A Totematon is an artifact which explores the relationship between traditional artisan techniques and custom made open source hardware (OSHW). In this talk, Denisa presents a prototype totematon in the form of a traditional Kyoto windchime made by a local artisan and connected to Chernobyl Geiger tubes with custom made PCB from Tokyo based inMojo team of hackers and makers with electronic components from Shenzhen markets. These radiation chimes react to elevated radiation levels, but more importantly they extend old rituals of protection from evil spirits. The prototype explores the concept of totem hardware, of technologies dispersing evil spirits and geopolitical fears, which can create new collective identities based on hacker and maker cultures refusing present geopolitical divisions and reminding us of our common non-human ancestry by creating powerful new techno-totemic myths.

1. Totematons
Artisan Open Source Hardware
(OSHW) & Animism
Denisa Kera, Jan Rod, Charith Fernando

2. Open Source Hardware (OSHW)

3. FabLabs, Hackerspaces, DIYbio lab
Prague, Singapore, Kathmandu, Tokyo, Yogykarta,
San Francisco… lately Shenzhen

4. hacking food truck in fablab, yogyakarta
for Molecular Cuisine Nomadic Science Lab

5. Research in Developing countries
DIYbio lab OSHW equipment
Connecting DIYbio hackerspaces: Biocurious,
Hackteria, Lifepatch
GeekNomads.com

6. scanned my brain in London
performed “brain uploading” over Dropbox & FB
used the fMRI and SPNs data in a workshop on data
liberation for citizen science in Prague Hackerspace

7. Design Fiction
Open Science, Data activism
Connecting universities & hackerspaces
Open Bio Data Markets
Clouds for Citizen science projects etc.

8. recreated Hieronymus Bosch garden with
spherification in Fribourg/ Swiss hackerspace
use microfludics to meditation upon the meaning of spheres
in western cosmology

9. Lab and Science “archeology” and history
Alchemy & DIYbio
Tinkering in the 16.century
…preparing an puppetry opera with
microfluidics in Prague in May 2013

10. How to connect
Design & Philosophy?
From “no theory without a model”
to “no theory without a prototype”

11. Convergence of Research & Community
building community around prototypes
Grassroots Innovation & Research
outside of Academia & Industry walls
Research in Developing countries &
Support of traditional, indigenous knowledge
Resilient model for policy & public participation in science
OSHW is an opportunity for…

12. Safecast from March 2011 - 2013
From 0 to 5 mil points
Japanese government: 30 000 data points

13. iGeigie = iPhone Radiation Dock
Portable Geiger counter that docks with an
iPhone. By calling your iPhone, you can listen
to the familiar clicks that tell just how much
radiation is present in a particular area.

14. TOTEMATONS.org
Totem Hardware for Cosmopolitical Tribes
Totem & automaton?
Connect old & new artisan techniques
Dispersing evil spirits & geopolitical fears
Emblem for a cosmopolitical clan
Defining new lineages and tribes
Exploring non-human ancestry
Tool of new techno-totemic myths

15. Totematon is….
Totem hardware is a prototype,
which serves as an emblem for
a cosmopolitical clan, defining
new lineages and tribes, and
reminding us of our common
non-human ancestry by
creating powerful new techno-
totemic myths.

16. Prototype 1: Radiation chimes
Traditional windchimes
4 Geiger Tubes
Custom made PCB
Tribute to traditional artisan
techniques, indigenous
design and OSHW

18. Myochin Hibashi Fuurin
Tong Wind Chimes
Traditional crafts typical of Himeji – sound
Myochin’ s iron chopsticks used for sound checking of Sony products
Family business: Munemichi Myochin, family of armor-makers
since Heian Period (A.D.794-1185)

19. “Because I am the only one who can
do this. No one else can produce
these sounds. That’ s why I feel I
cannot be defeated …”
Myochin Hibashi 明珍火箸

20. Chimes, Tongs & Sensors
Windchimes – the first sensor technology
Rituals of protection & taming our fears
Enhance old rituals with new artisan hardware?
Ritual object helping us to deal with our fears from
radiation?

21. Geopolitical Tribute to Open Source
Hardware (OSHW)
Traditional artisan chimes from Himeji 姫路市
Geiger tubes used after Chernobyl
PCB made by Tokyo based InMojo.com team
OSHW components from Shenzhen market
Global tinkering culture based on OSHW
Explorations of hybrid and cosmopolitan futures
OSHW - platform for global, technological and political dialogue
supporting unique inter-cultural design and exchanges between
traditional and new artisan techniques and aesthetic values

22. (Ar)Duino Elegies
Geopolitical Tribute to OSHW
Does the cosmic space,
we dissolve into, taste of us then?
Duino Elegies, Rilke

23. Manifest of Totematons
With this prototype we are exploring the
concept of totem hardware, of technologies
dispersing evil spirits and geopolitical fears,
which can create new collective identities based
on hacker and maker cultures refusing present
geopolitical divisions and working on radical
new visions.

24. Technology & Animism
Embrace tools supporting techno-animism
Enhance sensitivity to our connection with the
elements and the ecosystems
Create for cosmopolitical & cosmopolitan future
We need artifacts, which enable us to taste the
universe and experience what is left after a
catastrophe….

25. Totem hardware Workshops
InMojo.com
Jan Rod, Charith Fernando
Karkhana.asia.... Workshop in October 2013
Sakar Pudasaini
HONF Yogyakarta New Media Art Laboratory & HONFablab…
Workshop this weekend April 2013
Brmlab.cz, Prague… Workshop May 2013
Xin Che Jian Shanghai….. Workshop in Shenzhen July 2013
Silvia Lindtner, David Li