MoMA Design Store Windows: littleBits by Ayah Bdeir

“Electronics are beautiful,” says engineer and artist Ayah Bdeir. Through May 12, the windows of the MoMA Design Stores in New York City will feature hypnotic, delightful kinetic sculptures crafted with Ms. Bdeir’s littleBits—tiny circuit boards that snap together with magnets to inspire invention and problem-solving.

Slideshow

Engineer and artist Ayah Bdeir challenged Labour, a creative office and workshop, to craft kinetic sculptures for the MoMA Design Stores in New York City. Labour could use only her littleBits, tiny circuit boards that snap together with magnets, and no other hardware or robotics. A partner at Labour prepares an installation in the Midtown windows. Photo courtesy littleBits.

Brooklyn-based creative office and workshop Labour were challenged to only use littleBits and other craft materials like wood, cardboard, and acrylic. littleBits users have crafted talking puppets, flickering lanterns, and drawing robots. The relationship with the Museum of Modern Art began in 2011—curators Paola Antonelli and Kate Carmody acquired an untitled work of Ms. Bdeir’s made of printed circuit board, analog components, and magnets and included it in “Talk to Me,” a design exhibition which explored objects that establish an emotional, sensual, or intellectual connection with their users. In the exhibition catalogue, they wrote: “like Legos, which allow anyone to understand how to build structures without a complex engineering education, littleBits make a complex process intuitive.” littleBits has also launched “Make Something Big” for enthusiasts.

Also, don't miss these two sweet little videos documenting the team's process of designing and engineering a 4 foot robotic sharked powered solely by littleBits!

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