2026-07-11 –, Hackers Lab
In this hands-on workshop, we'll turn tiny microcontrollers into real web servers hosted from the hardware in your hands. We'll get ESP32s running simple pages on the public internet, then decorate them with craft supplies and electronics into what I'm calling "sculptural computation": physical objects that tell a story about how the web actually works.
In this hands-on workshop, we'll turn tiny microcontrollers into real web servers hosted from the hardware in your hands. We'll get ESP32s running simple pages on the public internet, then decorate them with craft supplies and electronics into what I'm calling "sculptural computation": physical objects that tell a story about how the web actually works.
Participation is free, and the workshop uses ESP32-S3 dev boards like the Heltec LoRa32 V4 (a Mesh networking companion device sold alongside tickets). I will also have a number of other devices that I will offer for a donation of (€15-20). These will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis.
Who is this Workshop for?
Everyone!
Hopefully, everyone will be able to take something away from this workshop, and there is a lot of scope to take it in whichever way you want. Some basic understanding of web concepts and HTML will help, but we'll try to make sure everyone gets something up and running by the end.
Workshop Itinerary:
- Introduction to cute tech
- Device flashing
- Physical and digital customisation
- Open discussion about ways of fostering dialogue about technology through tangible artefacts
- Closing
What you will need
- ESP32 S3 Device (Sold on a first-come, first-served basis) - this is the same as the Heltec Mesh Networking Companion
- A USBC cable for connecting your device to your laptop
- A laptop with a Chromium browser
- Optional - if you want to go above and beyond and build your own firmware: ESP-IDF v6
- Optional: Other pieces to decorate your devices with.
Oliver is a PhD candidate at the University of Bristol exploring democratised scalable fabrication of electronic devices with 3D printing. His research involves both novel printing techniques with hobbyist machines as well as understanding making and hacking communities' experiences with personal fabrication tools. He navigates between practical fabrication and machine mediated user-material interactions. Oliver also likes shapes, patterns, machines, and slugs.