A Device at the Intersection of Hardware, Software, Art, Technology, and Epistemology
A device that continuously reads from the internet and writes its understanding back onto physical media, creating a living, self-updating history book. The device combines a local LLM trained on Wikipedia with real-time internet access, embedded systems for pen control, and mechanical writing apparatus.
As pages fill with handwritten historical narratives, they are physically preserved in concrete and plastic— a deliberate act of permanence. Each completed volume is digitally archived in a decentralized local system designed to outlast human civilization.
XY gantry system with servo control for precise pen positioning and movement.
Local LLM inference engine for real-time text generation and internet scraping.
Handwritten text as medium; concrete casting as monument to knowledge preservation.
Embedded systems, network protocols, mechanical engineering, and electronics integration.
Questions about how knowledge is created, stored, and transcended across time and substrate.
PHASE: CONCEPT
Design the XY gantry system and pen mechanism in CAD. Create sketches and mechanical models for the writing apparatus.
PHASE: FABRICATION
Fabricate structural components using laser cutter. Press-fit assembly of frame and initial system integration.
PHASE: ELECTRONICS
Design and mill PCB for servo control. Program XIAO RP2040 with motor drivers for XY motion control and pen actuation.
PHASE: INTEGRATION
3D print custom brackets, connector components, and precision parts. Assemble mechanical system with electronic control.
PHASE: CONTROL
Complete power distribution, implement motion algorithms, test calibration. Create software stack for hardware control.
PHASE: SOFTWARE
Integrate local LLM (fine-tuned on Wikipedia). Implement web scraping for real-time information. Create device communication protocol.
PHASE: TESTING
End-to-end testing of LLM → motion control → physical writing. Debug edge cases and refine text-to-motion algorithms.
PHASE: PERMANENCE
Once pages are filled, encapsulate in concrete and plastic. Create distributed digital backup. Document the completed device and its history as a final artifact.
Explore the individual weeks of fabrication, design, and development that brought this vision to life.