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Brendan  
Byrne


Brendan Byrne is a designer from Brooklyn. His work has been exhibited in venues such as the Game Science Center, Eyebeam, and SF MoMA, and featured on Adafruit, Hackaday, and the Daily Dot. In 2013, Brendan founded Kiwi Electronics, a small design and fabrication studio. He holds a master’s in Design and Technology from Parsons School of Design.

Workshops & Talks

From Me to You

An important part of creating work is sharing that work with others. Presenting forces you to refelct on and distill your process. General audiences can also offer insights into your work that a designer never could. 





Binary Fluency WorkshopCenter for Transformative Media
New York, NY 2015

The complimentary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) logic family contains an array of integrated circuits that perform all the tasks necessary for rudimentary computation. These chips were originally designed for applications that require raw electronic processing power, but the speed at which they operate can be slowed and their binary processes repurposed for creative applications.

This workshop covered the functions of several chips from the CMOS family including the basic gates (AND, OR, XNOR, etc.), oscillators, frequency dividers, shift registers, and multiplexers. The demonstration included techniques for connecting the inputs and outputs of these chips to generate patterns for controlling software. Participants created projects using UART (Arduino serial), MIDI, and OSC protocols.





Laser Cutting Workshop
Parsons dorkShop
New York, NY 2013

This workshop was an introduction to various techniques for crafting laser cut enclosures for electronic devices. Participants were exposed to the diverse aesthetic styles of enclosures ranging from major synthesizer brands to DIY circuit bent instruments. Additionally, tips on manufacturing and sourcing parts were covered.






Exhibiting Your Game
NYU Game Center
Brooklyn. NY 2016-2019

This workshop was given annually to the thesis and capstone classes of the NYU Game Center in preparation for their culminating exhibition. For many of the students, this was their first time exhibiting their game to a general public. The presentation considers this by focusing on the practicalities of lighting, cable management, and pitching projects. Students were encouraged to design their spaces to enforce the overall aesthetic of their individual work.






Fabricating Board Games
NYU Game Center
Brooklyn, NY 2015-2019

The Fabricating Non-Digital Games workshop was given to the Game Design I classes. The workshop introduced new students to basic cutting, adhering, and documentation techniques, as well as the resources available to them within NYU and New York City. Additionally, the presentation covered the critical role that materials play in the experience of non-digital games.





Destiny Clock Research Eyebeam: Art + Technology Center
Brooklyn, NY 2016

At the end of my residency at Eyebeam, I had the opportunity to present my research to an attentive and curious audience. The talk covered how Destiny Clock operates and many of the practical steps taken in the design process. The presentation was followed by an exhibition of several Destiny Clock systems, prototypes, and other related interactive devices. 





Demolition Man Demolished
Anything But Games
Brooklyn, NY 2018

Demolition Man (1993) is not considered to be a great film. However, a deeper look reveals a complex criticism of ‘90s culture, politics, and institutions through its portrayal of a dystopic/utopic future Los Angeles. These critiques are easily overlooked given the comedic and sometimes silly nature of the movie. This presentation explored some of those criticisms through its characters, dialogue, and symbols.