Bi0film.net was originated in the second part of the WS20/21 New Media Class project which explored the concept of Convergence , regarding the realities, discrepances, contrasts, urgencies and needs that 2020 has revealed, using the article „Covid-19 in 2020. The year when everything changed. Why the pandemic will be remembered as a turning-point“ by The Economist (Dec. 2020) as a reference.
https://newmedia.udk-berlin.de/projects/2020-ws-k2/bi0film-net
FINAL PRESENTATION
February 2021
FIRST PROTOTYPE
February 2021
Independent and distributed communication networks are at the core of self-organized communities. Based on the idea of biological peer-to-peer networks, which explore how microorganisms like bacteria communicate and collectively act, we have built a human biofilm-like connectivity enhancer.
Bi0film.net is an umbrella antenna. It hacks an everyday use umbrella, turning it into a parabolic WIFI antenna, to extend the signal range for a mobile phone to join a network. Besides covering, hiding, and protecting the user, Bi0film.net helps them communicate. Depending on the adaptation, the umbrella can act as an antenna for a repeater or as a complementary part of a cantenna.
Umbrellas became a symbol of resistance during Hong Kong protests, where the ideas of self-organization, distributed networks, and collaboration strengthened themselves with the “Be Water” narrative. This is an open-source project based on a call-to-action website, where those interested in joining the bacteria resistance can find the DIY instructions to build it.
REFERENCES
The main reference and resource for the prototype of the umbrella is the tutorial “The Wifi Umbrella Ultra long range Wifi” by Andrew McNeil.
Among other references, the concept was based on:
The poster: Biological Peer-to-Peer networks: from bacterial communication to the development of synthetic distributed systems. by Diego Gonzalez-Rodriguez and Jose Rodolfo Hernandez-Carion
The talk: Patrones de autoorganización a diferentes escalas (Self-organization patterns at different scales) by Carlos Acosta. At the Mundos Posibles (Possible Worlds) IX Creation – Art and Science Encounter organized by the Suratómica Network.
L. Margulis and D. Sagan. Microcosmos. Four Billion Years of Evolution from Our Microbial Ancestors. Tusquets Editors. 1986
Donna J. Haraway – Simians, Cyborgs, and Women. The Reinvention of Nature. (1990, Routledge) – libgen.lc
Carlos Maldonado and Natalie Mezza. Anarchy and complexity. E:CO 2016 18(1): 52-73. 2016
Complejidad y Estética (Complexity and Aesthetics) Creation Group proposed by Carlos Maldonado. Suratómica Network. August to October 2020.
Thanks to:
Juan Manuel Anzola – Scientific advice
Lulu Hsieh – Scientific advice
Carlos Acosta – Conceptual advice
Manuel Orellana – Technical advice
ZKL – Technical advice
Brian Chang – Model
New Media Class – WS20/21 – UdK Berlin
Prof. Jussi Ängeslevä – Luiz Zanotello
Project connected to the Suratómica Network.