http://www.plummerfernandez.com Plummer-Fernandez Thu, 17 May 2012 09:31:04 +0000 http://www.plummerfernandez.com en http://www.plummerfernandez.com/Botology http://www.plummerfernandez.com/following/plummerfernandez.com/Botology Thu, 17 May 2012 09:31:04 +0000 Plummer-Fernandez 3422397 <img src="http://payload56.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/3422397/happyB0t-plummer-fernandez_800.png" border="0" width="800" height="513" width_o="855" height_o="549" src_o="http://payload56.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/3422397/happyB0t-plummer-fernandez_o.png" align="left" data-mid="17612337" /> <img src="http://payload56.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/3422397/sadb0t-plummer-fernandez_800.png" border="0" width="800" height="456" width_o="870" height_o="496" src_o="http://payload56.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/3422397/sadb0t-plummer-fernandez_o.png" align="left" data-mid="17612434" /> <img src="http://payload56.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/3422397/botology3_800.png" border="0" width="800" height="517" width_o="851" height_o="550" src_o="http://payload56.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/3422397/botology3_o.png" align="left" data-mid="17612708" /> <img src="http://payload56.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/3422397/NArtBot-2_800.png" border="0" width="800" height="477" width_o="871" height_o="520" src_o="http://payload56.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/3422397/NArtBot-2_o.png" align="left" data-mid="17612716" /> <img src="http://payload56.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/3422397/NartBot-3_800.png" border="0" width="800" height="478" width_o="866" height_o="518" src_o="http://payload56.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/3422397/NartBot-3_o.png" align="left" data-mid="17612722" /> <img src="http://payload56.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/3422397/nartbot-response_800.png" border="0" width="800" height="496" width_o="867" height_o="538" src_o="http://payload56.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/3422397/nartbot-response_o.png" align="left" data-mid="17612727" /> Botology - ongoing research and development I am currently doing an extensive study on social bots. Social bots are software applications that run automated interactions over social networking sites. Some bots even have the ability to generate their own text messages, and some utilise basic artificial intelligence to engage in conversation. The interesting bots I find are added to the Botology tumblr. My own bot developments are listed below, starting with the most recent: @sadB0T SadB0T is a learning Bot, it will slowly expand its vocabulary based on tweets it finds containing :( (sad faces). It uses a Markov chain algorithm to generate new messages based upon what it has learnt. @happyB0T happyB0T is a learning Bot, it will slowly expand its vocabulary based on tweets it finds containing :) (happy faces). It uses a Markov chain algorithm to generate new messages based upon what it has learnt. @NArtBot NArtBot is the 'New Aesthetic' retweet bot service. It retweets any mention of the #newAesthetic but also generates its own opinions after being fed essays on NA. Any retweets of these opinions 'teach' NArtBot of its personal successes to use similarly in future. NArtBot also temporarily borrows the profile photo of the person it has just retweeted. @ErtBot ErtBot is a bot that searches for things being switched off and will reply to that person with a congratulatory response. @ecojo1 Eco Jo is a virtual hippie, activist, eco campaigner that has learnt how to deliver thoughtful messages by scraping community forums. http://www.plummerfernandez.com/Sound-of-Light http://www.plummerfernandez.com/following/plummerfernandez.com/Sound-of-Light Wed, 16 May 2012 23:37:26 +0000 Plummer-Fernandez 3420314 <img src="http://payload56.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/3420314/sound_of_light_0_plummer-fernandez_800.jpg" border="0" width="800" height="531" width_o="1053" height_o="700" src_o="http://payload56.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/3420314/sound_of_light_0_plummer-fernandez_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="17600717" /> <img src="http://payload56.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/3420314/sound_of_light_3_plummer-fernandez.jpg" border="0" width="465" height="700" width_o="465" height_o="700" src_o="http://payload56.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/3420314/sound_of_light_3_plummer-fernandez_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="17600730" /> <img src="http://payload56.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/3420314/sound_of_light_1_plummer-fernandez_800.jpg" border="0" width="800" height="531" width_o="1053" height_o="700" src_o="http://payload56.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/3420314/sound_of_light_1_plummer-fernandez_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="17600721" /> <img src="http://payload56.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/3420314/sound_of_light_2_plummer-fernandez_800.jpg" border="0" width="800" height="531" width_o="1053" height_o="700" src_o="http://payload56.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/3420314/sound_of_light_2_plummer-fernandez_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="17600725" /> Sound of Light The familiar white noise of neon lights was recorded and physically graphed into a casing for the lights. http://www.plummerfernandez.com/tSet http://www.plummerfernandez.com/following/plummerfernandez.com/tSet Sun, 26 Feb 2012 12:27:43 +0000 Plummer-Fernandez 2884727 <img src="http://payload29.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/2884727/tPot_tCup7_800.jpg" border="0" width="800" height="688" width_o="2048" height_o="1763" src_o="http://payload29.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/2884727/tPot_tCup7_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="14667095" /> <img src="http://payload29.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/2884727/iMal_gx30_plummer-fernandez_tPot2_800.jpg" border="0" width="800" height="539" width_o="2048" height_o="1381" src_o="http://payload29.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/2884727/iMal_gx30_plummer-fernandez_tPot2_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="14666634" /> <img src="http://payload29.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/2884727/plummer-fernandez-original-teapot_800.png" border="0" width="750" height="715" width_o="750" height_o="715" src_o="http://payload29.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/2884727/plummer-fernandez-original-teapot_o.png" align="left" data-mid="14666645" /> <img src="http://payload29.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/2884727/plummer-fernandez-t-pot_processing.png" border="0" width="574" height="466" width_o="574" height_o="466" src_o="http://payload29.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/2884727/plummer-fernandez-t-pot_processing_o.png" align="left" data-mid="14666646" /> <img src="http://payload29.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/2884727/tCups-plummerfernandez_800.jpg" border="0" width="800" height="522" width_o="2048" height_o="1338" src_o="http://payload29.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/2884727/tCups-plummerfernandez_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="14668231" /> tSet(); tPot(); tCup(); A tea set is created by sampling and remixing existing objects using 3D scanning from photographs (via hypr3D.com) and a custom made Processing sketch that works as an interface to manipulate meshes and create ready-to-print files. The process is an alternative partcipatory approach to product consumption that exploits emerging technologies to make it possible for people to copy, modify and fabricate objects to their own taste. A project developed during the Generator.x 3.0 workshop organised by Marius Watz at iMal. http://www.plummerfernandez.com/Ink-on-Paper http://www.plummerfernandez.com/following/plummerfernandez.com/Ink-on-Paper Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:05:50 +0000 Plummer-Fernandez 1357087 <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1357087/ink-on-paper3_800.jpg" border="0" width="800" height="531" width_o="1053" height_o="700" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1357087/ink-on-paper3_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="17598596" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1357087/ink-on-paper-4.jpg" border="0" width="465" height="700" width_o="465" height_o="700" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1357087/ink-on-paper-4_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="17598587" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1357087/ink-on-paper-5-plummer-fernandez_800.jpg" border="0" width="800" height="485" width_o="1154" height_o="700" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1357087/ink-on-paper-5-plummer-fernandez_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="17598589" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1357087/ink-on-paper5_800.jpg" border="0" width="800" height="627" width_o="893" height_o="700" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1357087/ink-on-paper5_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="17598598" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1357087/ink-on-paper6.jpg" border="0" width="529" height="700" width_o="529" height_o="700" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1357087/ink-on-paper6_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="17598600" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1357087/inkonpaper1.jpg" border="0" width="480" height="640" width_o="480" height_o="640" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1357087/inkonpaper1_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="6597467" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1357087/inkonpaper2.jpg" border="0" width="576" height="385" width_o="576" height_o="385" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1357087/inkonpaper2_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="6597470" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1357087/ink-on-paper-6-plummer-fernandez.jpg" border="0" width="525" height="350" width_o="525" height_o="350" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1357087/ink-on-paper-6-plummer-fernandez_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="17598592" /> Ink on Paper Royal College of Art final show "From the point where our ancestors started making tools, people have been unable to survive without the things they make; in this sense, it is making things that makes us human." — Neil MacGregor. A history of the World in 100 Objects. p.13 At the RCA I was going through mixed feelings about the pace of technology and the redundancy of human skills. On one hand my grandad (on my Colombian side) was so enthusiastic about technology he took to Colombia a state-of-the-art German printing and packaging machine that was a huge success, only requiring one man to operate. On the other hand my father was trained as a commercial artist and learnt to use his hands for a multitude of printing techniques which became redundant when Macs, Photoshop and digital printers came along. My father chose to avoid adapting and the old printing studio that him and his colleagues used was slowly dismantled. My piece for the RCA was a sort of shrine to the romantic hand printing era but contrarily employed an endearing swarm of small glass printing robots that made a chaotic mess of ink. Their movements were stimulated by sunlight and dampened by the presence of humans. My personal conclusion was to embrace technology without excluding poetry. http://www.plummerfernandez.com/FourFootFalls http://www.plummerfernandez.com/following/plummerfernandez.com/FourFootFalls Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:05:49 +0000 Plummer-Fernandez 1354992 <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1354992/fff1_800.jpg" border="0" width="800" height="704" width_o="800" height_o="704" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1354992/fff1_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="6588239" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1354992/fff2_800.jpg" border="0" width="800" height="583" width_o="800" height_o="583" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1354992/fff2_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="6588240" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1354992/fff3_800.jpg" border="0" width="800" height="532" width_o="800" height_o="532" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1354992/fff3_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="6588241" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1354992/fff4_800.jpg" border="0" width="800" height="532" width_o="800" height_o="532" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1354992/fff4_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="6588243" /> Fourfootfalls Commissioned by Selfridges I wanted to propose that shop windows of the future could house micro-factories that produce store items, simultaneously seducing passers-by. As digital production shrinks in size it is possible to imagine manufacturing becoming part of the city landscape. Initially the machines were meant to crudely deposit a solidifying material such as wax or resin to print emergent structures over the duration of the window installation, however the final piece was compromised due to setbacks and a more staged version was created. I still hope the concept and the effect on passers-by is worth documenting. http://www.plummerfernandez.com/Infructescence http://www.plummerfernandez.com/following/plummerfernandez.com/Infructescence Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:05:48 +0000 Plummer-Fernandez 1354623 <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1354623/infructescence0_800.jpg" border="0" width="800" height="532" width_o="800" height_o="532" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1354623/infructescence0_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="6586561" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1354623/infructescence2_800.jpg" border="0" width="800" height="532" width_o="800" height_o="532" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1354623/infructescence2_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="6586569" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1354623/infructescence3_800.jpg" border="0" width="800" height="532" width_o="800" height_o="532" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1354623/infructescence3_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="6586573" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1354623/infructescence1_800.jpg" border="0" width="800" height="532" width_o="800" height_o="532" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1354623/infructescence1_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="6586566" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1354623/infructescence4_800.jpg" border="0" width="800" height="385" width_o="800" height_o="385" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1354623/infructescence4_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="6586578" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1354623/infructescence5_800.jpg" border="0" width="800" height="717" width_o="800" height_o="717" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1354623/infructescence5_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="6586582" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1354623/infructescence6_800.jpg" border="0" width="800" height="536" width_o="800" height_o="536" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1354623/infructescence6_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="6586584" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1354623/infructescence7.jpg" border="0" width="428" height="640" width_o="428" height_o="640" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1354623/infructescence7_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="6586587" /> Infructescence Commissioned by Artsco for Bloomberg Team: MP-F, Michelle Shields For Bloomberg we proposed and delivered a way of transforming their disposed computer mice into low-voltage LED lanterns that sprout around light fittings. They purposely hang from a wiremesh grid with exposed wiring to allow these clusters to grow and grow as more computer mice are disposed (at least in concept; in practice we don’t have further access to their wastestream). http://www.plummerfernandez.com/Sound-Tag http://www.plummerfernandez.com/following/plummerfernandez.com/Sound-Tag Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:05:47 +0000 Plummer-Fernandez 1352587 <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1352587/soundtag2_800.jpg" border="0" width="800" height="532" width_o="800" height_o="532" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1352587/soundtag2_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="6577067" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1352587/soundtag3_800.jpg" border="0" width="800" height="532" width_o="800" height_o="532" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1352587/soundtag3_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="6577068" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1352587/soundtag1_800.jpg" border="0" width="800" height="532" width_o="800" height_o="532" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1352587/soundtag1_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="6577062" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1352587/soundtag4.jpg" border="0" width="480" height="640" width_o="480" height_o="640" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1352587/soundtag4_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="6577070" /> Sound Tag, Albert Bridge. Sound tagging is a new activity for documenting the sounds of our city. Most large buildings have distinct auditory signatures as a result of vibrations generated by traffic, underground, and wind that resonate through the solid structures. In simpler terms: buildings have voices. One second of the auditory signature of Albert Bridge was recorded with contact mics, graphed, laser-cut and attached to the underside of the bridge. http://www.plummerfernandez.com/London-Igloos http://www.plummerfernandez.com/following/plummerfernandez.com/London-Igloos Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:05:46 +0000 Plummer-Fernandez 1352501 <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1352501/igloo1_800.jpg" border="0" width="800" height="532" width_o="800" height_o="532" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1352501/igloo1_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="6576549" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1352501/igloo2_800.jpg" border="0" width="800" height="532" width_o="800" height_o="532" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1352501/igloo2_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="6576550" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1352501/igloo3_800.jpg" border="0" width="800" height="532" width_o="800" height_o="532" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1352501/igloo3_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="6576551" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1352501/igloo4_800.jpg" border="0" width="800" height="532" width_o="800" height_o="532" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1352501/igloo4_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="6576552" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1352501/igloo5.jpg" border="0" width="427" height="640" width_o="427" height_o="640" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1352501/igloo5_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="6576553" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1352501/igloo6_800.jpg" border="0" width="800" height="532" width_o="800" height_o="532" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1352501/igloo6_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="6576554" /> London Igloos Commissioned by Designersblock for London Design Festival 2007 Igloo team: MP-F, David Gardener, Oliver Daukes, Jenny Brewer, Rachel Igloo, Macki. The London design festival inspired me to consider whether it is possible to create something ‘local in origin’ within London itself. The only abundant material to be found everywhere are newspapers. I wanted to explore whether a city could grow out of its own material supply - increasing efficiency and self-sufficiency much like a natural system. The small shelters were made by collecting newspapers and paper-macheing large weather balloons with the aid of a small community of friends and design students. The material also has all the information needed to determine the time, place, and history of the location of manufacture. The domes become time capsules of information. <img alt="Creative Commons Licence" style="border-width:0" src="http://i.creativecommons.org/l/by-nc-sa/3.0/88x31.png" />This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. http://www.plummerfernandez.com/Make-Room-Make-Room http://www.plummerfernandez.com/following/plummerfernandez.com/Make-Room-Make-Room Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:05:45 +0000 Plummer-Fernandez 1351969 <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1351969/makeroommakeroom6_800.jpg" border="0" width="800" height="532" width_o="800" height_o="532" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1351969/makeroommakeroom6_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="6573195" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1351969/makeroommakeroom-pq2_800.jpg" border="0" width="800" height="486" width_o="800" height_o="486" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1351969/makeroommakeroom-pq2_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="6573189" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1351969/makeroommakeroom-press1.jpg" border="0" width="426" height="640" width_o="426" height_o="640" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1351969/makeroommakeroom-press1_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="6573190" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1351969/makeroommakeroom-press2.jpg" border="0" width="486" height="640" width_o="486" height_o="640" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1351969/makeroommakeroom-press2_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="6573191" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1351969/makeroommakeroom-press3_800.jpg" border="0" width="800" height="532" width_o="800" height_o="532" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1351969/makeroommakeroom-press3_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="6573192" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1351969/makeroommakeroom-press4.jpg" border="0" width="426" height="640" width_o="426" height_o="640" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1351969/makeroommakeroom-press4_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="6573193" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1351969/makeroommakeroom-press5_800.jpg" border="0" width="800" height="532" width_o="800" height_o="532" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1351969/makeroommakeroom-press5_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="6573194" /> Make Room! Make Room! Commissioned by Mint for the London Design Festival 2010 Mint shop commissioned 13 designers to modify 13 identical utilitarian chairs for the London Design Festival. Named after a Harry Harrison novel depicting an overpopulated future, my concept is to show solidarity and be less fearful about population density by dividing up the conservative chair for one into a more ample yet beautiful set of stools and table for three. http://www.plummerfernandez.com/Phototropism-I http://www.plummerfernandez.com/following/plummerfernandez.com/Phototropism-I Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:05:44 +0000 Plummer-Fernandez 1323514 <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1323514/phototropism-mpf-small.jpg" border="0" width="510" height="600" width_o="510" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1323514/phototropism-mpf-small_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="6426313" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1323514/phototropism-templates.jpg" border="0" width="440" height="640" width_o="440" height_o="640" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1323514/phototropism-templates_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="6576748" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1323514/phototropism1-2.jpg" border="0" width="502" height="640" width_o="502" height_o="640" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/2/72317/1323514/phototropism1-2_o.jpg" align="left" data-mid="6576751" /> Phototropism 1 Commissioned by FX magazine Phototropism is a project exploring the potential of decentralised networks of miniature solar energy production. Currently energy is centralised to huge power plants that ineffectively lose power over long distance transmission. The cost of creating new power plants is also a huge hurdle to climb. Futurist Ray Kurzweil predicts that technology advances exponentially, quoting for instance the thousands of transistors now available on a single chip for less than a dollar. With recent advances in nano-technology, Graphene based electronics (Graphene being only one atom thick), light-gathering chlorophyll molecules, it’s not hard to imagine that our current silicon-based photo-electric solar cells will be considered the bulky, inefficient, and primitive precursor to a new generation of tiny solar energy units. As a designer it is my job to then think how such technology can be made accessible to the everyday energy consumer. I’m inspired how informal cities grow organically with ordinary people slowly collecting materials to increase the size and living quality of their homes over time. The Internet also proves that a growing self-made network is a highly effective model for development. I imagine that we will slowly ‘grow’ a network of these small energy units around our homes and office buildings, snapping them into place on a grid that connects and powers all our electrical needs. As this network grows and grows, it will slowly make the existing commercially run national grid redundant, and energy could potentially be free for all. Phototropism is a botanical term that describes the growth and response to a light stimulus. <img alt="Creative Commons Licence" style="border-width:0" src="http://i.creativecommons.org/l/by-nc-sa/3.0/88x31.png" />This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.