Bio

My name is Youmna Aoukar, I come from Beirut, Lebanon. My background is in graphic design and video production. Before coming to DT, I was working as a freelance designer, designing visual/ ux experiences for startups in NY. I also worked in Shanghai for a couple of months as an exhibition designer. And I recently worked in a interactive advertising agency as a interactive designer. I love making short films and experimental video as a hobby. 

I was motivated to take this class, because I have been really excited about physical computing since I came to DT. I have been trying to learn as much as possible about Arduino. I made a couple of experimental devices for my previous classes and had a lot of fun making them. Plus, I am interested in playful experiences and was always curious about making toys. I also feel that this class can complement my thesis since I am making an interactive installation that uses objects or artifacts to control sound and video. I hope that I could also integrate movement to my piece.

My favorite toy when I was a kid was the etch a sketch tablet. I always loves to sketch and draw since I was little. I loved the fact that you can create very abstract shapes and it would always look great. 

These days, I am interested in creating surreal objects for office spaces to enhance interaction and collaboration between co-workers. I am also interested in working with fans since I am working on a project about scent.