MakeDevice: Easing the path from hardware prototyping toolkits to manufacturable devices

As hardware prototyping toolkits and accessible programming environments become more widespread, it is easier than ever to build functional prototypes of interactive devices. Yet moving beyond a prototype towards manufacturable devices still presents significant challenges. This evolution often requires specialised knowledge in circuit design, firmware development, and hardware testing, which can discourage less experienced creators. We present MakeDevice, a browser-based tool that helps users navigate this transition by leveraging the intuitive micro:bit, Jacdac and MakeCode ecosystem coupled with a process we call device flattening. Modular micro:bit-plus-Jacdac hardware assemblies are progressively transformed, or flattened, into increasingly-integrated custom printed circuit board (PCB) designs. We demonstrate MakeDevice through two examples. MakeDevice lowers barriers to the creation and deployment of new tangible, embedded and embodied devices by providing an alternative to the traditional PCB design process.