Ethical Hardware: A Feminist Approach to Sustainable Tech
0:00:20 Introduction: Stephanie and Patricia introduce Clay PCB, a project exploring ethical hardware through feminist hacking.
0:01:33 Project Genesis: Clay PCB aims to address global challenges tied to mining, conflict, and exploitation, reimagining hardware production with decolonial and ecological principles.
0:06:09 Hardware's Impact: The project highlights the often-overlooked connection between software and hardware, emphasizing that technology relies on materials extracted from the earth.
0:06:47 The Cost of Tech: Mining, manufacturing, and disposal of electronics contribute to environmental destruction and perpetuate colonial practices.
0:08:57 Feminist Hardware: The concept challenges male-dominated tech fields, focusing on inclusivity, ethics, and empowerment.
0:10:12 Ethical Guidelines: The project proposes rules for feminist hardware: avoiding harmful mining, using locally available materials, and generating no e-waste.
0:10:57 Research and Inspiration: The team drew inspiration from initiatives like Fairphone and explored non-toxic methods for urban gold mining.
0:12:21 Porcelain and Gold: The project experimented with using gold-decorated porcelain as a conductive material, aiming to repurpose existing gold.
0:14:24 The Cafe Table Interface: A performance piece utilizing a tablecloth embroidered with conductive thread connected to sound samples of activists.
0:17:54 Repurposing Components: The project advocates for reusing existing electronic components, specifically the Atmel 328P microcontroller from discarded Arduino boards.
0:19:01 Clay Experiments: The team experimented with porcelain as a non-conductive material for PCBs but faced challenges with its high energy requirements and fragility.
0:20:57 Sustainable Solution: The project shifted to using wild clay fired in a bonfire, a more sustainable alternative to industrial clay.
0:22:14 Learning from Experts: The team learned traditional clay-firing techniques from Hans Fel, a pottery crafter.
0:23:22 Accepting Imperfection: Working with wild clay involves embracing its unpredictable nature and accepting failures as part of the process.
0:24:12 The Clay PCB Kit: A portable kit containing tools and materials for creating clay PCBs, promoting a decentralized and sustainable approach to tech.
0:28:33 Project Vision: Clay PCB aims to inspire a shift towards slow, localized, and ethical hardware production, prioritizing consent, care, and community.
0:30:00 Q&A Highlights: Discussion on the project's challenges, including the difficulty of working with wild clay and the need for sustainable alternatives.