Networks: The idea and plan

Last week was spent getting our idea sorted for this network project. In this brief, to sum it up, we need to make something that's either based on a network, about a network, or a new network altogether. Basically, we're exploring what a network is, what it does, how it works, and so on.

My group for this project is Tim, Edrian, and Ben Cornelius.

When brainstorming we were really interested in biological networks, such as the dispersal of pathogens and how they impede the functioning of the network that is the human body whilst agitating another network that is the immune system. Another one was the blood stream as a network with the heart at the centre and creating an alternative network for it to change it from a centralised network to a distibuted network. This is so that if your heart fails for some reason or another, you'd steal have several other hearts to keep everything running.

However, we felt that these biological ideas weren't quite right for us. It felt like something was missing from these ideas. I think it's because even though those biological networks are really cool and all, we didn't actually have a clue with what we were actually going to do about those particular network.

So in the end we settled with the idea of creating an alternate network to internet and email that is not so reliant on electricity, considering how we're so dependent on electricity for everything to run.

This is a big project, so it will span the first semester. In the first half we would be further refining our idea and gathering research to inform our work.

This first step is particularly important for our individual work. My policy on making groups is that everyone in my group has to get at least a C grade out of this project. I.e. All of us have to pass. Unless of course, they don't put any work in, but I can't do anything about that. Basically, it's still up to the individual to get the mark they deserve although my schedule does take individual hand-in requirements into consideration.

The result of the first half of semester would be a short film to illustrate our reliance on having internet access and email for communication.

One semester sounds very long, but days pass by quicker than you think it would. So I drew up a schedule for the first half of semester for my group to follow in order for us to meet the deadline.




Another thing I was really into while brainstorming was the Rube Goldberg machine. They're elaborately engineered to the point of excess to do very simple tasks. So technically it's a beautifully designed useless machine. I'm not sure if it counts as a network though, but it does have a protocol.



I like how it's designed and the effort it takes to make these machines. I imagine that when you makes something that moves and works you get a lot of satisfaction from it. So I think when we build our network we can design something amazing like that, except it would be more practical and built within reason of course.