WiFi (Rough Map) and Hertizan Space

WiFi Data

Wireless Communications has been a hot topic this week and Ben Reynhart (who works at Mutant Labs) began giving us a lecture in Hertizan Space. There are known devices which are capable of transmitting and recieving signals such as electro-magnetic radiation.

We went to investigate how this kind of idea would work in the outside world, how could something like this transform the way we look at Stonehouse?

One of the groups favourited areas is Royal Williams Dockyard. It's an ideal place to investigate how we could convert electro-magnetic radiation into something visually and graphically representable.

From the data we have collected in our selected area of Stonehouse, we have begun using WiFi enabling equipment such as phones and laptops to find how many WiFi signals we can find. We found alot of conclusive results that people in this part of Stonehouse use the internet alot and have individual internet connections belonging to various ISP's (Internet Service Providers). The common ones such as SKY, BT, Virgin and the infamous uncommon ones such as MASSBREWUP and Googanies-hair (possibly mobile devices with bluetooth activated..). We also found an open network which was named Hpsetup which wasn't protected and had a strength of 2 bars, so it is relatively useable by all of the people that lived in this area (especially section 1).

Here is a rough representation of the map to come, it will basically display different strengths based on my laptops status along in the area we selected. The more bars, the stronger the signal. The example shows all of the strength 2's in the area which was the most common signal strength in the area.

The Wonders of GPS (Global Positioning Satelites)

Global Positioning

The use of GPS devices has exploded with brand new ideas within the past 5-10 years, some are very handy and incredibly accurate, whilst others are not. Recent breakthrough in technology has given us some amazing mobile phones which carry GPS tracking capabilities such as the Google Android. With various applications, the phone can be wirelessly connected to a local satelite in the Earths upper atmosphere ready for usage. After a journey is complete, the data can be tracked using the google site (Google Latitude) which draws the map where you have been. Useful, but how useful is it for our Transforming Stonehouse Visit?

When conducting the task of GPS Mapping, we had to stick to certain rules which include:

-Turn left at blue signs.
-Turn right at red signs.
-Turn back at black signs.

These rules were not to difficult to follow as Plymouth is plastered with signs everywhere, so moving in different directions really helped the changes in data instead of just walking in a straight line constantly. There were slight inconsistencies with the results from the map (displayed below) which initially put the group off of using GPS Mapping in the final project, but it was worth testing.



Another example of a great piece of technology for similar jobs is this:
Clarion H.M.I. Clarion have designed this epic tool which acts as your normal GPS device for your car, but it is also designed to be taken out and can be used whilst walking around the town trying to find various hard to find destinations. Using the same idea as Google Android, it tracks where the user is going, but actually lets the user see where he/she is actually walking to. Not only this, it can be used as a media device to play music, video whilst on the go. In my opinion only three words describe this: I WANT ONE!