Labs – kmdi.utoronto.ca

Our Labs

STREET LAB

The SocioTechnical ResistancE and Ethical Technologies (STREET) Lab is an interdisciplinary research collective at the Faculty of Information, University of Toronto, and housed at the Knowledge Media Design Institute (KMDI).

STREET LAB www.streetlab.tech The SocioTechnical ResistancE and Ethical Technologies (STREET) Lab is an interdisciplinary research collective at the Faculty of Information, University of Toronto, and housed at the Knowledge Media Design Institute (KMDI). Led by, Dr. Priyank Chandra the lab focuses on understanding and supporting the sociotechnical practices of marginalized communities worldwide, with an emphasis on resistance, informality, and social justice. Current projects are centered around accessibility, social movements, and worker communities. Their research is situated within the fields of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) and draws from Science & Technology Studies (STS), Development Studies, Political Science, Feminist and Queer theories, Postcolonial Studies, and Critical Theory.

GLAM Incubator

GLAM Incubator www.glam.ischool.utoronto.ca The GLAM Incubator is a research and support hub that connects galleries, libraries, archives, and museums with industry partners, researchers, and students to advance the development of seedling projects that benefit cultural institutions, industry, and the research and teaching goals of universities worldwide.

The overarching goal of the Incubator is to provide support to experimental projects that benefit the GLAM industries and engage faculty and students. A collaboration between the Faculty of Information and the Knowledge Media Design Institute, the GLAM Incubator provides space, administrative assistance, research expertise, equipment, event facilitation, funding, and knowledge mobilization.

Critical Making Lab

Critical Making Lab www.criticalmaking.org The Critical Making Lab is a shared space for opening up the practice of experimentation with embedded and material digital technology to students and faculty in the Faculty of Information. The lab provides tools, materials, and training for building devices such as wearable computers, RFID systems, ubiquitous computing networks, and other physical computing technologies.

However, while the critical making lab organizes its efforts around the making of material objects, devices themselves are not the ultimate goal. Instead, through the sharing of results and an ongoing critical analysis of materials, designs, and outcomes, the lab participants together perform a practice-based engagement with the pragmatic and theoretical issues around information and information technology. Physical computational objects are increasingly part of libraries, museums, and information environments more generally. The lab serves as a novel space for conceptualizing and investigating the critical social, cultural, and political issues that surround and influence the movement of information processing capability into the physical environment.

Makerspace Lab

Located in the Faculty of Information, at the University of Toronto’s St. George campus, the KMDI Makerspace provides faculty and students from across the Tri-Campus with a creative space where they can explore different technologies, be creative, and make things within a collaborative and safe environment.

The KMDI Makerspace has a variety of equipment available for members of the UofT community to use for research projects and related activities, including: 3D printing, 3D scanning, laser cutting, electronic prototyping (Arduino, Raspberry Pi, MakeyMakey), soldering, sewing, digital embroidery, Virtual Reality, and more.

Part of the Knowledge Media Design Institute (KMDI), our Makerspace provides a place for people to learn, interact, and create with technology. The goal of the KMDI Makerspace is to critique and enhance the relationship between technology, media and society at large, all with the hope of creating and making things that improve the lives and enjoyment of others