Metamuse 46 // Industrial research with Peter van Hardenberg
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Dec 23, 2021 
Peter van Hardenberg describes Ink & Switch’s quest to make computers better tools for thought, from experimental software projects to research that tackles problems others avoid. He explains the lab’s unusual essay style, short-term project teams, and spinout flywheel, while wandering through hydroponic gardens, Mendel’s peas, and the knife-sharp ambition of Arrakis.
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Hydroponic Garden Project
- Peter built a stacked hydroponic garden with pumps, sensors, and scheduled lights to grow herbs and peppers year-round.
- He plans to automate nutrient dosing and hopes to add vision-guided robotic picking in the future.
Computers As Intelligence Amplifiers
- Ink & Switch aims to make computers amplify human intelligence rather than just enable consumption.
- They focus on foundational work that unblocks new kinds of software and workflows.
Declare Pencils Down Deadlines
- Set strict end dates and practice 'pencils down' to avoid endless work on research.
- Use that discipline to publish and then reassess what matters next.