This iron is a radio. By disconnecting the function from the form, we reinterpret the interaction with the object, and play on expectations and deeply held discomforts.

We all learn as young children that the metal plate of an iron is hot, you do not touch it - but now, exactly this is necessary. Here, the plate is used to select stations, while the knobs and dials control the rest of the radio's functions, such as volume, and switching between AM/FM. The casing of the iron is stuffed with an Arduino, a speaker, sensors, and LEDs under the metal plate, with various switches and controls retrofitted to the existing (albeit internally modified) buttons and dials.

This project was completed in collaboration with Mayo Nissen, Gizem Boyacioglu, and Elena Gianni as part of a two week course in Physical Computing at CIID, taught by Massimo Banzi, with the brief set by Daniel Soltis.

Featured in the April 2010 print edition of Wired Magazine in Italy.

Exhibited at Salone del Mobile, April 2010.