It is an open source initiative inspired by the Processing and Arduino projects to provide a similar easier learning and work flow for art and design students and practitioners to use EDA (Electronic Design Automation)
"We are aiming to create a software in the spirit of Processing and Arduino, that allows the designer/artist/researcher/hobbyist to document their Arduino-based prototype and create a PCB layout for manufacturing. The complimenting website helps to share and discuss drafts and experiences as well as to reduce manufacturing costs."
Having known Prof Reto and visited FH Potsdam I think its really a great place to start this.
It will be a really challenging project. Now that the Arduino and Wiring projects are really popular and in use through out art and design institutions around the world, it is interesting to consider the next part of the prototyping process, how to make bespoke PCBs and to produce more rapidly from the 'breadboard' stage to a more solid working piece.
From my own experience just looking at how PCBs are designed and produced it is currently complex and for a beginner daunting. It is great that there are open sourced examples from Arduino related projects, and MAKE(rs) availible, but dealing with the file formats .brd .sch software like EAGLE, etc. is far away from the stripped down simplicity and immediacy of Arduino or Processing.
As far as I got - I've been experimenting with cutting machines, and thinking more conceptually than practically looking at cutting ciruits on 2d CAD machines into different materials. The difficulty in transfering from the EAGLE format to a format that these machines or other CAD machines can use (.dxf, seemed to be prohibitive if not impossible.
I would hope that making these formats more open and compatible could be something that Fritzing could contribute to.
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