Anti-surveillance bag (sort of)
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Published on March 18, 2011
Description
This item was designed for the "cutbag" competition - see blog.makerbot.com/2011/03/14/twotimes-design-challenge-cardboard-bags/
The object is commentary designed to draw attention to the ways in which our technology is increasingly constructed with "features" beyond our control. The specific "feature" this object draws attention to is the EURion constellation - secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/EURion_constellation - an anti-counterfeiting pattern printed onto many modern currencies that is recognized by various pieces of software and colour copiers etc, causing them to refuse to print or copy the e.g. bank note in question. Now, counterfeiting is clearly something that should be discouraged, but I am a bit troubled by the increasingly prevalent idea that if I ask my technology to do something for me, it must first check with e.g. the government to see if it's OK. This is an area of increasing importance to the 3D printing community as well - imagine a world where all 3D printers were legally required to check in with a central repository before every run to make sure your print doesn't infringe someone's IP or security concern. Sounds ridiculous now, but in ten years, there will be people advocating for that...
So anyway, by exposing the design both to direct viewing, and by functioning (in a limited way) as a privacy-protection device (presumably photos of you carrying this will not print on certain devices / with certain software) this object will hopefully spark discussion around this issue. Meanwhile, it may also function in a limited way as a digital "opt-out" for collection of your personal image in some contexts.
Attributions - inspired by this: martinbackes.com/new-artwork-pixelhead/
and the EURion constellation was taken from the public-domain image found here: secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/File:EURion.svg
Update 2011.03.19: Added file body3.pdf - same as original file, but includes the QR code for this page.
Update 2011.04.04: Added an image. The laser cutter has temporarily gone away, so in the interim this is a bonsai version cut out by hand, but I did use the posted design files...
The object is commentary designed to draw attention to the ways in which our technology is increasingly constructed with "features" beyond our control. The specific "feature" this object draws attention to is the EURion constellation - secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/EURion_constellation - an anti-counterfeiting pattern printed onto many modern currencies that is recognized by various pieces of software and colour copiers etc, causing them to refuse to print or copy the e.g. bank note in question. Now, counterfeiting is clearly something that should be discouraged, but I am a bit troubled by the increasingly prevalent idea that if I ask my technology to do something for me, it must first check with e.g. the government to see if it's OK. This is an area of increasing importance to the 3D printing community as well - imagine a world where all 3D printers were legally required to check in with a central repository before every run to make sure your print doesn't infringe someone's IP or security concern. Sounds ridiculous now, but in ten years, there will be people advocating for that...
So anyway, by exposing the design both to direct viewing, and by functioning (in a limited way) as a privacy-protection device (presumably photos of you carrying this will not print on certain devices / with certain software) this object will hopefully spark discussion around this issue. Meanwhile, it may also function in a limited way as a digital "opt-out" for collection of your personal image in some contexts.
Attributions - inspired by this: martinbackes.com/new-artwork-pixelhead/
and the EURion constellation was taken from the public-domain image found here: secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/File:EURion.svg
Update 2011.03.19: Added file body3.pdf - same as original file, but includes the QR code for this page.
Update 2011.04.04: Added an image. The laser cutter has temporarily gone away, so in the interim this is a bonsai version cut out by hand, but I did use the posted design files...
Instructions
Cut out the "body" and "rings" files in constrasting colours, and 2 or more copies of the "strap" file from the carboard of your choice - bristol-board type material might be a good weight to start with. Red lines = cut, blue lines = engrave (for locating rings and folds).
For the body, make all folds in the same direction, you will get a box 12" x 12" x 3" with one open edge if you don't scale it. Glue all overlaps. Fold the straps (but don't glue yet) and glue a pair inside the body, one at each end, making sure it goes all the way to the bottom for strength. Then nest the other strap ends as far as necessary to get the ideal strap length for you (could insert a 3rd one here if you want a long strap). After you have all the overlaps worked out, glue the straps in their folded shape.
Finally, take the ring cut-outs and glue them on where indicated.
I have included 2 alternate body & rings files, one has a single copy of the EURion constellation, the other has 5 (arranged in a meta-constellation). The single version is larger and hence more visible at a distance, the multi-copy might be more effective at triggering some recognition software.
As an aside, if you have trouble with the "body" files that you think is caused by the EURion constellation, please post a comment here, I'd be interested to hear how common it is.
For the body, make all folds in the same direction, you will get a box 12" x 12" x 3" with one open edge if you don't scale it. Glue all overlaps. Fold the straps (but don't glue yet) and glue a pair inside the body, one at each end, making sure it goes all the way to the bottom for strength. Then nest the other strap ends as far as necessary to get the ideal strap length for you (could insert a 3rd one here if you want a long strap). After you have all the overlaps worked out, glue the straps in their folded shape.
Finally, take the ring cut-outs and glue them on where indicated.
I have included 2 alternate body & rings files, one has a single copy of the EURion constellation, the other has 5 (arranged in a meta-constellation). The single version is larger and hence more visible at a distance, the multi-copy might be more effective at triggering some recognition software.
As an aside, if you have trouble with the "body" files that you think is caused by the EURion constellation, please post a comment here, I'd be interested to hear how common it is.
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License
Anti-surveillance bag (sort of) by MarkU is licensed under the Attribution - Non-Commercial - Share Alike license.
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