Maker Movement and DIY

Recently, Arduino has come under the spotlight with the spread of the maker movement.
Based on a microcontroller, the open-source platform makes programming easy
for beginners and provides control over various types of hardware.
Because of its affordability and compact size, Arduino can be utilized in many areas,
ranging from the development of 3D printers and drones to applications of the Internet of Things(IoT).

The maker movement is a new do-it-yourself(DIT) trend in which individuals create products as desired.
The United States has already seen a surge of industries related to this movement.
With the hosting of the White House Science Fair by President Obama, the future of the DIY industry appears promising.

As described above, the maker movement has extended beyond hobbyists.
It is now considered an industrial revolution that has opened new possibilities for the manufacturing industry.

What is ICT DIY?

ICT DIY, a combination of ICT and DIY, refers to the development of
ICT products and services based on users’ imagination and creativity.

As part of its policy on expanding an ICT-based creative culture among citizens the Ministry of Science,
ICT and Future Planning, established the ICT DIY Plan in June 2014 to support creative activities throughout the country.
Accordingly, ETRI has organized various activities to create a new paradigm of ICT centered on a creative culture.

Commercialization through Stabilized Technology

The introduction of ICT DIY is expected to maximize creative assets on a national level,
enhancing the creativity of citizens and leading to the commercialization of more innovative products.
Moreover, the spread of a creative culture will help Korea to attain its goal of achieving a creative economy.

For the above, it is important for the government to establish supporting policies, so as to encourage voluntary participation by citizens.
Other helpful measures include the provision of educational/entrepreneurial programs and standardization of technology.

From a technological perspective, ICT DIY should be utilized as an opportunity to expand
the role of open-source developers and to enhance national competitiveness.
In particular, the use of open-source hardware can facilitate the development
of innovative products and create new markets powered by convergence technology.