The Restart Project Podcast

In this week's episode, we interview Tim Cooper, professor of Sustainable Design and Consumption at Nottingham Trent University. We discuss the public's frustration about our throwaway culture, and the role of businesses and regulation in making our products last longer. First, we discuss Cooper's path into academia. Since the late 1970s up to 1994, he was very active in the Green Party, and stood for parliament in three occasions. Searching for alternative ways to make an impact, Cooper pursued research with a strong policy orientation, starting at then-new thinktank the New Economics Foundation. In the early 1990s, much of the academic work on sustainability was focused on promoting recycling rather than incineration. Less work dealt with the 'waste hierarchy' - optimising our use of things and minimising waste, instead of just disposing or recycling. Cooper's 1994 report 'Beyond Recycling' (link below) gained national publicity in this context. After that, Cooper moved to university research, where he joined other academics in the study of product lifetimes, and of how we can make products last longer. Cooper talks about what influences our decision-making when buying, and his research on consumer magazines, which have focused more on product features like shape, colour or size than durability. Also, once shamed, some manufacturers come up with unconvincing excuses for short product lifetimes. In light of this, consumer organisations should put pressure on government to increase public awareness of how long products will - and should - last. He also suggests measures like lifespan labelling or repairability indexes, as ways to inform consumers on repairabilty and durability. Now, are people familiar with the concept of throwaway culture? Of course! We play some clips from Restart Parties, where many attendees feel frustrated about their faulty devices, and about the wastefulness of today's consumption. People are generally interested in how long things last, and in getting value for money. However, Cooper argues that with devices getting cheaper and cheaper, many people lose interest in recycling or repairing - they stop 'treating things with respect'. However, Cooper is wary of the notion that individuals should simply change their behaviours to solve the problem. He says businesses and governments have a significant role in making products last longer, and there is a need to shift what we seek to achieve as societies, beyond GDP, and look at other measures including well-being and the planet.

In this week's episode, Ugo and Janet interview Nathan Proctor, Director of US PIRG's Right to Repair campaign. We talk about the origin and activity of this movement, and generally about our right to fix our devices. First, we discuss the story of Eric Lundgren, who attempted to distribute copies of Microsoft software allowing repairers and refurbishers to restore Windows installation in computers already licensed to use it. Even though this software is available online for free, and Lundgren's only crime was counterfeiting the packaging, he's been sentenced to 15 months of jail and he reported to a US federal prison last Friday. Nathan was recently in the news defending this case, which is helping spread the word about the right to repair movement. Nathan comments on the tension between copyright laws and repairing initiatives, and on how the charges against Lundgren have been excessive. Next, we talk about the origin and activity of the US Right to Repair campaign. They work to provide consumers and third party businesses with repair information, and to make pressure at state level on US law to ensure that we have the option to repair our devices. Nathan refers to the 2012 Massachusetts general elections when a citizen-initiated car's right to repair measure led to the Automotive Right to Repair Law - forcing manufacturers to provide spare parts to mechanics. Janet highlights that, despite more silently, this regulation has also been achieved in the EU. Why are people starting to stand up for our right to repair? Nathan notes that there is an increasing awareness that we all have "a broken relationship with stuff". He is convinced that this relationship is changing thanks to do-it-yourself (DIY) initiatives that motivate people to own and fix their devices. A few weeks ago, we interviewed Susanne Baker, from techUK, who argued that safety is a major issue that can constrain our right to repair. Nathan calls for more trust in the public, who should also be given access to official repair information from manufacturers to ensure safety. As he states, we need more and more people to join the repair movement if we want to change our throwaway culture and tackle the growing issue of electronic waste. Manufacturers promote this growing stream of waste by making their repair services too costly or unavailable, which leads most people to replace rather than repair their devices. As an example, he mentions the recent fine to Apple in Australia due to denying repair services to consumers who had previously taken their devices to third party repairers. Finally, Ugo mentions how the US Right to Repair movement focuses on third party repairers, while in the EU we have a lot more community repair initiatives, such ours at Restart. Nathan argues for more collaboration and coordination between these two actors. Janet refers to the Restart Centre in New York, where students and educators can also be seen as repair activists. Educators, tinkerers and third party repairers can all benefit from lower barriers to repair. And as Nathan argues, public involvement at the local level should help push right to repair regulations further.

In this week's episode, Ugo and Janet interview Nathan Proctor, Director of US PIRG's Right to Repair campaign. We talk about the origin and activity of this movement, and generally about our right to fix our devices. First, we discuss the story of Eric Lundgren, who attempted to distribute copies of Microsoft software allowing repairers and refurbishers to restore Windows installation in computers already licensed to use it. Even though this software is available online for free, and Lundgren's only crime was counterfeiting the packaging, he's been sentenced to 15 months of jail and he reported to a US federal prison last Friday. Nathan was recently in the news defending this case, which is helping spread the word about the right to repair movement. Nathan comments on the tension between copyright laws and repairing initiatives, and on how the charges against Lundgren have been excessive. Next, we talk about the origin and activity of the US Right to Repair campaign. They work to provide consumers and third party businesses with repair information, and to make pressure at state level on US law to ensure that we have the option to repair our devices. Nathan refers to the 2012 Massachusetts general elections when a citizen-initiated car's right to repair measure led to the Automotive Right to Repair Law - forcing manufacturers to provide spare parts to mechanics. Janet highlights that, despite more silently, this regulation has also been achieved in the EU. Why are people starting to stand up for our right to repair? Nathan notes that there is an increasing awareness that we all have "a broken relationship with stuff". He is convinced that this relationship is changing thanks to do-it-yourself (DIY) initiatives that motivate people to own and fix their devices. A few weeks ago, we interviewed Susanne Baker, from techUK, who argued that safety is a major issue that can constrain our right to repair. Nathan calls for more trust in the public, who should also be given access to official repair information from manufacturers to ensure safety. As he states, we need more and more people to join the repair movement if we want to change our throwaway culture and tackle the growing issue of electronic waste. Manufacturers promote this growing stream of waste by making their repair services too costly or unavailable, which leads most people to replace rather than repair their devices. As an example, he mentions the recent fine to Apple in Australia due to denying repair services to consumers who had previously taken their devices to third party repairers. Finally, Ugo mentions how the US Right to Repair movement focuses on third party repairers, while in the EU we have a lot more community repair initiatives, such ours at Restart. Nathan argues for more collaboration and coordination between these two actors. Janet refers to the Restart Centre in New York, where students and educators can also be seen as repair activists. Educators, tinkerers and third party repairers can all benefit from lower barriers to repair. And as Nathan argues, public involvement at the local level should help push right to repair regulations further.

In this week's episode, Isabel and Ugo interview Lara Houston, a visiting researcher at Goldsmiths University. We talk about academic research on repair, and we also play some recordings from Kaja Ahnfelt, founder of Restarters Oslo, who conducted research at Restart Parties before she became a repair activist. First, we discuss some news. The Austrian city of Graz is funding commercial and community repair activities, including projects such as repair cafes. We celebrate initiatives that promote people to repair instead of replace their devices. Ugo hopes that Graz shares data on how this funding may impact their local repair economy. We then reflect on where our devices come from, and at what price, in the light of the recent report by China's Labour Watch on Amazon manufacturer Foxconn. Their factory in Hengyang, China has been violating workers' rights, particularly those of dispatch workers. We focus on community repair, and its place within academia. Lara tells us how her interest was sparked by mobile phone repair practices in Uganda. She conducted some fieldwork in the capital city of Kampala in 2009, when the use of mobile phones was on the rise. We also play a recording from Kaja's Master thesis on community repair, where she shares the initial disbelief she faced when she started her research on repair, which many consider an outdated practice. Lara discusses how current narratives of technological hype (like AI or IoT) surface bigger questions related to technology - where are things made or how are they designed. Repair academics find a space to approach these bigger questions, away from innovation studies. Now, how is repair actually researched? From the many available approaches, we highlight ethnography. Lara describes the power of this social research method, which can be used to explore how repair communities work: why people join them, how they interact, what they learn. It is mainly based on participant observation - the researcher interacts with people and shares how they do things, as Kaja did when she immersed herself in Restart Parties and worked in the office with Restart. We hear another of Kaja's recordings where she describes what goes on at our events. For example, as she narrates, people gathered around Restarters to watch repairs, as though they were seated around a campfire. Finally, Ugo asks about the future of research on repair. Lara discusses the importance of combining different research tools, along with ethnography, to construct a comprehensive understanding of repair practices. Different methods gather different types of evidence which can speak to more varied people and organisations, promoting policy action. Lara just launched a repair research bibliography tool, as part of the Repair Research Network she co-founded at last year's Fixfest.

In this week's episode, Isabel and Ugo interview Lara Houston, a visiting researcher at Goldsmiths University. We talk about academic research on repair, and we also play some recordings from Kaja Ahnfelt, founder of Restarters Oslo, who conducted research at Restart Parties before she became a repair activist. First, we discuss some news. The Austrian city of Graz is funding commercial and community repair activities, including projects such as repair cafes. We celebrate initiatives that promote people to repair instead of replace their devices. Ugo hopes that Graz shares data on how this funding may impact their local repair economy. We then reflect on where our devices come from, and at what price, in the light of the recent report by China's Labour Watch on Amazon manufacturer Foxconn. Their factory in Hengyang, China has been violating workers' rights, particularly those of dispatch workers. We focus on community repair, and its place within academia. Lara tells us how her interest was sparked by mobile phone repair practices in Uganda. She conducted some fieldwork in the capital city of Kampala in 2009, when the use of mobile phones was on the rise. We also play a recording from Kaja's Master thesis on community repair, where she shares the initial disbelief she faced when she started her research on repair, which many consider an outdated practice. Lara discusses how current narratives of technological hype (like AI or IoT) surface bigger questions related to technology - where are things made or how are they designed. Repair academics find a space to approach these bigger questions, away from innovation studies. Now, how is repair actually researched? From the many available approaches, we highlight ethnography. Lara describes the power of this social research method, which can be used to explore how repair communities work: why people join them, how they interact, what they learn. It is mainly based on participant observation - the researcher interacts with people and shares how they do things, as Kaja did when she immersed herself in Restart Parties and worked in the office with Restart. We hear another of Kaja's recordings where she describes what goes on at our events. For example, as she narrates, people gathered around Restarters to watch repairs, as though they were seated around a campfire. Finally, Ugo asks about the future of research on repair. Lara discusses the importance of combining different research tools, along with ethnography, to construct a comprehensive understanding of repair practices. Different methods gather different types of evidence which can speak to more varied people and organisations, promoting policy action. Lara just launched a repair research bibliography tool, as part of the Repair Research Network she co-founded at last year's Fixfest.

In this week's episode, Ugo interviews Susanne Baker, Head of Environment & Compliance at techUK, the organisation representing the views of tech companies, including manufacturers. We discuss their position on the public’s growing interest in the right to repair and the future of product standards beyond Brexit. First, Ugo asks about techUK's views on product lifetimes. Susanne discusses how tech manufacturers are increasingly interested in the concept of material efficiency. As she explains, this can include many factors about products, such as how easy they are to repair, upgrade, reuse or recycle. We see this as a positive development, although we will need a lot of developments to reduce the amount of e-waste currently being shredded. Susanne discusses how the right to repair should be encouraged in the UK, although manufacturers are concerned with product safety, specifically in regards to repairs involving counterfeit parts. On this topic, she mentions the Electrical Safety First's report on the risk of electrical shocks with fake iPhone chargers. Some techUK members are also increasing the number of repair options they offer, for instance Samsung's new doorstep repair. This is an area where we have diverging views: the presence of counterfeit parts should be an incentive for manufacturers to make parts and accessories readily available to the public, rather than an argument to limit the right to repair. According to Susanne, it is too costly for manufacturers to maintain extensive provision of parts for a long time, and at times they are limited in doing so by changing regulations on the safety of chemicals used in these parts. She then shares some of techUK's recommendations for repair, such as using 3d printers to reduce costs of producing small spare parts, or the potential of home automation to detect faults in our devices. She also highlights the major role that EU ecodesign policy might have on the cost and time of provision of spare parts, potentially by requiring manufacturers to provide parts as part of extended warranties. Ugo comments that manufacturers have data that could help them plan for sufficient availability of parts - and that just-in-time manufacturing can reduce cost of provision of parts. Ugo and Susanne then discuss how Brexit may impact UK product standards. The current round of EU ecodesign legislation should be approved by this winter (that is, before Brexit, and therefore should be implemented in UK policy). Susanne says that it is in the interest of UK manufacturers to have the same product standards across Europe, and that the UK government is already addressing issues of product durability in various other industrial and environmental strategies. Finally, we touch upon the importance of providing software updates and security patches for products in order to extend product lifetimes, an issue unfortunately not yet prioritised by techUK.

In this week's episode, Ugo interviews Susanne Baker, Head of Environment & Compliance at techUK, the organisation representing the views of tech companies, including manufacturers. We discuss their position on the public’s growing interest in the right to repair and the future of product standards beyond Brexit. First, Ugo asks about techUK's views on product lifetimes. Susanne discusses how tech manufacturers are increasingly interested in the concept of material efficiency. As she explains, this can include many factors about products, such as how easy they are to repair, upgrade, reuse or recycle. We see this as a positive development, although we will need a lot of developments to reduce the amount of e-waste currently being shredded. Susanne discusses how the right to repair should be encouraged in the UK, although manufacturers are concerned with product safety, specifically in regards to repairs involving counterfeit parts. On this topic, she mentions the Electrical Safety First's report on the risk of electrical shocks with fake iPhone chargers. Some techUK members are also increasing the number of repair options they offer, for instance Samsung's new doorstep repair. This is an area where we have diverging views: the presence of counterfeit parts should be an incentive for manufacturers to make parts and accessories readily available to the public, rather than an argument to limit the right to repair. According to Susanne, it is too costly for manufacturers to maintain extensive provision of parts for a long time, and at times they are limited in doing so by changing regulations on the safety of chemicals used in these parts. She then shares some of techUK's recommendations for repair, such as using 3d printers to reduce costs of producing small spare parts, or the potential of home automation to detect faults in our devices. She also highlights the major role that EU ecodesign policy might have on the cost and time of provision of spare parts, potentially by requiring manufacturers to provide parts as part of extended warranties. Ugo comments that manufacturers have data that could help them plan for sufficient availability of parts - and that just-in-time manufacturing can reduce cost of provision of parts. Ugo and Susanne then discuss how Brexit may impact UK product standards. The current round of EU ecodesign legislation should be approved by this winter (that is, before Brexit, and therefore should be implemented in UK policy). Susanne says that it is in the interest of UK manufacturers to have the same product standards across Europe, and that the UK government is already addressing issues of product durability in various other industrial and environmental strategies. Finally, we touch upon the importance of providing software updates and security patches for products in order to extend product lifetimes, an issue unfortunately not yet prioritised by techUK.

In this month's radio takeover, Restart volunteers Ben Skidmore and Dave Lukes talk about "repair on the edge": how to deal with unsual repairs when one lacks the necessary skills or tools. First, Ben and Dave introduce us to some tech news. We discuss the enforcement of GDPR with its ubiquitous pop-ups. Is it necessary for all companies to ask for your consent again? Are we giving consent when coerced or persuaded? We also talk about a new malware scare and security issues with our devices. Next, Ugo calls-in to update us on two issues: - A few weeks ago we interviewed Tarek Loubani, who works to provide 3d-printed medical devices to areas like Gaza, where there is a lack of resources due to its blockade. Ugo tells us that Tarek got shot while providing emergency care in uniform at recent protests in Gaza. He will recover, but many of his medical colleagues were not so fortunate. - Also, Ugo tells us about his recent days around Brussels. He says that the EU is starting to prioritise repair-related measures, like providing spare parts and repair information. This could happen for before Brexit for some appliances, and hence the UK will have to take action on these matters. Ugo tells us about the influence of the pioneering US Right to Repair movement on these EU initiatives. Ben and Dave then focus on "repair on the edge", discussing the excitement and fears when faced with unusual repairs. They tell us about their most dangerous repairs, including smartphones. They also discuss risks when fixing electronic devices, like lithium batteries, capacitors, or the glass on our phone screens. We also discuss the importance of improvisation when repairing, and of making the most out of commonplace objects that can be reused for marvellous hacks. Ben tells us about guitar player (and hacker!) Eddie Van Halen and about Tom Fox, who creates unique instruments out of recycled electronics. Then Ben himself, who used to be a professional guitar maker and repairer, shares his experience repairing a friend's cello.

In this month's radio takeover, Restart volunteers Ben Skidmore and Dave Lukes talk about "repair on the edge": how to deal with unsual repairs when one lacks the necessary skills or tools. First, Ben and Dave introduce us to some tech news. We discuss the enforcement of GDPR with its ubiquitous pop-ups. Is it necessary for all companies to ask for your consent again? Are we giving consent when coerced or persuaded? We also talk about a new malware scare and security issues with our devices. Next, Ugo calls-in to update us on two issues: - A few weeks ago we interviewed Tarek Loubani, who works to provide 3d-printed medical devices to areas like Gaza, where there is a lack of resources due to its blockade. Ugo tells us that Tarek got shot while providing emergency care in uniform at recent protests in Gaza. He will recover, but many of his medical colleagues were not so fortunate. - Also, Ugo tells us about his recent days around Brussels. He says that the EU is starting to prioritise repair-related measures, like providing spare parts and repair information. This could happen for before Brexit for some appliances, and hence the UK will have to take action on these matters. Ugo tells us about the influence of the pioneering US Right to Repair movement on these EU initiatives. Ben and Dave then focus on "repair on the edge", discussing the excitement and fears when faced with unusual repairs. They tell us about their most dangerous repairs, including smartphones. They also discuss risks when fixing electronic devices, like lithium batteries, capacitors, or the glass on our phone screens. We also discuss the importance of improvisation when repairing, and of making the most out of commonplace objects that can be reused for marvellous hacks. Ben tells us about guitar player (and hacker!) Eddie Van Halen and about Tom Fox, who creates unique instruments out of recycled electronics. Then Ben himself, who used to be a professional guitar maker and repairer, shares his experience repairing a friend's cello.

Ellie and Dave interview Restart volunteer Alvin Hardy (call-sign G1BTF), who shares his life-long passion for amateur or so-called "ham" radio. We discuss the importance of radio as a pioneering mode of communication, and the value of the worldwide community that it helps bring together. First, Alvin tells us about his career as an engineer, and how he's been tinkering with radio since he was 15. He also comments on his dad as an inspiration to his interest in radio, as he was a radio operator during war. Next, Alvin tours as around his house in Rainham, London, taking us through his radio equipment: HF, VHF and of course ham radio. He tell us about the origin of ham or amateur radio in the early 1900s in Columbia University, where its founders opened up this invention so that others could help develop it. Alvin with HAM radio Now retired, Alvin regularly volunteers at Restart Parties. He tell us about his motivations to do so, saying that in the current throwaway culture, younger generations don't see a need to repair their gadgets. He wants to teach his tinkering and repair skills to inspire them to fix their electronics. Also, he says, it is fun too! Alvin enjoys being part of the Restarters community and interacting with all the people that come to the events. He is thrilled by fixing though, he loves "bringing back to life" their devices, so that they can last for longer. Alvin shows us how ham radio works, particularly the slow-scan television (SSTV), which serves to transmit and exchange static pictures with other radio operators around the globe. Alvin tells us about the codes and tricks needed to communicate through SSTV, and how to identify what countries signals come from and who sends them. "You are still sending sound, and it just converts it into picture", he explains. We hear amazing radio sounds, which we rarely hear anymore as we have embraced digital radio. Despite his engineering background, Alvin is sure that anyone can learn amateur radio, and motivates everyone to become part of this community, of this "way of life".

Ellie and Dave interview Restart volunteer Alvin Hardy (call-sign G1BTF), who shares his life-long passion for amateur or so-called "ham" radio. We discuss the importance of radio as a pioneering mode of communication, and the value of the worldwide community that it helps bring together. First, Alvin tells us about his career as an engineer, and how he's been tinkering with radio since he was 15. He also comments on his dad as an inspiration to his interest in radio, as he was a radio operator during war. Next, Alvin tours as around his house in Rainham, London, taking us through his radio equipment: HF, VHF and of course ham radio. He tell us about the origin of ham or amateur radio in the early 1900s in Columbia University, where its founders opened up this invention so that others could help develop it. Alvin with HAM radio Now retired, Alvin regularly volunteers at Restart Parties. He tell us about his motivations to do so, saying that in the current throwaway culture, younger generations don't see a need to repair their gadgets. He wants to teach his tinkering and repair skills to inspire them to fix their electronics. Also, he says, it is fun too! Alvin enjoys being part of the Restarters community and interacting with all the people that come to the events. He is thrilled by fixing though, he loves "bringing back to life" their devices, so that they can last for longer. Alvin shows us how ham radio works, particularly the slow-scan television (SSTV), which serves to transmit and exchange static pictures with other radio operators around the globe. Alvin tells us about the codes and tricks needed to communicate through SSTV, and how to identify what countries signals come from and who sends them. "You are still sending sound, and it just converts it into picture", he explains. We hear amazing radio sounds, which we rarely hear anymore as we have embraced digital radio. Despite his engineering background, Alvin is sure that anyone can learn amateur radio, and motivates everyone to become part of this community, of this "way of life".

In this week's episode, Isabel Lopez and Dave Lukes talk about the materials we use to hack and fix. We will discuss the most basic tools and materials we can use for these tasks, from the usual tapes and glues to more sophisticated techniques and materials. First we discuss some news. Jessa Jones, a popular repairer based in the US, has had 24 aftermarket iPhone screens seized at US Customs. US Customs and Apple have justified this seizure by labelling it as 'counterfeit'. They have called attention to the Apple logo in these screens - a very tiny logo inside them which is not visible to consumers. Now, is refurbishing the same as counterfeiting? The overarching question here is: why are these repairers getting spare parts from third parties or the 'grey market'? We talk about the Right to Repair movement, in which Jessa Jones is particularly active. As she insists, she would rather buy spare parts directly from Apple, but this is not a possibility. Car manufacturers are obliged to make spare parts available - and at reasonable cost - to car repairers, why is this not the case with our electronic devices? Next, we talk about stuff we use to repair. We start with screwdrivers, which are one of the most basic tools to carry around. We mention issues with opening up our devices, such as Apple's pentalobe screws, or the change in design of our laptops and phones that makes it way harder to take out and replace their batteries. Then, we talk about 'sticky' materials. Dave tells us about the use of tapes, (super)glues, or more fancy materials such as Sugru, a very mouldable silicone-based material which can be used for multiple hacks and fixes; or the bioplastic Formcard, which can be easily carried out in our wallet and, once heated up, can be moulded into any shape and then reheated for reuse. We then shift to more complex techniques, such as soldering. Soldering is used to join two pieces of metal together by melting a tin wire (or 'solder'). Soldering irons heat up the solder up to 200 degrees so it becomes liquid. We talk about alternatives to this technique, such as cold soldering or crimped copper tubing. Dave also discusses some incidents - great narratives that even made our Resonance 104.4 FM engineer laugh - and important health and safety procedures. Finally, we give some advice to those of you who want to get started fixing things. Beyond the joy of getting things working again, at Restart we want devices to keep working for longer to reduce the environmental impact of electronic waste.

In this week's episode, Isabel Lopez and Dave Lukes talk about the materials we use to hack and fix. We will discuss the most basic tools and materials we can use for these tasks, from the usual tapes and glues to more sophisticated techniques and materials. First we discuss some news. Jessa Jones, a popular repairer based in the US, has had 24 aftermarket iPhone screens seized at US Customs. US Customs and Apple have justified this seizure by labelling it as 'counterfeit'. They have called attention to the Apple logo in these screens - a very tiny logo inside them which is not visible to consumers. Now, is refurbishing the same as counterfeiting? The overarching question here is: why are these repairers getting spare parts from third parties or the 'grey market'? We talk about the Right to Repair movement, in which Jessa Jones is particularly active. As she insists, she would rather buy spare parts directly from Apple, but this is not a possibility. Car manufacturers are obliged to make spare parts available - and at reasonable cost - to car repairers, why is this not the case with our electronic devices? Next, we talk about stuff we use to repair. We start with screwdrivers, which are one of the most basic tools to carry around. We mention issues with opening up our devices, such as Apple's pentalobe screws, or the change in design of our laptops and phones that makes it way harder to take out and replace their batteries. Then, we talk about 'sticky' materials. Dave tells us about the use of tapes, (super)glues, or more fancy materials such as Sugru, a very mouldable silicone-based material which can be used for multiple hacks and fixes; or the bioplastic Formcard, which can be easily carried out in our wallet and, once heated up, can be moulded into any shape and then reheated for reuse. We then shift to more complex techniques, such as soldering. Soldering is used to join two pieces of metal together by melting a tin wire (or 'solder'). Soldering irons heat up the solder up to 200 degrees so it becomes liquid. We talk about alternatives to this technique, such as cold soldering or crimped copper tubing. Dave also discusses some incidents - great narratives that even made our Resonance 104.4 FM engineer laugh - and important health and safety procedures. Finally, we give some advice to those of you who want to get started fixing things. Beyond the joy of getting things working again, at Restart we want devices to keep working for longer to reduce the environmental impact of electronic waste.

In this week's episode, Ugo and Isabel interview Tarek Loubani, a Palestinian-Canadian doctor who has created low-cost 3D-printed medical devices to help with the lack of supply in Gaza. We also discuss the importance of having repair parts available to keep all medical devices working for longer, and opportunities for 3D printing to boost independence and resilience when using these devices. First, Tarek tells us about the start and motivations for the project. In the context of the Gaza blockade, he had been trying to figure out ways to ensure the necessary supply of medical devices in Gaza hospitals. Playing with a toy stethoscope, he realised it could be reasonably functional, so he put together a group of engineers to come up with a simple, low cost, 3D-printed alternative, which costs less than $3 to produce. Not only did it work, it has recently been clinically validated! This proves that it is 100% as good in terms of quality compared to current professional competitors, which cost a hundred times more. Tarek tells us how there was an initial skepticism around quality as they produced domestically, so this validation is great news for the team, as well of course as for hospital patients. Next, we discuss other devices that Tarek's initiative has helped 3D print. His group was approached by the Disasters Committee in Gaza, who called attention to the fact that many people in Gaza's 2014 war died as a result of gunshot wounds in their arms and legs. So Tarek and their team came up with a 3D-printed tourniquet to help medical professionals block hemorrhages. This device again proves crucial given the recent March protests in Gaza, where almost 1,000 people were shot in one day, with about 80% of these being injured in arms or legs. 3D printing is usually not an effective way of printing large amounts of units of a product: it's a slow process, with a large environmental footprint. However, Tarek reminds us that the real problem in Gaza is the blockade, drastically limiting access to all kinds of supplies. In this context, 3D-printed devices can be the difference between life and death. Tarek tells us about Gaza's 100% plastic recycling rate, and how they use recyclable ABS plastic and solar power to 3D print, as they can't rely on electrical supply. Finally, Tarek comments on the importance of bringing 3D printing literacy and skills to other parts of the Gaza strip. For example, they have had high school students come to their office to learn first hand from this work. But the whole world can learn from more repairable and modular medical devices. Even in high-income countries like Canada, Tarek reports, expensive devices such a pulse oxymeters fail and can't easily be repaired. 3D-printed devices may in the future offer more independence and prove more affordable in the long run. Why spends lots of money in something you can't easily repair?

In this week's episode, Ugo and Isabel interview Tarek Loubani, a Palestinian-Canadian doctor who has created low-cost 3D-printed medical devices to help with the lack of supply in Gaza. We also discuss the importance of having repair parts available to keep all medical devices working for longer, and opportunities for 3D printing to boost independence and resilience when using these devices. First, Tarek tells us about the start and motivations for the project. In the context of the Gaza blockade, he had been trying to figure out ways to ensure the necessary supply of medical devices in Gaza hospitals. Playing with a toy stethoscope, he realised it could be reasonably functional, so he put together a group of engineers to come up with a simple, low cost, 3D-printed alternative, which costs less than $3 to produce. Not only did it work, it has recently been clinically validated! This proves that it is 100% as good in terms of quality compared to current professional competitors, which cost a hundred times more. Tarek tells us how there was an initial skepticism around quality as they produced domestically, so this validation is great news for the team, as well of course as for hospital patients. Next, we discuss other devices that Tarek's initiative has helped 3D print. His group was approached by the Disasters Committee in Gaza, who called attention to the fact that many people in Gaza's 2014 war died as a result of gunshot wounds in their arms and legs. So Tarek and their team came up with a 3D-printed tourniquet to help medical professionals block hemorrhages. This device again proves crucial given the recent March protests in Gaza, where almost 1,000 people were shot in one day, with about 80% of these being injured in arms or legs. 3D printing is usually not an effective way of printing large amounts of units of a product: it's a slow process, with a large environmental footprint. However, Tarek reminds us that the real problem in Gaza is the blockade, drastically limiting access to all kinds of supplies. In this context, 3D-printed devices can be the difference between life and death. Tarek tells us about Gaza's 100% plastic recycling rate, and how they use recyclable ABS plastic and solar power to 3D print, as they can't rely on electrical supply. Finally, Tarek comments on the importance of bringing 3D printing literacy and skills to other parts of the Gaza strip. For example, they have had high school students come to their office to learn first hand from this work. But the whole world can learn from more repairable and modular medical devices. Even in high-income countries like Canada, Tarek reports, expensive devices such a pulse oxymeters fail and can't easily be repaired. 3D-printed devices may in the future offer more independence and prove more affordable in the long run. Why spends lots of money in something you can't easily repair?