This cyberdeck is a… puppet?
The heart of the entire cyberdeck movement is personalization. Instead of shopping within the limits of what manufacturers deem to be marketable, cyberdeck builders can create designs that reflect their own personal tastes. But even so, most cyberdecks fit within a fairly narrow aesthetic—usually some variation of cyberpunk or cassette futurism, fitting the original Gibson source material. Natasha Dzurny (AKA TechnoChic) took things in a completely unique direction by building her Arduino® UNO™ Q cyberdeck as an Avenue Q-style puppet.
Avenue Q is musical that originally appeared off-Broadway way back in 2003 and has since enjoyed stints on Broadway, the West End, and Las Vegas. It is, essentially, a humorous adult spin on Sesame Street, which means it has all kinds of Hensonian puppets. Dzurny’s interest in Avenue Q and its phonetic similarity to “Arduino Q” led to this creation.
The electronic components are standard fare for a cyberdeck and include the UNO Q (2GB), a mini Bluetooth keyboard/touchpad device, a portable USB battery pack, and a 5” HDMI display. There is also a mini USB webcam hidden away for recorded puppet shows.
The real magic and creativity went into the “enclosure,” which is really the body of the puppet. To craft that, Dzurny started with a spherical mold made of translucent plastic. She then cut that to shape and built a frame structure inside, onto which she could mount the components. Once covered in thick fur, the sphere became a puppet head that Dzurny could put her hand into, so she could open and close the mouth. A couple of big expressive eyes completed the look and a chain strap made the puppet/cyberdeck easy to carry.
Dzurny’s project is the perfect example of why people love cyberdecks: because they’re a perfect outlet for creative expression that reflects the builder’s own personality.