Building Ethical Hardware: Creating Clay PCBs with Sustainable Materials

Watch a 40-minute conference talk from the Chaos Communication Congress (38C3) exploring the development of an innovative Ethical Hardware Kit featuring a PCB microcontroller crafted from wild Austrian forest clay. Learn how the creators combined traditional crafting methods with environmental consciousness by using urban-mined silver for conductive tracks and repurposed components from old electronics. Discover their feminist perspective on hardware development that challenges conventional manufacturing by prioritizing locally sourced materials, fair working conditions, and environmental sustainability. Follow along as speakers Patrícia J. Reis and Stefanie Wuschitz demonstrate how their open-source microcontroller, fired on a bonfire, can process various inputs and outputs while embodying principles of de-colonial thinking and environmental justice. Gain insights into alternative approaches to technology development that emphasize community-centered crafts, biodegradable materials, and ethical production methods.