Unravel the Code V

Radio is one of the major technological infrastructures of our contemporary life. One of the fundamental building blocks that a lot of the technologies we use depend on. When you read the word 'radio' however, you might think of commercial FM stations, pop music, talk shows and wonder what's so relevant and fundamental about that. We've got the internet right? Radio however is much bigger than just commercial broadcast radio. At any given moment the air is filled signals ranging from cell phone packets, the walkie-talkie chatter of bus drivers, airplane tracking signals, bluetooth mouse movements, satellites broadcasting down to earth, the hum of electrical devices, bleeping wireless car keys, television, pagers, navigational beacons and much much more. And aside from that list there are all those technologies which are part of 'the internet', such as Wi-Fi, 3G, 4G, microwave towers etc which are also radio based. In short, any electrical device which doesn't work via wires (hence: wireless) works via radio. However, radio itself is a natural phenomenon, deeply physical and older than man kind. The strongest broadcasters are the stars.

For Unravel The Code 2k16 we will take this expanded understanding of radio as our topic and approach it as Digital Craftsmen.We will get an insight of how various radio based systems work, what they do, what they send, who they send to and why. With that knowledge we will design objects that relate to this electromagnetic spectrum. We will dream up devices that make these radio systems more present or visible, opening them up to critical inquire, poetical intervention, aesthetic experience etc.

During Q9 students will unravel the mysteries of radio on a week by week basis. Q9 is centered around a series of workshops. During these workshops we will approach a radio system technically, culturally and poetically to understand and learn to work practically with them. For Q10 students will put this experience to use in order to design poetic interventions, recount obscure histories or meticulously craft objects in the grey zone between crafts and the electromagnetic spectrum.

Unravel the Code Q9

The quarter is divided into 4 workshops. All these workshops relate to radio as a technical, social, cultural and natural phenomenon. Attendance of and participation in the workshops is required.

Classes are held on Tuesdays with and additional class on October Thursday 24th. Thursdays are reserved for independent working on your project (one self directed project per workshop)

On the final evaluation you will present three mini projects (each relating to one of the four workshops) + an up-to date wiki contextualising your production.

On the 8th of November (start of Q10) you will pitch your direction/a research question and a experiment for a final project to intensely explore and develop over the following 6 weeks.

Classes with Roel Q9

06 Sept		Week 2		09:30-15:00		Intro + Workshop 1
13 Sept		Week 3		10:00-15:00		Workshop 2
20 Sept		Week 4		zelfst werken
27 Sept		Week 5		10:00-15:00		Workshop 2 Continuation
04 Oct		Week 6		zelfst werken
11 Oct		Week 7		10:00-15:00		Workshop 3
18 Oct		Holiday break
25 Oct		Week 8		10:-15:00 		Workshop 4
01 Nov		Week 9		full day		Assessments

Classes with Jon Q9

06 Sept Week 2 09:30-15:00

08 Sept Week 2 13:00-16:00

Hertzian Tales -- its meaning and significance in electronic art and design

Practice-Based Research -- how do we define it, how do we do it

20 Sept Week 4 10:00-15:00

Imaginary Radio Research

In a small group

Search and define: -the century

19th (wireless telegraphy - pioneers of the medium)/ 20th (voice and audio broadcasting) / 21st (Pirate Radio/Micro broadcasting)
the place/context - who is this broadcast serving

Imagine and build:

the object - transmitter and/or receiver (or where it may be housed)

And compose and remix:

one minute of transmitted content

Regroup/Discussion: 11:30 - 12:30 Presentations: 14:00-15:00

Assignment for 04/10:

Further research and develop an imaginary radio individually or within a group of 2.
Place extra attention on the aesthetic/physical/material qualities and its cultural connotations/significance.
Demonstrate your Imaginary Radio in class
present an an A3 poster, titled Imaginary Radio, with a photograph of your radio in context and a 3/4 sentence pseudo-historical description.

04 Oct Week 6 10:00-15:00

Imaginary Radio Research Revisited

10:00-12:00 Imaginary Radio Presentation A3 poster, titled Imaginary Radio, with a photograph of your radio in context and a 3/4 sentence pseudo-historical description.

13:00-15:00 - Individual/Small Group Discussions

13 Oct Week 7 13:00-15:00

Unravel the Code workshop planning

25 Oct Week 8 9:00 - 21:00

(Unravel the Code International Workshop)

01 Nov Week 9 full day

Assessments

Q9 Workshops

Workshop 1: Analog Sensing Devices

Workshop 2: Navigating the Hertzian Space in theory and Practice

Part 1

We kick off the day with a Wiki Writing Workshop to learn or refresh how to document and research using the digital craft wiki!

After that we start of with an introduction into radio and then we look at RTL-SDR as a way of navigating the electromagnetic spectrum.

Part 2

10:00 recap part 1
11:00 encodings
12:30 break

In groups of four we discuss the homework assignments etc, fill in your names!
13:00 - 13:25 mattijn, vera, .., .., .. (5 total)
13:30 - 13:55 sanne, caio, manouk, jeanine (4 total)
14:00 - 14:25 kenah, kaylee, Alex, .. (4 total) 
15:00 - 15:25 .sara.,Nina
.., .., .. (4 total)

Part 3

Meeting in pairs. Sign up below:

09:30 - 09:55:  .. and ..
10:00 - 10:25:  .. and ..
10:30 - 10:55:  .. and ..

11:00 - 11:25:  Manouk and Alkenah
11:30 - 11:55:  .. and ..
12:00 - 12:25:  Sara

break

13:00 - 13:25:  sanne and ..
13:30 - 13:55:  .. and ..
14:00 - 14:25:  .. and ..

Unravel Radio Marathon

Joint workshop together with students from the minor and MICA. More info here.

Assesments

Q9 Assesment

Learning goals

The objective is that through research, experiment, critical reflection, creation, design and manufacturing, connected to the workshops in Quarter 9, you will gain new knowledge, insights and a critical stance towards radio systems. Following from this you will learn to translate your point of view, your discoveries, into a concrete project.

Deliverables

Individual Practice-Based

Signals as sounds (recorded and remixed, real or fantastical audio experience derived form the radio workshops with Roel)
An imaginary radio object ( a tactile --or digital presented as-- artefact that explores the counterfactual radio discussed with Jon)
A well-presented sketch illustrating the direction you wish to explore within the context of Radio (a visual forshadowing of your Q10 proposal)

Individual Research

A fully propagated wiki page showing all your findings and contextualising your production

Group Presentation

Representing your Unravel Radio Marathon project

Presentation Sign-Up

The Q9 assessment presentations will take place on Nov 1st in an exhibition format at the Blaak entrance. Each student will have 10 minutes to discuss their individual work based on the sign up list. Attendance to all presentations is mandatory.

9:30-9:40: Alkenah

9:40-9:50: Alex

9:50-10:00: Seline de Graaff

10:00-10:10: Mirthe Alferink

10:10-10:20: Vera Castelijns

10:30-1040: Sanne Schilder

10:40-10:50: Merle Sibbel

10:50-11:00: Jeanine verloop

11:00-11:10: Jeroen Rijnart

10:10-10:20: Naomi van Maasakkers

11:30-11:40: Jerry Estié

11:40-11:50: Tian Zeng

11:50-12:00: Sara Pavicic

12:00-12:10:Nina Michailidou

12:10-12:20: Caio Vita

12:20-12:30: Kaylee Bos

12:30-12.40: Manouk Moreau

12:40-12:50: Joëlle Strijk

Assessment criteria

- Depth of research and reflection upon the given theme (demonstrated through wiki and active participation in class meetings and group critiques)

- Quality of concept (demonstrated through wiki and final prototype/design object/other)

- Exhibiting thorough use of technical workshops, including experiments and tests (demonstrated through process documentation in wiki)

- Convincing and precise translation of concepts into required deliverables (demonstrated through prototype/design object/other)

- Paying careful attention to the aesthetics and technical execution of the required deliverables (demonstrated through prototype/design object/other)

- Communicating the concept and process of your design clearly and effectively. (through public presentation and documentation of your project)

- Consistent attendance

Students

Unravel the Code Q10

Q10 is a super intense quarter based around creating your own project. The quarter will only be 6 weeks (no classes in January) so we will have to ramp up the tempo and get making! Luckily each of you will have plenty of help this quarter, mainly from each other! While Q10 is based on individual projects, you will be closely working with 3 other people in the class, whom you will advice, provide with tech support, help with documentation and prototyping.

With your group you will have weekly (every Tuesday!) meetings with Jon and Roel for feedback. Additionally Simon will be around to help and advice you on these projects.

Q10 Planning

08 Nov		Assessments Q9
15 Nov		10:20 - 16:00 Interaction Station

10:30-15:00 Quick and Dirty Prototyping
Go to a workshop/station and make a prototype for one of your group members
Present the prototype alone with answers to the following questions: 
#What theme are they investigating?
#How does/could the project connect with radio / electromagnetic spectrum?

10:30-13:00
Group 1 -10:30-11:00
Group 2: 11:00- 11:30
Group 3: 11:45-12:15
Group 4: 12:15-12:45

15:00-16:00

Quick prototype presentations (1 min per prototype)

22 Nov		10:20 - 13:00 Interaction Station
29 Nov		10:20 - 15:00 Interaction Station
06 Dec		10:20 - 15:00 Interaction Station (unboxing presentation) 
13 Dec		10:20 - 15:00 Interaction Station (last mentoring session)
20 Dec		Assessments  /  Exhibition Q10
26 Dec		Kerstvakantie
02 Jan		Kerstvakantie
10 Jan         no class
17 Jan         no class
24 Jan         no class
31 Jan         Assesment/Resits

Q10 Work Groups

Group 1: Seline Jerry Caio Joëlle

Group 2: Vera Naomi Janine Alkennah Kaylee

Group 3: Jeroen sanne Mirthe Nina

Group 4: Merle Alex Tian Sara Manouk

Assignments

Week 1

Besides further developing a detailed sketch/visualisation for your own project, please answer the following questions for each of your group members:

1. What theme are they investigating?

2. What would be an appropriate question/challenge to answer in this project?

3. Name an interesting reference project that has yet to be mentioned (what does this work remind you of?)

4. In what context do you forsee the final result situated in (commercial product/service, gallery object/installation, public intervention, experimental publication…. ?

5. What weakness or threat should be urgently addressed?

6. What would you propose as a logical next step?

7. What might you be able to offer in terms of expertise/common interest that could be potentially useful for this project.

8. How does/could the project connect with radio / electromagnetic spectrum?

Unravel the code v

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