More Dutch Interactive @ SXSW 2016

Sat, Mar 12 - Tue, Mar 15  2016

From 11 until 15 March, the interactive portion of South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas takes place. Next to the 14 projects supported by the Creative Industries Fund NL, there are several other Dutch participants selected by SXSW: The Things Network, Patrick van Hoof, Shapeways, SETUP, Martijn te Pas, Roy van der Schilden & Sherida Halatoe, Fairphone, Mark van der Heijden, and Bram de Zwart.  

The SXSW Interactive Festival is an incubator of cutting-edge technologies and digital creativity. The 2016 event features five days of compelling presentations and panels from the brightest minds in emerging technology, scores of exciting networking events hosted by industry leaders, and an unbeatable lineup of special programs showcasing the best new websites, video games, and startup ideas the community has to offer. From hands-on training to big-picture analysis of the future, SXSW Interactive has become the place to discover the technology of tomorrow today. 

(Click each heading for that event’s SXSW page.) 

Build a Global, Open, Crowdsourced IoT Network

Presenters: Johan Stokking and Wienke Giezeman, Tech lead and Initiator of The Things Network

The Things Network has created a network that allows ‘things’ to talk to the internet with 3G or WiFi. They are now on a mission to provide this technology globally through crowdsourcing. In their SXSW workshop they will to you about setting up this new type of network in your area and how to build use cases. 

Beyond Form: Designing with Fluid Objects

Presenter: Patrick van Hoof, Director of Product Strategy/Innovation at Huge

Dependence on solid materials has stunted product design. To change this, developers at Huge have started to explore the implications of phase-shifting liquid material (called “L-shift”) that can change form and function – shifting between liquid and solid states. In this talk, Patrick van Hoof discusses the historical paradigm changes in product design, and explores interactions in the digital-physical realm that allow the design and function of a product to change over time. The use of (yet-to-be developed) liquid material could offer changes in weight distribution and rigidity, resulting in dynamic design abilities and new digitally enabled physical products. 

The Next Industrial Revolution: Hype or Reality?

Presenters: Peter Weijmarshausen, CEO of Shapeways and Shane Hall, CTO of HP Labs.

The physical world we interact with is three-dimensional. To date, the technology we interact with has been largely two-dimensional. When those realities blend—when the barriers between 2D and 3D come tumbling down—everything we understand about how industries design and manufacture today will be transformed and redefined. What’s unfolding before our eyes is a move towards the democratization of manufacturing, the commercial materialization of creative ideas and the blurring identity of artist, maker and manufacturer. 

DIY NSA: Our Dubious Database of All the Dutch

Presenter: Ellen Bijsterbosch, Project Manager at SETUP and Thijmen Schep, Creative Director at SETUP

In 2015, SETUP set out to create a database of all Dutch people by scraping and puzzling together data found online. Their goal is to create public awareness, so now they are selling the project as a fictional service called “The National Birthday Calendar.” In this session they share what they gathered, talk about the public’s reaction, and ask the bigger questions: how can we spark people’s interest in the way Big Data is invisibly changing our lives. 

Mentors – Programming

Presenter: Martijn te Pas, Head of Program at IDFA

Festivals and markets are as vital as ever in today’s filmmaking scene. Learn what to do – and more importantly, what not to do – when it comes to festival submissions, festival attendance, and beyond for your films. 

Designing Games from a New Perspective

Presenters: Roy van der Schilden, Lead Writer & Business Director at Wispfire and Sherida Halatoe, Founder & Lead Designer of Tiger & Squid

Exploring the perspectives of people other than your own can lead to innovative concepts. But who are we as designers to present a subject that is not directly linked to our own experiences? Through case studies, Roy and Sherida will show how you can make a game centered on topics outside of your own background in a respectful manner. They will talk about how this not only made them better designers, but also taught them something very valuable about themselves in the process. The takeaway: a personal method to designing new and innovative — but authentic and relevant — stories and concepts, while also learning more about yourself. People from all disciplines are welcome.

Fairphone 2

Fairphone, the Amsterdam-based social enterprise that is working to create more ethical smartphones, was named a finalist for the 19th annual SXSW Interactive Innovation Awards. These awards celebrate the most inspiring, creative innovations in the connected world. Selected by a jury of peers and industry experts, Fairphone earned a spot in the New Economy category for its latest smartphone, the modular Fairphone 2 designed for repairability. The latest Fairphone aims to shake up the industry and change how people interact with their devices. Its unique design extends the life of the phone by focusing on durability and repairability, while at the same time increasing the organization’s influence over partners and practices within its supply chain. One recent example of the benefits of the collaboration between Fairphone and its suppliers is the achievement of the first-ever Fairtrade gold supply chain within the electronics industry.

Reversing Murphy’s Law: The Serendipity Choice

Presenters: Mark van der Heijden, Founder at Wanderbrief, Anika Saigal, Founder at Roomsplit, and Mike Butcher, Editor at Large of TechCrunch

Reversing Murphy’s law: how to set ourselves up so that anything that can go right, will go right. Mark van der Heijden and Anika Saigal will explore what technologies you can use to create more moments of unexpected luck in your life. They’ll look at how, as entrepreneurs, freelancers and digital nomads, you can seek out the opportunity hotspots on our adventures. In his book ‘Luck Factor,’ Richard Wiseman wrote: “Lucky people create, notice, and act upon the chance opportunities in their lives.” During this presentation, you will explore the less obvious things you can do to conjure more moments of unexpected relevance along your path.

View From the Bottom: Beyond the 3D Printing Hype

Presenters: Bram de Zwart, CEO and Co-Founder of 3D Hubs, Andreas Bastian, 3D Printing Research Scientist at Autodesk, Francis Bitonti, Designer, and Madison Maxey, Fashion Technologist. 

There’s a lot of hype surrounding 3D printing. Should you believe the hype? The panel will present a variety of successful use-cases of 3D printing across many industries. They’ll discuss why 3D printing was chosen as the manufacturing technology; and the barriers standing in the way of 3D printing growing from a 4 billion to a 4 trillion dollar industry.

About SXSW

The South by Southwest® (SXSW®) Conferences & Festivals offer the unique convergence of original music, independent films, and emerging technologies. Fostering creative and professional growth alike, SXSW® is the premier destination for discovery.  

Year after year, the event is a launching pad for new creative content. New media presentations, music showcases and film screenings provide buzz-generating exposure for creators and compelling entertainment for audiences. Conference panel discussions present a forum for learning, business activity thrives at the Trade Shows and global networking opportunities abound. Intellectual and creative intermingling among industry leaders continues to spark new ideas and carve the path for the future of each ever-evolving field, long after the events’ conclusion.