted to different levels of contact and this caused voltage variation. The system can be adapted to different functions by reprogramming the microcomputer, for instance, changing volume on a speaker, temperature for a hairdryer, or channels on a radio.

This project suggests new artifacts for our modern daily lives to question the materials and electronic technologies surrounding us.