I’m heading to Amsterdam for Picnic ’06 to give a talk on, er.. the Internet of Things, a topic near and dear and, despite the somewhat pedestrian sound of the topic (what else would the internet be except an assemblage of “things”), it is a subject that flags some weak signals as to what it will be like in the near…

When Sascha Pohflepp (RIP 🫡) launched his way pre-AI pre-iPhone era project "Blind Camera" (née “Blinks and Buttons”) — I got just as excited as he was. His contrivance was/is a camera that doesn’t take its own photo but instead captures someone else’s. Not literally, but it borrows or copies a picture someone else took somewhere else in the world at the same moment. I also write this because the internet has gone to shit and most of the places where there was comprehensive — or even cursory — documentation of projects like this have disappeared. It's important to remember and celebrate these contributions to our cultural landscape, especially as we navigate the complexities of the digital age. As Sascha is no longer here to maintain his archive and catalog of works, I feel a responsibility to help preserve his legacy and keep the conversation alive.

Ever sense Sascha started talking, quite animatedly, about this project — ” The Blind Camera — I became almost as excited as he. A camera..that takes someone else’s photo. The semantics are tricky — it doesn’t take a photograph of someone else, but take’s (as in, borrows or copies or “snags”) a photograph that someo…

via turbulence

The rise of DIY electronics has sparked a revolution, inviting amateurs to join the ranks of seasoned experts. With open-source designs like the TuxPhone, the barriers that once confined innovation within corporate labs are crumbling. This shift not only empowers individuals to create but also fosters a spirit of collaboration and knowledge sharing. In this new landscape, the amateur becomes a crucial player, driven not by profit but by passion, learning, and the joy of creation.

via worldchanging

A mouthful otherwise known as a nice little 3-axis accelerometer from STMicroelectronics with a SPI bus, which makes it handy for interfacing in microcontroller style applications. I picked up one of these in breakout board style from the DIY heros at Sparkfun Electronics to see about its suitability for a DIY pedom…

With the rise of pervasive electronic games, we are entering a realm where gaming transcends traditional boundaries. These games weave themselves into the fabric of our daily lives, transforming mundane spaces into vibrant arenas of interaction. By harnessing mobile devices and location-based technologies, players can experience gameplay that is not confined to a couch or a console. Join me as we explore this exciting frontier, where the real world and virtual adventures collide, creating a new narrative for gaming enthusiasts everywhere.

So, anyway. I heard about this gadget a few years ago, but it kind of rolled off my brain. I saw some documentation about it again for this summer’s SIGGRAPH, and then I saw the Device Art article in Intelligent Agent a week or so ago and I decided I should get one — it was resonating with a bunch of stuff. I figure…