It’s been a while since the conclusion of Maker Camp in Shenzhen 2401, and as we welcome the new year, we reflect on an exciting milestone—Maker Camp in Shenzhen 2501, an initiative that continues to foster collaboration between academic research and industrial innovation.

This January, in partnership with SUSTech School of Design, AIRS, SciArt Co-lab, Chaihuo Makerspace, Immersive Design Group, Anker Innovations, Andone, and the Greater Bay ACM SIGCHI Chapter, we hosted 10 distinguished researchers from MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) for a month-long Research at Scale residency. The program provided participants with a deep dive into Shenzhen’s manufacturing ecosystem, facilitating engagement with industry leaders, academic peers, and local innovators to explore scalable research applications.

Fostering Cross-Disciplinary Dialogue

The residency commenced with the Scalable HCI Research Symposium, a week-long event designed to bridge the gap between academic research and industrial practice. The symposium featured:

• Academic presentations from leading researchers
• Industry talks addressing current trends and challenges in manufacturing and design
• Cultural and art-tech exhibitions showcasing the intersection of creativity and technology
• Factory visits providing firsthand exposure to Shenzhen’s world-class manufacturing capabilities

The symposium attracted over 50 researchers, engineers, and designers from 20+ globally recognized institutions, including MIT, Harvard, CMU, NYU, Brown, Stanford, and the University of Chicago. This diverse participation facilitated a global exchange of ideas, positioning Shenzhen as a hub for scalable human-computer interaction (HCI) research and innovation.

“How to Make Almost Anything in Shenzhen”

Eric Pan, CEO at Seeed Studio, provided a comprehensive overview of Shenzhen’s evolving manufacturing landscape, covering topics such as design for manufacturing, supplier relationships, intellectual property considerations, and the emergence of ShenzhenGPT. He also introduced the Open Manufacturing Whitepaper, offering practical insights for researchers and entrepreneurs looking to navigate and leverage Shenzhen’s industrial ecosystem.

MIT Media Lab Research Presentations

Alan Han, Andy Kong, Francisco Ramirez, Jason Hou, Lingdong Huang, Patrick Chwalek, Thomas Sanchez, Vineet Padia, Yuhan Wang and Cedric Honnet from the MIT presented their latest works, engaging with local startups, makers, and industry leaders to explore potential collaborations and applications for their technologies.

From Research to Real-World Application: HuaQiangBei and Factory Visits

A core objective of the residency was to bridge theoretical research with hands-on industry engagement. The HuaQiangBei Electronics Market (HQB) and factory visits provided researchers with invaluable exposure to Shenzhen’s fast-paced hardware ecosystem.

Exploring HuaQiangBei: The Epicenter of Electronics Innovation

HQB is often described as the world’s largest electronics market, offering everything from raw components to finished products and prototyping services. For the MIT researchers, HQB served as a living lab, where they could explore:

• Rapid prototyping resources: A vast selection of sensors, microcontrollers, and PCB services available off-the-shelf
• Component sourcing strategies: Direct interaction with suppliers to understand sourcing options, bulk pricing, and lead times
• Emerging trends in consumer electronics: First-hand exposure to cutting-edge AI-driven hardware, robotics, and IoT devices

By engaging with local vendors, the team gained insights into the speed, flexibility, and affordability that make Shenzhen a global leader in agile hardware development.

Factory Visits: From Concept to Production

Beyond sourcing components, the researchers had the opportunity to visit key manufacturing facilities across Shenzhen and the Greater Bay Area, covering a wide range of production capabilities:

• PCB Assembly & Flexible PCB Manufacturing: Understanding high-precision board fabrication, surface-mount technology (SMT), and flexible circuits for wearable and embedded applications
• Injection Molding & Industrial Design: Observing the molding and mass-production processes that transform initial designs into scalable products
• MicroLED and E-paper Display Production: Gaining insights into next-generation display technologies, including their applications in smart devices and interactive installations
• Stepper Motors and Servo Systems: Exploring the role of motion control technologies in robotics, automation, and industrial applications

Each visit provided a real-world perspective on the end-to-end product development cycle, reinforcing how research-driven innovations can be translated into scalable, market-ready solutions.

Smart Space Hackathon: Advancing Innovation Through Collaboration

One of the most impactful components of the program was the Smart Space Hackathon, co-hosted by Chaihuo, Seeed, and Anker. The event brought together more than 30 participants, including academic researchers, industry professionals, and members of the local maker community, to develop innovative solutions for smart environments.

In total, 11 projects were developed, with 8 successfully delivering functional prototypes. Concepts ranged from smart interactive devices and robotic workspace assistants to AI-driven privacy protection solutions and sound-responsive environment. The hackathon underscored the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration and demonstrated how rapid prototyping and applied research can drive meaningful innovation.

Maker Camp in Shenzhen 2501 reinforced the value of connecting academia, industry, and the maker community to accelerate real-world impact. Participants left with a deeper understanding of Shenzhen’s manufacturing ecosystem, hands-on experience in sourcing and production, and new perspectives on how to scale their research into tangible innovations.

You can find a vibrant documentation from the MIT students on Seeed Studio’s GitHub Channel (keep updating).

We extend our gratitude to all partners and participants for contributing to this meaningful exchange of knowledge and ideas.