Papernet [Live Web]
Final project for Live Web. A small network between users around the world and a single thermal printer in NYC. Users send text messages directly to the printer via a self-hosted https webpage on a Raspberry Pi 3 Model B. Printed messages are then immediatley shredded by a mechanical paper shredder a few inches below. Papernet is currently running locally at Flux Factory on Govenor’s Island (Colonel’s Row houes 404A) until August 6th, visitable on weekends as part of an exhibition titled Feralpy which explore alternative modes of release and reflection.
Process
May:
1) checkout a TTL adafruit thermal printer
2) test printing from an arduino uno
3) source a small mechanical paper shredder
4) attempt to attach a 360 degree servo (powered by arduino uno) to mechanical paper shredder (fail for now)
5) pivot thermal printing and socket recieving to raspberry pi instead of arduino
6) checkout a netgear nitehawk router
7) set up port forwarding on 443 (https)
8) get a domain name and ssl from namecheap (ty github for students)
9) ask gpt to make a quick front end page with html and css for user input
10) write node.js server to recieve socket data from front end and end to printer over RX + TX 11) share the url and get to manual shredding
June:
1) Order an electric (battery powered) mini paper shredder & thermal printer
2) Consult Mat Olsen about wooden enclosure + Mat builds stand from single plank of natural wood binded with wood glue and screws and stabilized by plywood base (all found materials)
3) Secure printer & shredder to enclosure first with industrial grade velcro (supposedly) later with hot glue.
4) Cable management + pi securing with zipties
Next Steps
- Integrate some sort of sensor or timing system to send power to the shredder only when text has recently been printed
- Short-Term: set up the printer in my house and live stream it on the front end page.
- Long-Term: find a permanent home to host papernet (and pay for it’s internet bandwidth lol) in the public eye (ideally a small window like display) where people can only read the text output in person for a short time. Recording of the network would be discouraged through lighting design and sinage.
Summary of technologies used: #
- Adafruit Thermal Printer TTL connection
- Netgear Nitehawk router
- Raspberry Pi 3 Model B
- University enterprise network
- Socket.io
- Node.js
- Html, CSS