Study to Gauge Potential of ‘Making’

Among the study subjects is OpenLab Taipei in Taiwan.

A team of Indiana University researchers has been awarded a $1.2 million grant to study "making" as a potential economic driver. The effort will focus on the growing international "culture of creativity" in making physical objects ranging from interactive clothing to homemade robots.

IU Bloomington School of Informatics and Computing associate professors Shaowen Bardzell and Jeffrey Bardzell will lead the study, along with co-investigator Silvia Lindtner from the University of Michigan. The researchers will examine maker success stories in the United States, China and Taiwan.

Shaowen Bardzell says making is "serious business" in the Asian nations, drawing billions of dollars in public and private investment. While making is thriving on the East and West coasts, the researchers say there is a roadmap for replicating the success in the Midwest and transition making from hobby to industry. Indiana makers to be studied include BloomingLabs in Bloomington and ClubCyberia in Indianapolis.

The funding comes from the National Science Foundation.