Maybe we got off on the wrong foot. When Internet of Things (IoT) devices first started becoming popular on the market, most of us were firstly familiar with smart home devices. Our Alexas, Roombas, and other household brand names, were the start of (and end) of the public's understanding of IoT. So, I sympathise with anyone’s main takeaway being: “why would anyone need a smart fridge?” Casting all IoT devices as being just overpriced light bulbs and voice-controlled TVs is like putting computers, phones/tablets and industrial control systems in the same box. At this point, the most common IoT device is probably Bluetooth headphones, and only a few other uses are environmental monitoring, medical devices, and fault diagnosis in industrial equipment. With such a wide variety of uses, I am interested in unpicking the relationship that people have with these devices and ideas. A moment that stuck out to me, in a previous job role as an IoT engineer, was when a client said they didn’t
A plastic carrier bag stretched full, near the point of bursting, dumped at the door of a charity shop is a contemporary archaeological site. Considering how we interact with our possessions in this era produces this image in my mind. In the bag, there are clothes with only small repairs required to be wearable again, clothes with their tags still on, and clothes that the buyer missed the return window for. None of these are uncommon to find while charity or thrift shopping: once a treasure trove of unique clothing at good prices, now filled with the same over-produced clothing you can find anywhere else. This speaks on our consumption habits in the West and our relationship with clothing. When you can buy entire outfits on websites like ASOS, Pretty Little Thing or Shein for less than £10, that clothing is looked after and valued in accordance with its price. Many would rather buy a new skirt than replace a broken zipper or button – many do not know how, either. And since you only go