Steampunk with James Watt

[mozfest-bot]

[ ID ] 55d8303e-7902-46b2-bdd6-80c090d28cb8

[ Submitter's Name ] Andrew Prescott [ Submitter's Affiliated Organisation ] AHRC Digital Transformations theme [ Submitter's Twitter ] @ajprescott

[ Space ] cities [ Secondary Space ] science

[ Format ] hands-on

Description

James Watt, the pioneer of steam power, had a workshop at the University of Glasgow where all his friends discussed how different tools and machines could be redesigned and improved. We will talk about Watt’s legacy and show some of the things that came out of his discussions: the first machine for duplicating writing; a new type of organ; a sculpture copying machine. Inspired by Watt’s workshop and inventions, we will take some everyday objects (kettles, vases, scissors, plates, screwdriver, pliers, pen, book, etc.) and thinking about how they could be rethought. We will have a selection of these objects available and will take them apart, look at how they work and discuss how they can be rethought. We will produce some short video presentations on our new inventions.

Agenda

We would have a historical re-enactor dressed as James Watt to introduce a presentation on the legacy of Watt and help facilitate the activity. We would create a small area in the zone which might recapture the idea of Watt’s workshop. I will probably get some outside assistance (perhaps from the Ironbridge Institute at the University of Birmingham) to help. We will acquire, purchase or steal a variety of objects to form the basis of the discussion. We will start with a short (10 minute) presentation on Watt and his legacy. Then we would have a group discussion on how this playful approach might translate into the internet of things. We would then break into groups to look at some of the objects gathered in the workshop. Each group will at the end of the session present its ‘invention’ and we will make short video presentations on each one.

Participants

If we only have a small number of participants, the group activity will look at a variety of objects and see how many new ideas we can come up with. If there is a larger number of participants, we can divide the group discussion up.

Outcome

Maybe we might come up with ideas for new objects that some of us would like to take further - I hope so. But it would be great if we just raised awareness of the legacy of the industrial pioneers like James Watt and the lessons they have for us in a new connected world.

[msaunby]

I'll provide some objects for un-making.

[thornet]

"historical re-enactor dressed as James Watt" -- YES!