“Makers”, The Digital Crafters Building The Future With Their Own Hands'

Digital makers are a international community of digital crafters who are working together to express their own creativity. They are made up of a range of professionals from all sorts of backgrounds; it’s a place where everyone from simple enthusiasts to field specialists can come together - in other words, anyone who wants to create something new through experimentation, discovery and continuous learning, can do so. Compared to the concept of innovation adopted by industry, the maker concept is nothing short of revolutionary. In fact, their open-source philosophy is even brought into the physical world, meaning anyone can contribute to creating and improving an invention or product.

What kind of products do they make?

Maker products are generally standard tools, but are distinguished by having been rendered interactive thanks to the computing capabilities of digital technologies, and with the aim of improving our lives. The power of these ideas has given rise to some incredible projects like BEEing, which aims to simplify the work of beekeepers, professional and non-professional alike, by providing them with powerful digital tools that help move toward environmental sustainable practices;

or Behaviour Labs, which uses robotics as support tools in cognitive and developmental deficit therapies (for people with ADHD, autism, learning disabilities, and cerebral palsy);

Another interesting project is In3, which proposes creating an infant incubator accessible to anyone who needs it. And the list doesn't end there.

Tricks of the trade

Beyond open-source software, some of the main tools used by digital makers include Raspberry Pi and Arduino, small but powerful processors, capable of making practically any object intelligent and interactive.

When it comes to manufacturing the products themselves, 3D printers and high-precision laser machines are often used. However, thanks to the expiry of many international patents and the spread of open source products, these tools are becoming increasingly accessible.

Points of reference

As well as using tools that are within everyone’s reach, makers can turn to communities of practice to keep themselves up to date and exchange resources and ideas both online and through special laboratory networks like Fablab and Hackerspace.

There are also digital craftspeople working in their cellars and garages, but always in a context where they are free to experiment, make mistakes, start over, and solve one problem after another until the desired result is achieved.

Another major reference point is Make, the monthly “digital DIY” magazine dedicated to showing the world that anyone who sees something of themselves in this community’s philosophy and wants to contribute to technological progress can join the maker community.

And it is in the spirit of sharing, discovery and collaboration that Maker Faires were born, and have spread throughout the world. Maker Faires are meeting places where you can participate in conferences, workshops and put yourself to the test. An opportunity to get a first-hand look at ideas, prototypes and innovative projects that aim to build a future that is not only different, but perhaps even simpler and more fun.

Intercultural exchange and translation at the core of accessibility

Scientific and technological progress always arises from sharing knowledge.

Where the traditional craftsmen of the past barely ventured beyond the walls of their own cities, today’s digital makers now work on an international level. Today, the internet has greatly reduced distances, and people can now take their creations anywhere in real time and come into contact with different cultures on a daily basis. English is the lingua franca of the maker world, and the fact is that anyone wanting to become part of this world should at least know a little. Most maker tutorials, documents and sites are to be found in English.

However, in an industry whose main mission is to make technology increasingly democratic, it is also essential to think about breaking down language barriers to prevent the creation of a language elite.

Many craftspeople and specialists, especially those from less developed countries, do not speak any language other than their own. So, to make the most interesting projects truly accessible to wider society, we need to make project materials available in multiple languages (or at least one other language) from the very start. Essentially, we need to internationalize.

First of all, accessibility passes through communication and therefore through language, which is why it’s better to use professional translators when disseminating such important projects. Only in this way can new ideas truly reach every corner of the world, sow constructive ideas, inspire us and improve our society.

If different cultures and sensitivities can work together successfully toward a common goal of nurturing progress through this kind of exchange, we will be able to achieve results that today we can barely even imagine.

So, if you’re a maker, consider translating your site or project documents. You won’t need to translate every last sentence of the original site. A simple multilingual showcase page should be enough to satisfy the curiosity of foreign visitors. Or, alternatively, you could simply add subtitles to your introduction video.

We are makers – a documentary

If you’re curious and want to know more about the subject, you’ll find a very interesting short documentary on TED about how this movement is spreading, and why, when it comes down to it, everyone can be a maker.

Resources for more information

• https://www.ted.com/talks/dale_dougherty_we_are_makers?language=it
• http://blogs.acu.edu/wearemakers/about-the-film/
• https://make.co
• https://makerfaire.com
• https://www.imda.gov.sg/digitalmaker
• https://www.hackster.io
• https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/artigianato-digitale_(Encyclopedia-Italiana)/