Tim Berners-Lee: The year open data went worldwide

Open source is getting everywhere, from beer to cola to datasets.

Open data is undeniably a good thing. One of the goals of Open_Sailing is to make data about the ocean more openly available, navigable, and useable. Who knows what will become of this data, once it's been set loose into the world? We can add to open-source data initiatives like the Argo project, Clear Climate Code, EdGCM, and open-source design initiatives such as Architecture for Humanity, Open Architecture Initiative, Appropedia, Instructables and more. Anybody can use Open_Sailing's design, technology and data for anything.

Yay, open data!

At the moment we are working with PachBox, a passive monitoring system that will allow us to broadcast data from the middle of any ocean. In the future we'd like to expand this to include other useful data, such as marine life levels, salinity, etc. Any ideas or thoughts on ways to do this would be appreciated!

Open_Sailing at TED

One of the great things about working on an open source project is that we're happy to show everyone everything we do.

What's more, anyone can see what we're up to, anyone can comment and criticise, and anyone can contribute. The more people who know about the project, the more people who can contribute, and the better it all becomes.

Which is why we're pleased to announce that Open_Sailing's Cesar Harada has been awarded a TED Research Fellowship. In February, he'll be presenting the Open_Sailing project in Long Beach, California. The talk will be in front of some of the most interesting, connected people in the world – as well as an unlimited global audience. TED is a fantastic organisation, and we're humbled and happy to be a part of it.

Click here for the full TED 2010 lineup

Vital function map, world threat maps

This is the concept map of the project : read from the bottom to the top, from the 2012 fears volcano, giving birth to the open sailing station. Download pdf (11.6mb) / see .jpg (2.6mb) / see flickr page


This is the geographical map of both 2012hopes.com and opensailing.net : 2012hopes.com suggests the ideal location, Open Sailing figures out how we will live and thrive in this new geographical context. download pdf (7.6mb) / see .jpg (1.4mb) / flickr page



The maps have all been programmed on maps.google.com, you can save individual map and ad them as your own (if you have a gmail account which is free and amazing) : all maps directory by 2012hopes@googlemail.com. You can also view these maps confortably using google earth.


We have printed 300 of these maps to A1 size, if you want one email us, we'll arrange, we'll appreciate donations since they are expensive to print.


We might send the map as it is supposed to be : folded, to fit in your pocket, an authentic survival pratical map.

Construction in progress, need help.

We are now in the middle of the construction. We need help. Gumtree ad.

If you fancy gettig your hands dirty, just pop in! We are working in south London, behind Peckham Librairy, come.




Nasser Moustakim, welding his life away


Ian Daniell cutting, Andrew Friend adjusting and fixing the wood on the structure.


And because people are often asking : the Open_Sailing_1 is 9.6 m Diameter, 4.5 meter high, 4 tons. Hiromi has calculated we have 90cm in the water with 4tons.


Overview of the construction, in the same room on the right, the Happy tree friends.

Now we are in a ruch, public presentation saturday, AAAAAAHHHHH

Open_Sailing funding

We're looking for media, sponsorship and technology partners for Open_Sailing.



Click here to read on-screen
Click here for a printable version

Open_Sailing website and contacts

Construction update

Yes, the construction is going well.
If you haven't yest, you want to check our webcam here :



The thing is that we dont necessarily work right under it, actually most of the time we are working in a different building, but check it out, see the time moving - it is live !!!!

There is a lot of welding action (Nasser Moustakim)



Cutting action (Adrien Lécuru)




And Cooking (Cesar - doing the runner + secretary)




In a week time we have a show, ooohh, that's very soon !!!! RUSH !!!!!!!



So that's the site inside, where most welding work is carried on.



And this is the construction outside, where most cutting happens.

It is a very enjoyable work. It is quite tough. Now Adrien and Nasser are heavily involved, I (cesar) wish I didnt have to do all the admin and spend my day either on the computer or driving the van to collect and deliver raw materials or tools. I reclaim more time for design! After graduation... Sleep after graduation ...

Open_Sailing_01 construction at AREA 10

WE GOT A PLACE TO BUILD !!!!!!!!!!!!

From the 21st of may to 14th of june, we are building the Open_Sailing_01 at the AREA 10 in Peckham, just behing Peckham librairy (video from the librairy elevator). The space is stunning, we have everything : comfortable access, freshwater, electricity, parking, a recycling skips, internet !!! Special thanks to
Dean Kissik, that introduced us to --> Oliver Hogan of LuckyPDF, that introduced us to --> Dimitri Launder of Area 10. Love chain !











So that's the space we will use, pretty nice huh?! YAY !!!!!!!

Thank you Dean, Thank you Oliver, Thank you Dimitri !!!!

Yes we CanDOCK !

Just looking at this amazing floating dock products :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mw4MHzwsaiI

It is beautiful how a modular system can follow the movement of the waves !

You need to watch their great corporate video as well.
The basic module is simple and good :





That's a cool docking system. But it is ... EXPENSIVE !!!!

Ok, maybe that's the good time to bring it up : a long time ago, last autumn we did some test of structures :




This one was pretty, the weight keep the moving parts together, but the tension on the cable made amplified unecessarily the movement of the structure.







The simple tripod behaved pretty well.





The star-shaped structure with long arms was a real catastrophy : the waves flipped it over, the arms folded on the structure, it landed miserably violently on the beach ...



The best structure was the platform + ballast. Simple, cheap, very, stable, reliable, at one with the sea.
For the nomadic eco-system is easy to think of semi-enclosed applications as well.



So, I would advocate a ballast system under the gardens too. Cheaper and more reliable than a solid ballast. Some sand can be added in the bag too anyway.

Open_Sailing in Wikipedia

For the first time in our history we appear in Wikipedia, thanks to the ARS Electronica : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prix_Ars_Electronica