Urban Nomad and Electronic Metabolism

[Dan Selden]

as far as the hackathon, i'm thinking i just want to try and build objects for the urban nomad. this could be assembling some of those kits and looking for clever ways to integrate them into our daily routine… (backpacks, car racks, bicycle packs..etc)  and then refining and hacking the process the second day and deploying. I kind of just want to experiment and see what crazy ideas people come up with in terms of this sort of integration. I'm particularly interested in hacking a pair of nike shocks or something. there are a few great projects that have played with the idea but it would certainly make for a great hack.

but just some thoughts on the subject matter from the other day.

We can be responsible for our digital extensions. If food is the source of energy to power our organic bodies, then let light, or wind, or motion provide the energy for the other things.

Define: Metabolism

1. The sum of the physical and chemical processes in an organism by which its material substance is produced, maintained, and destroyed, and by which energy is made available.

2. any basic process of organic functioning or operating: changes in the country's economic metabolism.

So we can expand our definition of 'metabolism' to include digital/electronic processes. There are two ways that we can provide the energy for these processes that not only promote responsibility but generate this refined understanding of "personal metabolism"

1. There is potential within our environmental 'situation'. That is where we are situated… there is often sun, wind, etc… my home, my garden, my window becomes a battery that charges while i'm away and powers my devices when I am home.

2. There is potential within our routine behavior. This is the idea of the urban, web-connected nomad, an individual who provides their own energy, both nutritional and electrical, to power their daily activities. This has more to do with motion and freedom. I can carry these sources with me wherever I go. 

some cool shit… my old list was much longer but just a few of the things i was looking into

I'll continue to update it.

PeoplePower

http://www.treehugger.com/clean-technology/a-yo-yo-powered-mp3-player.html

http://www.core77.com/challenge/humanpower/

ShoePower

http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/08/walk-and-talk-for-hours-using-shoe-power/

http://news.discovery.com/tech/shoe-power-that-can-walk-the-walk.html

http://itp.nyu.edu/~rcc273/spring2007/itpenergy/labs/kineticShoes.php

http://resenv.media.mit.edu/power.html

CarPower

http://gigaom.com/cleantech/sunrise-to-make-solar-roof-for-your-car/

http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2012/05/16/chinese-farmer-invents-wind-powered-car/

http://www.diyelectriccar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13644

ExercisePower

http://www.plugoutfitness.com/

http://www.archinode.com/gym.html

http://www.windstreampower.com/Bike_Power_Generator.php

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Renewable-Energy/2008-10-01/Pedal-Powered-Generators.aspx

http://www.ehow.com/how_4681300_build-stationary-bike-generator.html

[Ed Borden]

Thesis. Complete.

[Ed Borden]

Now I feel like the question is:

Once someone says "I am an urban nomad who wants to take
responsibility for their digital metabolism", then what do they do?

Are they buying a product (like an energy-harvesting shoe?), or is
there a more creative process, like Kinetikit, by which they will
adapt technology to their specific lifestyle? Maybe this question
doesn't need to be answered before the Holland trip. Explore the
mechanisms of generation first.

[Casper Koomen]

I like this idea of food for bodies and energy for everything else.
Digital metabolism, beautiful, I love it! Picturing this, I see an
image of people moving through the world and life and not leaving a
trace.

If we can accomplish something like that with energy, that would be
awesome. So no footprint. Can it be done? Truly cradle to cradle?

We can (should!) make this part of the challenge for the Jam Session
in Eindhoven on the 4th.

[Cesar Garcia]

I love this theme! I find it very interesting. OTOH, leaving no footprint and buying harvesting shoes, paradox hunter all way long.

--
Cesar García - @elsatch

Ando con encolamiento para responder correos y los proceso lunes, miércoles y viernes. Si es algo urgente/rápido contáctame por Twitter. Gracias!

[Ken Boak]

Hi All,

I have recently rediscovered the joys of cycling - after a break of nearly 20 years.

I bike the 3 miles to work most days, mostly along roads that have been designated bicycle boulevards - where many of the 4 way stops have been changed to give bikes the priority.

Biking in the East Bay area of Northern California is a great way to get around - as the distances between places here are generally further than the collection of villages that most European cities evolved from.

Public transport here is bike friendly - the BART light rail has bike spaces, CalTrain  connecting San Jose with San Francisco has whole bike carriages, and most buses in the East Bay have bike racks on the front. 

There are 3 specialist bike manufacturers in this area - just guys, working alone out of small workshops.  Their freestyle designs are innovative and desirable.

I would suggest that the humble bike is one of the most important "energy saving" inventions of the last 200 years.  It converts human muscle power efficiently into motion, and offers a means of carrying large load over moderate distances.  It is of equal importance in the plains of Africa, to the paved streets of the western cities.

Modern electric assisted bikes feature a heavy duty stand, such that the back wheel can be lifted clear of the ground, and pedaling then produces electric current, which can be used for battery charging - or as frequently done here - powering small music concerts or arts performances.

If you are prepared to put in some extra pedaling effort, a bike fitted with a small generator could be used to charge up spare mobile phone batteries.  A typical 5.5Ah smart phone battery could theoretically be charged with 15 minutes of brisk pedaling - think of it as your daily workout ;-)

Alternatively a couple of these solar panels and LiPo Rider on the handle bars would also convert the urban bike into a recharge station.

http://www.inmojo.com/store/seeed-studio/item/li-po-rider/ 

Our cities could do a lot to become more bike friendly  - bike only routes, and biker awareness courses - for both bikers and vehicle drivers would be a good start.

The biggest change to my lifestyle, this year on my Californian Odyssey - has been getting back on a bike. 

I guess it's one way of converting food into useful small scale kinetic and electric energy.

Ken

 

[Dan Selden]

currently rebuilding my front wheel to include a hub dynamo 

http://www.aliexpress.com/product-fm/541744823-NOVATECH-FRONT-DYNAMO-CARTRIDGE-BEARING-HUB-6-VOLT-3-WATT-36-HOLES-SUITABLE-FOR-24--wholesalers.html

the first step towards a human powered smart bike (arduino/gsm) or a mobile mobile charger. definitely one of the more costly versions (relatively speaking)… its easy enough to toss a normal dynamo on the front fork for $10. 

bicycles rule

dan