Jasmin Lu: Developing Skills and Tools to Facilitate Reusing Electronic Waste

In this research proposal, I plan to investigate how to facilitate a more sustainable approach to learning computer hardware/electronics skills for novices, including both students interested in computing and the broader public. To realize this, I will design an interactive software to help novices in repairing or upcycling electronics/computer/hardware-devices. To inform the design of this software tool, I will conduct interviews with a range of participants, from experts (engineers and hobbyists engaged with electronics repairs) to novices (e.g., students with no prior electronics knowledge). Second, these upcycling and repair tools will serve to explore the larger question of this proposal: how can this approach educate and support novices in becoming more comfortable with the inner workings of electronics? My proposed interactive tool will provide suggestions to the user of how they can engage in repair and reuse of electronic components in broken or old devices. It will (1) provide suggestions on how to replace components by re-using components from other broken devices and (2) catalog the inner workings of electronic devices, enabling novices to learn more about how the electronic components inside their devices work and potentially inspire new electronics projects of their own design. To evaluate my proposal, I plan to conduct a longitudinal human subject study, in which participants will use the interactive tool for a set of pre-designed upcycling tasks. Through the study we will use task outcomes, interviews, and questionnaires to evaluate whether our tool improved their confidence and skills with electronics.