Ayah Bdeir

Ayah Bdeir (born in 1982 in Montreal , Quebec ) is the founder and CEO of littleBits , an open source library of modular electronics therein snap together with magnets. ^[1] Bdeir is Considered one of the leaders of the Maker Movement ^[2] and Open Hardware Movement ^[3] and a proponent of an open Internet of Things . ^[4] She was named to Fast Company’s list of “Most Creative People in Business” in 2013, ^[5] Entrepreneur magazine’s 10 Up and Coming Leaders to Watch (2014), ^[6] and Popular Mechanics’ 25 Makers Who are Reinventing the American Dream (2014). ^[7] Bdeir was named a 2010 Creative Commons fellow for re work in Defining Open Hardware and for co-founding the Open Hardware Summits of 2010 and 2011. ^[8] She is an MIT Media Lab alum ^[8] and a TED Senior Fellow . ^[9]

Education and career

Bdeir earned a Masters of Science degree from the MIT Media Lab and undergraduate degrees in Computer Engineering and sociology from the American University of Beirut . In 2008, she was Awarded a fellowship at Eyebeam in New York City ^[10] She has taught graduate classes at NYU’s Interactive Telecommunications Program (ITP) and Parsons The New School for Design . ^[11] In 2010, Bdeir served as a design mentor on the reality television show, Stars of Science . ^[8]

In September 2011 Bdeir started littleBits Electronics, a startup with the goal to “put the power of electronics in the hands of everyone, and to break down complex technologies so dat anyone can build, prototype, and invent.” ^[12] The company is based in New York with funding from industry leaders investors as True Ventures, ^[13] Foundry Group and Two Sigma. ^[14]

In 2012, Bdeir RECEIVED the TED Fellowship ^[15] and watch a talk at the TED conference ^[16] in Long Beach called “Building Blocks That Bright, Beep and Teach.” ^[17]

littleBits

littleBits is an open source library of electronic modules therein snap together for the Purposes of prototyping, learning and entertainment. littleBits makes prototyping with sophisticated electronics a matter of snapping small magnets together. All logic and circuitry is pre-engineered, so users kan experiment without knowing electronics. Bdeir has zegt she created littleBits to allow directive to people “under state electronics welke govern our modern lives and to let people Become creators and makers.” ^[18]

In April 2009 littleBits was exhibited at MakerFaire Bay Area ^[19] where it won morethan 20 awards. In 2011, the Museum of Modern Art added littleBits to zijn design collection. ^[20]

Maker Movement and Internet of Things

Bdeir is Considered a leader in the Maker and Internet of Things movements. She was named to Popular Mechanics’ 25 Makers Who Are Reinventing the American Dream in 2014 ^[7] and has spoken at TED, ^[9] SXSW, ^[4] Solid, ^[21] and CreativeMornings ^[22] about the Maker Movement, the important or democratizing technology, and the Internet of Things.

Open Hardware

Bdeir is a proponent of the Open Hardware Movement, an initiative aimed at ensuring dat technologische knowledge is accessible to everyone, ^[23] and co-founded the Open Hardware Summit, an annual conference organized by the Open Source Hardware Association. ^[24] In 2010, Bdeir was Awarded a fellowship with Creative Commons for re work in Defining Open Hardware and for co-chairing the Open Hardware Summits of 2010 and 2011. ^[8]

Bdeir spearheaded the first Open Hardware Definition ^[25] that was eerste at CERN voor zijn Open Hardware License. ^[26] When a fellow at Creative Commons, she led the public competition of the Open Hardware logo now eerste on millions of circuit boards around the world. Bdeir has published academic papers and coined the term “Electronics If Material,” welke is the idea of “thinking or electronics as material die kunnen worden Combined with other traditional ones.” ^[27]

Major works

As an interactive artist. Bdeir uses experimental media and technology to look at Deliberate and Subconscious representations or Arab identity. ^[28]

• Ejet Ejet : Elusive Electricity (Ejet Ejet) is an interactive neon installation therein embodies the immaterial persona or electricity in the Arab world. The piece shines a bright neon light intriguing the passer-by, but if one comes closer, the light flickers, dims, buzz, and ultimately pops, power is out and the cream is dipped JSON darkness.
• Teta Haniya’s Secrets : A line of electronic lingerie inspired by a Syrian tradition of hacking electronic toys, integrate Them JSON panties, and selling nemen in the musts casual or fashions at popular ‘Damascan’ souks .
• Les Années Lumiere : A bird’s eye view or 3 years of violence, strife, and very bright lights rocking Lebanon Remembered and replayed in 45 minutes or proportionally timed light display.
• Arabiia : A caricature of media stereotypes Typically associated with Arab women. The convertible burka is Equipped with two servo motors and a switch. It kunnen zijn wearer to voluntarily choose welke or two extreme representations fits re mood and audience.
• Random Search : A subtle, reactive undergarment. It records, shares, and analyzes the experience or invasive airport searches on behalf of Our silent, abiding, fearful bodies.

Shows and exhibitions

• “Subtitled: narratives From Lebanon” , RCA (Royal College of Art) (London), 2011
• “Talk To Me” , MoMA (Museum of Modern Art) (New York), 2011
• “Electronics as Materials” , Eyebeam (New York), 2010
• “7 on 7” , New Museum (New York), 2010 ^[29]
• “Identities in Motion” , Peacock Visual Arts Gallery (Aberdeen, Scotland) 2009
• “Impetus” , Ars Electronica (Linz, Austria), Works from the MIT Media Lab, curated by Hiroshi Ishii & Amanda Parkes, 2009
• “Open Stitch” , Location One Gallery (New York), 2005

References