Californian researchers run IP network over xylophones
2012-05-14 09:03 by Daniela
A researcher of the University of California Berkeley has run an IP network over a set of xylophones, played by human participants. R. Geiger's network protocol, Internet Protocol over Xylophone Players (IPoXP), provides a fully compliant IP connection between two computers. The setup uses a pair of Arduino microcontrollers, some sensors, a pair of xylophones and two people to play the xylophones. "While not practical for everyday use, the experiment has helped both computer experts and novices alike better understand how computer networks operate," said the young researcher who led the project. "Although we cannot completely control the amount of enjoyment people might experience while playing the IPoXP installation, the intended user experience is meant to be mechanistic and austere. This effect was achieved by limiting the player's visibility and movement while using the interface," he says. "We want the player to see the packets as we imagine computers see them, as unsentimental electrical impulses. We are also hoping that the farrago of notes coming from the xylophone as it is played to add to the sense of dystopia." Read more -here-
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