Embodied RF Ecologies by Afroditi Psarra

Following my quest to embody the invisible transmissions that surround us, in this wearable I explore the use of an IC mixer circuit to down convert the emissions from the NOAA weather satellite and make them audible. By continuing my research into textile antennas and fractal geometry as a means to detect radio-frequency (RF) transmissions, I aim to speculate about the body as an agent of power in a post-capitalist world, and to re-interpret transmission technologies through handmade crafting techniques.

This laser cut peano curve fractal antenna made of SaniSilver (silver-cotton) fabric from LessEMF is the sensing mechanism that allows for the circuit to pick up the RF transmissions.

Following the previous posts on Fractal Antennae and VNA measurements, this is the tuning process for the down converter circuit of the wearable. This experiment took place at the Reynolds Lab in Electrical Engineering at UW with the valuable help of James Rosental (PhD student in E.E.).

Embodied RF Ecologies wearable sniffing radio transmissions and EMFs near the power station by the DXARTS Fablab in Ballard.

This project formed part of the eTextile Spring Break camp exhibition at The Wassaic Project in Amenia, NY on April 2019 and will also be presented at Piksel Studio 207 in Bergen, Norway as part of the exhibition Signal To Noise in May 2019, curated by Tincuta Heinzel.

Signal To Noise exhibition flyer.