ABSTRACT
Physical computing is broadly defined as the practice of combining hardware design with computer programming to create networked, interactive devices and environments. Most often associated with increasingly popular “maker cultures,” it constructs interfaces between computers and bodies beyond the screen, mouse, and keyboard, which are most often associated with human-computer interaction (HCI). Since physical computing is an inherently embodied practice, it encourages practitioners to apply a reciprocal methodology whereby hands-on exploration is combined with the development of new discourses. This chapter explores physical computing and its potential application in critical studies of media, technology, and other scholarly inquiries via a brief introduction to the histories, practices, and effects that computers have on culture, society, and the physical world.
