ABSTRACT
This chapter highlights paper circuitry, a new way for makers, artists, and storytellers to develop expressive and technical expertise by using crafts to create electronics. Circuit stickers, developed by Chibitronics, are peel-and-stick electronic modules for crafting circuits on paper, fabric, glass, and many other everyday surfaces. The shapes of the stickers were designed to be graphical representations of the function of the electronic elements so that users could "read" how to connect the sticker. Not only does it begin to introduce traditional electronic component notation, but it subtly prompts makers to consider the directional flow of electricity through the circuit. Effects stickers are pre-programmed microcontrollers that automatically generate different dynamic patterns such as blinking, twinkling, and heartbeat pulsing, and fading in and out. The chapter presents an overview of paper electronics as an expressive, technical, and educational approach. It shares the design and development of the Circuit Stickers tool kit.
