WHAT IS IT?
The MisB Kit is an open source building blocks kit that allows you to quickly build and animate physical objects without requiring any previous experience in engineering, coding or robotics.
WHY A MISBEHAVIOR KIT?
The kit has been developed in the frame of a bigger research project entitled The Behavior of Things conducted by Emanuele Quinz and Samuel Bianchini. This project is interested by the ways everyday objects (tables, chairs or lamps) or simple abstract shapes (cubes, spheres, cylinders) can express a certain behaviour through movement. How to give the impression that such objects hold a certain personality and act on their own and/or according to the surroundings? How to design objects that disobey and misbehave?
Through the development of quick prototypes of animated “behavioral” objects this kit also allows a practice-based research method that explores the potential of misbehaviour aesthetics.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
The MisB Kit is like a “high-definition” Lego, combining basic robotics – actuators such as servo motors, sensors and microcontrollers (CM9 and Xbees), different structural elements covered by velcro and carbon sticks that are entirely compatible and easy and fast to assemble.
FOR WHOM?
This toolkit developed by artists and designers at Ensadlab was firstly conceived as a research tool for the Behavior of Things project. Although, during several public and research workshops it revealed strong potential usages for other artists and designers. As such, the MisB kit is mainly addressed to artists, designers and makers. Although this tool has been successfully used as a learning tool in scholar and workshop contexts with children between the age of 6 to 12 years old or older persons.
BY WHOM?
The MisB Kit has been developed by the Reflective Interaction team from Ensadlab, under the direction of Samuel Bianchini and Filipe Pais. More information about our team here.
WHERE/HOW CAN I FIND IT?
We are working hard to make this kit available to you. By now we can provide you a list of materials so you can fabricate your own kit. Please consult the DIY section or contact us.
Another solution we can provide consists in organising workshops. We have been delivering different kinds of workshops in different contexts. Please consult the Workshops section for further information.
SUPPORT
The MisB Kit has received financial support from Labex Arts-H2H and Bettencourt Schueller Foundation in the frame of ‘Chaire Innovation et Savoir faire.’