Recurring applications for GSM

Benedetta had mentioned a couple of cool projects in the last two Towers of Power classes that I wanted to check out. So I took this opportunity to research these projects along with a few others. It’s apparent that there are a vast number of things that we can make with open GSM. Though their purpose are mostly different, I noticed some recurring themes based on how the technology is used. Here are a few of them.

Text to control something
These projects are pretty fun. I think texting is a very human way of communicating. Unlike pressing a button, texting to get a lifeless piece of object to act seems more entertaining and magical.

  • Digital Ding Dong Ditch
  • Various text to open door projects, such as this one
  • Interaction through calls and texts
    The user interact with a less tangible counterpart through their phones. These projects are more game-like.

  • Tinder on call
  • Campaigns that you can call or text to interact with a screen or poster
  • Anything can be a phone
    It’s really cool that the GSM Module can be used to create new gestures to communicate.

  • Smart Hoodie
  • Hub’s project Jeff
  • Insular mobile networks
    These applications target issues of not having signal in disaster scenes or remote locations.

  • Burning Man GSM network/openBTS
  • GoTenna
  • GSM Network Jammers
    These projects are more on the offense, using the technology to attack itself or those using it, all the while sending a strong statement?

  • Lady Ada’s Wave Bubble
  • Julian Oliver’s No Network
  • Allison Burtch’s Log Jammer
  • Intercepting or changing data
    This is also on the offense, but with more covert attacks.

  • Julian Oliver’s Newstweek
  • Remote tracking and data collection
    These projects are longer term and requires continued documentation or a fully built out platform to display or visualize the information.

  • Delivery for Mr. Assange
  • Stories of Trash
  • What are ones that I’ve missed?

    Seeing the beauty of tiny

    For Circuit Design and Prototype, everything we make will be tiny. These components and designs are what we usually don’t see when things are working well. We only get a glimpse of them when we get a device repaired. Our first assignment was to appreciate the beauty of these tiny parts that makes much of the world around us function.

    I have a few Shanzhai iPhones laying around from my research in Shenzhen. Below are photos and videos of the parts seen under the microscope.

    IMG_4651

    Photo on 2-4-15 at 7.53 PM

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