Shenzhen 2025

A month of prototyping

Timespan: January 2025

Published: 2025-03-14

Hello everyone!

Last November I learned that Cedric Honnet would host a cohort of 10 MIT researchers in Shenzhen for a month as part of the Scalable HCI Summit. There were factory tours, browsing the electronics malls, and plenty of free time to catch up on research. To be supported in prototyping, in the best possble location for electronics development, with a group of similarly-inclined peers — this felt hand-made for me. I signed up immediately.

When I got accepted, I felt both excited and nervous. This is the dream of every engineer; how can we make the most of it? I decided worrying over such a question was useless. We would simply go, and see, and do. What follows is an account of the happenings.

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Exclusive, never-before-seen photos

My workspace, aka my hotel room. Funny that they let you solder, but it's not so surprising when you consider they let you smoke too

My workspace, aka my hotel room. Funny that they let you solder, but it's not so surprising when you consider they let you smoke too

Me and Olivia with the rest of the symposium, about to embark the first of many afternoons spent getting lost in the electronics market

Me and Olivia with the rest of the symposium, about to embark the first of many afternoons spent getting lost in the electronics market

Funny phones from a HQB stall. All were very functional, and I suspect they're actually made to be used by children

Funny phones from a HQB stall. All were very functional, and I suspect they're actually made to be used by children

Adnan and his nose, for an installation at SUSTech in the first week

Adnan and his nose, for an installation at SUSTech in the first week

Cedric feeling two objects of very different densities, courtesy of Taylor Tabb

Cedric feeling two objects of very different densities, courtesy of Taylor Tabb

Drawn EDM positives, made to cut out a negative out of a steel block for injection molding

Drawn EDM positives, made to cut out a negative out of a steel block for injection molding

Expert shows us how they check and fix for little imperfections in the mold

Expert shows us how they check and fix for little imperfections in the mold

Amit and his spinning LED display hat that he built at the Seeed hackathon

Amit and his spinning LED display hat that he built at the Seeed hackathon

Samy at the arcade, what world record will he break next?

Samy at the arcade, what world record will he break next?

Ellie (background) from Seeed Studios was a fantastic host, she handled our flights and overall schedule. In return, Alan stole this cute Xiao pillow from their office

Ellie (background) from Seeed Studios was a fantastic host, she handled our flights and overall schedule. In return, Alan stole this cute Xiao pillow from their office

Climbing gyms in China have totally different holds and rules. One rule is you can't use a volume unless it has a hold of your route's color. Another is that any two holds that touch can be used by either route

Climbing gyms in China have totally different holds and rules. One rule is you can't use a volume unless it has a hold of your route's color. Another is that any two holds that touch can be used by either route

Turtles on sale

Turtles on sale

CNY fireworks rounded out the end of our trip

CNY fireworks rounded out the end of our trip