Danja Vasiliev

Netless2 is the second work in the series of Netless experiments. It is a table-sized model of a data network based on a city's public transport infrastructure.

Netless is an attempt to define an alternative data exchange strategy. Building upon the principals of Sneakernet data-courier, Netless hooks onto existing city transportation infrastructure.

Pedestrian ways, roads, subway and bus lines become the vectors of data distribution. This effectively creates a parasitic type of network, independent of commercial data carriers, government-owned cable networks
and state regulations. Data exchange within the context of Netless chain is not affected by political and monetary decisions. Due to the actual absence on the transport medium as such the subjects of network ownership, correction and regulation are removed.

Small transponder devices attached onto city vehicles or carried around by the citizens create a flat, horizontally structured network. Whenever two or more devices appear in a vicinity of each-other they swap the data contained within. Hopping in a chain-like manner from one device to another the data eventually gets widely distributed.

The devices participating in this exchange don't need to be individually addressed - the data simply flows to a nearest neighbor; like that the entire structure remains completely anonymous, it is impossible to determine where the data originates from and where it is destined to.

Danja Vasiliev is a Critical Engineer currently residing in Berlin. He has participated in technology/computer art events, exhibitions and seminars throughout the world. Danja has received a number of awards and mentions including at Ars Electronica, Japan Media Art Festival and Transmediale.

Danja researchers Systems and Networks through "anti-disciplinary" experimentation with hardware and software. Using computational platforms he engages in the examination and exploitation of Network paradigms in physical and digital realms. Danja creates and exhibits art works, gives public workshops and presents lectures.