Physical Making, Interactivity, and the Future of Play.
This course bridges the gap between code and the physical world by mastering the art of rapid prototyping with Arduino, enabling participants to transform abstract ideas into tangible, sensorial, and playful experiences.
ABOUT THIS COURSE
In an era where our lives are increasingly mediated by flat glass screens, we are losing touch with our primary mode of interaction: the physical world. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a physical prototype is worth a million. For the modern designer or engineer, the ability to build 'smart' physical objects has shifted from a niche hobby to a critical competitive necessity, and a physical prototype is often the only honest way to validate an experience. Whether it is IoT devices, interactive installations, or ergonomic hardware, bringing "tactile intelligence" back to products is how we create truly human-centric solutions.
Move beyond the screen and into the space around you.
In this course, you will learn to apply programming concepts to interact with sensors and actuators, using Arduino and MicroPython to bridge the gap between software and hardware.
You will learn to modify and hack existing objects or build new ones, interconnecting them to create spatial sensorial experiences. We will guide you through key foundational topics, brainstorming and developing new physical interactions, learning how to approach this type of work, and turning ideas into tangible prototypes. Finally, you will learn to tell the story of a physical interaction by giving it form and shape, enabling intuitive affordances through physical properties.
PRACTICAL METHODS & APPROACHES
INNOVATION IMPACT for industry participants
For professionals and organisations, this course provides the tools to de-risk innovation through hands-on prototyping. By mastering rapid physical prototyping, you can validate complex hardware ideas in days rather than months. Participants will leave with a "maker’s toolkit" that allows them to communicate product visions more effectively to stakeholders and create more engaging, human-centric user experiences that stand out in a screen-saturated market.
KEY LEARNINGS
TARGET AUDIENCE
This course is for anyone interested in making and inventing – whether you come from design, engineering, or other technical or creative background – and want to explore how ideas take shape as interactive objects that move, blink, and sense the world. It brings together makers, designers, and technologists interested in bridging physical form and digital behaviour, from those with hands-on prototyping experience to those entering this field for the first time.
Programming skills are not required; basic Python knowledge is an advantage, but a maker’s mindset and a curious spirit are the only true prerequisites.
For professionals and organisations, this course provides the tools to de-risk innovation through hands-on prototyping. By mastering rapid physical prototyping, you can validate complex hardware ideas in days rather than months. Participants will leave with a "maker’s toolkit" that allows them to communicate product visions more effectively to stakeholders and create more engaging, human-centric user experiences that stand out in a screen-saturated market.
Sebastian is an interaction designer and creative technologist working at the intersection of hardware, software, and intelligent systems. His work focuses on shaping how people interact with emerging technologies—designing experiences that move seamlessly between physical and digital environments.
He has led and contributed to initiatives spanning connected devices, developer tools, and large-scale learning platforms, with a focus on making complex systems accessible through clear, hands-on approaches. At Arduino, he worked across product, tooling, and education to support a global community of creators and developers. Earlier, he designed intelligent in-car assistant interactions for BMW, exploring the future of human-machine interfaces.
Sebastian’s current interests center on edge AI, IoT systems, and screenless interfaces. He regularly speaks on these topics and teaches physical computing and interaction design, bringing real-world practice into the classroom.
Saurabh (also known as Datta) is a multidisciplinary designer, artist, and design technologist who bridges strategic thinking with hands-on hardware and software prototyping. In his career spanning over a decade, he has built creative technology divisions and led innovative, AI-driven experiences for renowned agencies and in-house labs including zigzag (current), VW Future Center Asia, and frog Design.
Operating at the intersection of complex systems and human experience, Saurabh believes in examining technology not merely as a tool, but as a cultural artefact. Alongside his professional work, his artistic practice uses sculpture and speculative design to critically explore the behavioural and societal nuances of our digital age.
Saurabh is a founding member of the former new media collective automato.farm and is currently running his own product (physical) studio at Datta+Baum. His critically acclaimed interactive installations have toured globally, exhibiting at prominent institutions such as the Vitra Design Museum, the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences in Sydney, and the Vienna Biennale. A passionate educator, he regularly shares his expertise with the next generation of designers, having taught at institutions including NYU Shanghai (IMA/ITP) and Bauhaus University.
