Sjef van Gaalen

Design researcher. Futures & Fiction, Collage & Camouflage. Structure & Narrative.

Some of you might remember the mess of a workshop last year at Dinacon 1 in which we solved capitalism with de-extincted CRISPR dinosaurs that filtered plastic and pooped structures for aquatic farms to grow on? You don’t? Ok cool yeah me neither.

This year there’s going to be more better weirder futures & fictions, as we collectively create a speculative map populated with fictional narratives based on extrapolations of how Dinacon projects have gone extremely wrong awesome. I’m sure it will be good clean methodologically sound fun.

Deren Guler

Deren Guler is a researcher and educator who specializes in designing accessible technology solutions and tools. She holds a BS in Physics and a Master of Tangible Interaction Design from Carnegie Mellon University. She is a part-time Lecturer in the Design and Technology department at Parsons the New School for design and leads workshops in designing for the future around the world. Her work has been featured in the New York Times, BBC, CNN, and Wired among others. She is the founder of Teknikio, a series of electronic components and kits designed to foster technological literacy and creative confidence especially in girls, through physical experimentation.

I am interested in creating a series of natural and artificial smart environments that interact with each other to explore the perception of “high tech” systems. This will build off of the project I started at Dinacon last year and have been researching through speculative design tools.

Joel Murphy

Joel is the engineer behind the Pulse Sensor www.pulsesensor.com and OpenBCI www.openbci.com. Joel designs and hacks electronics and specialize in biosensing. Other exploits include www.tympan.org, www.openhak.com. he is co-designing this year’s badge for the Biohacking Village at DEFCON.

I plan to be humbled by the difficulties of working with tech in the jungle.

Julian Stirling

I am a physicists specialising in instrumentation. I have worked on experiments ranging from blue skies measurements of the Universal Constant of Gravitation, to practical mass metrology at the milligram level. At the University of Bath I work on open source hardware, including the OpenFlexure microscope.

I will bring openflexure microscopes, and spare parts into the field. Over the week others will be able to use them for their own projects providing feedback on how they perform in the field, and try to fix any issues on the fly. From this experience we will document the field performance, and plan a ruggedised field version of the microscope.

Mar Alzamora

Coming from nearby Panama City, Mar is a musician, writer, sound artist, speaker, educator and cultural manager. An advocate of experimental and new music and sound studies. Co-founder and bassist of the Paisaxe Ensemble since 2008. Her poetry and short films have won multiple local and international awards. Her literary work has been translated into English, Arabic and French. She holds a Bachelor of Arts, Music (Arizona State University) and a master’s degree in Sociocultural Animation and Community Development. Certified instructor of Deep Listening and Nāda Yoga.

Her current research is based in the relationship between sound, the urban environment, bodies of water, memory and experimental art. For more info: www.maralzamora.net Instagram: @maralzamorarivera

During the Dinacon, I will be working on a series of soundwalks around Gamboa to meditate about the sound diversity that will surround us. Everyone is welcome to join! I will be writing sonic meditations, poems and create visual poems about the walks. Since Gamboa is located by the Panama Canal, it will be a biopoetic experience colored by history and life.

Margaret Minsky and Oliver Steele

Margaret Minsky creates multimedia artifacts exploring learning, improvisation and thought. Her core research has been in the field of haptic interfaces (computational interfaces that simulate objects that you can touch and feel), as well as educational technology. Recently she has been investigating “Do We Think Differently Upside Down?”, substituting circus trapeze for furniture in the workplace and investigating whether that’s good for our cognitive, social, and physical wellbeing. 
Oliver Steele is a software engineer, technology advisor, and open source contributor. Previously he has been an engineering manager, product manager, and educator at Olin College of Engineering, Apple, Aol, and Nest. 

The Dinacon 1 projects pages show our on-location projects as a team, and as individuals, last year.  Amazing dinasaurs from dinacon 1 returning as node leaders for dinacon 2

L Wilkins

L Wilkins is a cyborg based in Toronto, Canada. They are currently a PhD student at the University of Toronto, chair at Site 3 coLaboratory, and co-executive director of Little Dada.

I’m interested in exploring the relationship between the senses at nature through cybernetics. I want to explore magnetic fields and translating them into physical experiences. I plan to create at least 2 devices that translate these fields into sensory experiences, and contrast this data with other environments.

Location – 2018

It’s an island in thailand! It’s called Koh Lon.

It’s a large, mostly empty island, off the, less touristy, southern side of Phuket island. The low season for tourism in this area is from May – October, meaning that for our purposes in June and July most places will be a lot more empty and laid back. 

Getting There

Here’s a quick 360 video tour showing you how participants can get to our island!

  1. Get a cab from the airport to Chalong Bay (~1100 baht).
  2. Catch a free Longtail ride to Koh Lon (9am, 12pm, 3pm).
  3. Come sign in to the conference!

Amenities

Our location offers the following luxurious (and not so luxurious) to participants for free! We can house up to 30 people for free at any given time. If the average participant stays for about a week, that means we aim to have around 200 people at this conference overall!

  • Main Bungalow (HQ): can fit 10 folks
  • Campground: Can fit 10 tents and up to 20 folks
  • Kayaks
  • Access to aquatic and terrestrial parts of island for exploration
  •  Local guides available for hire 500thb ( $15 USD )
  • Wifi
  • Three free longtail boat rides per day (travel to the mainland / hauling gear)
  • Electronics, Crafting, and Prototyping Gear (Including: Mobile/Wearable Studios, Robotic arms, 3D printers, Laser etchers, Sensors and actuators of all sorts, yarn.)
  • Additional private cottages available for rent (1500 THB / 48USD with breakfast included OR 1200 THB without breakfast.)

cool.spot #theta360 – Spherical Image – RICOH THETA


(this shot is on the “campground” in front of the bungalow HQ)

The rest of the island has one other resort, and a small group of 2-3 houses where some local folks live. Otherwise it is pretty much empty and wild. From what we saw there are some plantations/ overgrown plantations / and more fresh looking forest.

It seems that we would have pretty free reign to explore this island and its forests, beaches and mangroves.

Location: https://goo.gl/maps/Enk5ESDWzzC2

Advantages

One of the biggest advantages of this location is that Tasneem will be based right off the island for the next year (she can see the island looking out her house!). It’s only a 10 minute or so dingy ride to get from the island to the mainland.

Thailand, and Phuket area is quite advantageous in terms of its accessibility for travelers. For international visitors the visa process is easy, quick, and cheap. In Thailand, conference attendees only need a tourist visa as well.

For South-east asian locals travelling here is very fast and not expensive, and for folks further away it’s still pretty easy to get to! People can get a taxi from the airport, and make it to our island in about 1-1.5 hours.

This southern side of Phuket is quite relaxed, not super touristy (and we will be there during the off-season anyway)

Terrestrial Exploration

Here’s a 360 image of some nearby forest exploration (more to come later):

https://theta360.com/s/t1yHSfX40EjvrXNZamWEPM5cS

Outside the house: https://theta360.com/s/fQGtCheTdaFNSSRjde9W8Vw4S

https://theta360.com/s/iCRETcvPgAXCyjdSHBj34yXpc

Inside living room

main living room #theta360 – Spherical Image – RICOH THETA

https://theta360.com/s/t9UVDyZXDdbPKJPUU3IkW9YcG
Near Rain Barrel outside

side of house #theta360 – Spherical Image – RICOH THETA

The island has a couple small resorts on one side, but the whole rest of the island seems to be pretty wild and fun! There are also lots of other little islands around, and some mangrove swamps we can canoe through, explore, and even build our own little monitoring stands. There seems to be plenty of wildlife around, and the tidepools have all sorts of fun critters like octopuses changing colors and textures, pistol shrimp popping, and plants that have calcium skeletons!

Check out some nearby mangrove exploration we did:

Marine Exploration

Tasneem has tons of connections with all kinds of great, caring people who work with large ships (such as Sail in Asia, where she is working). Basing our project here would likely open us up to the whole blue world as well! We met really nice, interesting people with big, luxurious diving ships, and could probably work out some times during the conference where some of the group goes on a multi-day sailing trip!

Code of Conduct

We have an evolving code of conduct based off other nice codes of conducts that deal with the intricacies involving people in remote places building things and working together. Notably our code of conduct is based off Signalfire Arts residency, SV Seeker, and the Gathering for Open Science Hardware (GOSH).

You can DOWNLOAD the codes of conducts and safety waivers here:

Or here as well

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ffbNFdIVS7IlpHGeD-urQyQK47Ox1vaw

and then you can sign and

upload these forms here (unfortunately requires a google account):

https://goo.gl/forms/Se2avZwnw9nAOvX62

The content is included here:

SAFE SPACE AND ANTI-OPPRESSION POLICY

Adapted from Signal Fire http://www.signalfirearts.org/, March 2017

The Digital Naturalism Conference (“Dinacon”) seeks to achieve a collaborative spirit on all of our trips, at our events, and in our communications as we highlight the unique and extraordinary people who choose to join us. We do this by offering a space that fosters creativity, resilience, and positive change in the face of challenging times. At the core of Dinacon, we try to replicate in our collective space the world we wish to see: one that is radically egalitarian and not oppressive.

Because of our efforts to bring participants out to remote places, potentially pushing their edge of comfort, our commitment to safety and our intolerance for oppressive behavior is taken seriously. Despite our desire to maintain an anti-authoritarian ethic, due to the nature of these trips there may be times that the committee members running Dinacon ask for specific actions by the participants in order to maintain the safety of the group. We expect such demands to be clearly articulated and immediately followed. The committee reserves the power to remove a person from the trip or the group with minimal deliberation if a situation is deemed unsafe for any participant.

Equity Policy

Dinacon is a non-discriminatory organization that seeks to both support and empower its affiliates. All participants are expected to maintain openness on basis of physical and mental ability, socio-economic class, educational levels, regional origin, and identity variance. We expect people to be conscious of privilege in respect to ability, economics (class), race, culture, age, education, identity, size, or regional origins in systematic practices and across all aspects of Dinacon’s programming.

Participants are expected to use the language preferred by a person in reference to their name, identity, pronoun, physical and mental ability, etc as well as being expected to respectfully educate others in the group about those preferences. All participants are expected to promote and support considerate, inclusive language and remain conscious of language’s possible effects on others in reference to systems of power and privilege, accessibility, and cultural competency. We expect new use of language when it has been identified to an individual or the group as being offensive or oppressive.

Sexual Harassment and Assault

Dinacon has no tolerance for sexual harassment or assault of any kind. Sexual harassment may include a range of subtle and not so subtle behaviors and may involve individuals of similar or different genders. Depending on the circumstances, these behaviors may include, but are not limited to: unwanted sexual advances or requests for sexual favors; sexual jokes and innuendo; verbal abuse of a sexual nature; commentary about an individual’s body, sexual prowess or sexual deficiencies; leering, catcalls or touching; insulting or obscene comments or gestures; display or circulation of sexually suggestive objects or pictures; and other physical, verbal or visual conduct of a sexual nature. Gender-based harassment, that is, harassment not involving sexual activity or language (e.g., a male leader corrects only female participants and not males) may also constitute discrimination if it is severe or pervasive and directed at participants because of their gender identity.

We expect each participant to:

●          Respect physical and emotional boundaries

●          Obtain explicit verbal consent before touching or engaging in discussions of an                          intimate nature

●          Not film or video people without their permission

●          Respect the opinions, beliefs, and points of view of others

●          Strive to make other participants comfortable

In the event that a participant feels they have witnessed or experienced harassment or been assaulted by another participant, they should tell a committee member of Dinacon as soon as possible, no matter the time of day or night or situation. Dinacon will work with the person to communicate and get consent on a plan forward. In most instances, the person accused of harassment or assault will be given the opportunity to explain their interpretation of the event before being removed from the trip.

Alcohol and other drugs

The use of alcohol and other drugs increases safety risks significantly. It also puts our entire organization at risk. We support an ethic of free choice, while expecting cooperation and individual responsibility for the shared space. We expect that any choices made in regard to controlled substances will be made with the safety and comfort of the group in mind. We request participants with a history of addiction to share this with the committee as part of your health information, as it will aid us in understanding how to help you in case of an emergency.

NO BLAME WAIVER

By participating in DINACON, I acknowledge that I will be engaging in outdoor activities that are potentially dangerous, including but not limited to; walking, hiking, backpacking, swimming, boating, kayaking, biking, and camping events organized by other participants, volunteers, and members of DINACON. DINACON is a meetup organization where artists, musicians, writers, biologists, technologists, and others meet to participate in outdoor activities and residencies called Outings (“Outings”).

The waiver of liability is an agreement that attendance at these Outings are strictly voluntary and of my own choice and that I agree 100% to accept personal responsibility for all and any foreseen and unforeseen events that may occur during, including to and from, DINACON Outings.

I understand that during my participation in DINACON Outings, I may be exposed to a variety of hazards and risks, foreseen or unforeseen, which are inherent in each Outing and cannot be eliminated without destroying the unique character of the Outings. These inherent risks include, but are not limited to, the dangers of serious personal injury, property damage, and death (“Injuries and Damages”) from exposure to the hazards of outdoor activities and travel to and from these activities.

DINACON has not tried to contradict or minimize my understanding of these risks. I know that Injuries and Damages can occur by natural causes or activities of other persons, animals, trip members, trip organizers and assistant organizers or third parties, either as a result of negligence or because of other reasons.

DINACON, its organizers, assistants, volunteers, and Outing participants take no responsibility for me and will not be held responsible for any injuries or accidents that may occur during Outings. Outdoor recreation is inherently dangerous and accidents will happen and that risks of such Injuries and Damages are a part of adventure Outings. I appreciate that I may have to exercise extra care for my own person and for others around me in the face of such hazards. In consideration for my acceptance as a participant on Outings, I confirm my understanding that:

* DINACON does not guarantee or confirm the qualifications of any of the organizer, or assistant organizers, or members to lead or manage or set-up Outings or trips nor are they necessarily trained to respond during an emergency by providing first aid, CPR, or any rescue action. I further understand that on these Outings there may not be search, rescue, medical facilities or expertise necessary to deal with the Injuries and Damages to which I may be exposed.

* The Outings officially begins and ends at the location(s) designated by DINACON. The Outing does not include carpooling, transportation, or transit to and from the Outings, and I am personally responsible for all risks associated with this travel. This does not apply to transportation provided by DINACON during the Outings.

* If I decide to leave early and not to complete the Outing as planned, I assume all risks inherent in my decision to leave and waive all liability against the DINACON arising from that decision. Likewise, if the leader has concluded the Outing, and I decide to go forward without the leader, I assume all risks inherent in my decision to go forward and waive all liability against DINACON arising from that decision.

* Backpacking/hiking/camping/swimming/boating are physical activities involving a large amount of walking and physical exertion. Participants must be in good general health, free from cardiovascular and respiratory disease, and have good exercise tolerance. I will get my physician’s approval before commencing such activities.

* To the fullest extent allowed by law, I agree to WAIVE, DISCHARGE CLAIMS, AND RELEASE FROM LIABILITY DINACON, its officers, directors, organizers, assistant organizers, employees, agents, and leaders from any and all liability on account of, or in any way resulting from Injuries and Damages, even if caused by negligence of DINACON, its officers, directors, organizers, assistant organizers, employees, agents, and leaders, in any way connected with this Outings.

* I further agree to HOLD HARMLESS DINACON, its officers, directors, organizer, assistant organizers, employees, agents, and leaders from any claims, damages, injuries or losses caused by my own negligence while a participant on the Outings. I understand and intend that this assumption of risk and release is binding upon my heirs, executors, administrators and assigns, and includes any minors accompanying me on the Outings.

* This Agreement is intended to be as broad and inclusive as is permitted by law. If any provision or any part of any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid or legally unenforceable for any reason, the remainder of this Agreement shall not be affected thereby and shall remain valid and fully enforceable.

*I have read the attached Safe Space and Anti-Oppression Policy and agree to abide by the expectations. I understand that I may be removed from a trip if the guides feel that I am negatively impacting the physical or emotional well being of the group.

* I have read the No Blame Waiver and agree to voluntarily assume all risks of such Injuries and Damages.

Costs

We managed to drop costs even lower than previously mentioned. Here’s a general rundown of what kinds of expenses to expect when coming to the conference.

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Thus a person’s minimum costs will be less than $60 per day, or $295 for a 5 day stay including housing and meals! This is cheaper than just the cost of most hotel stays at most conferences! In fact it’s less than half the cost of staying at the Gamboa Rainforest Resort Hotel nearby which charges ~$130 USD per night

Travel

Flights are quite affordable from most of the Americas and Europe to Panama City. From Panama City is it just a short 45 min, $40 taxi ride to Gamboa.

Some typical roundtrip prices to give you ideas:

NYC - 300 USD
Denver - 300 USD
LA - 500 USD
San Francisco - 550 USD
New Orleans - 280 USD
Atlanta - 350 USD
Washington DC - 280 USD
Chicago - 280 USD
Toronto - 500 USD
Vancouver - 480 USD
Quito - 470 USD
Caracas - 300 USD
Rio De Janeiro - 550 USD
Santiago - 700 USD
Lima - 500 USD
Amsterdam - 580 USD
Berlin - $560 USD
Frankfurt - 575 USD
Munich - 570 USD
Zurich - 700 USD
Barcelona - 540 USD
Ljubljana - 900 USD
Accra- 3000 USD
Nairobi - 1500 USD
Johannesburg - 1500 USD
Tel Aviv - 940 USD
Bengaluru - 1500 USD
Mumbai - 1350 USD
Bangkok - 1460 USD
Phuket - 1550 USD
Singapore - 1600 USD
Manila - 1300 USD
Hong Kong - 1000 USD
Shenzhen - 1530 USD
Beijing - 900 USD
Tokyo - 980 USD
Sydney - 1850 USD
Perth - 1850 USD
Auckland - 1870 USD