Circuit Bending and Environmental Sustainability: Current Situation and Steps Forward

Abstract

In this paper, we propose a set of reflections to actively incorporate environmental sustainability instances in the practice of circuit bending. This proposal combines circuit bending-related concepts with literature from the domain of sustainable Human- Computer Interaction (HCI). We commence by presenting an overview of the critical discourse within the New Interfaces for Musical Expression (NIME) community, and of circuit bending itself—exposing the linkages this practice has with themes directly related to this research, such as environmental sustainability and philosophy. Afterwards, we look at how the topic of environmental sustainability has been discussed, concerning circuit bending, within the NIME literature. We conclude by developing a list of recommendations for a sustainable circuit bending practice.