365: Barbed Wire Fence and Great WiFi

What this episode covers

Cy Keener, an Assistant Professor of Sculpture and Emerging Technology at the University of Maryland, discusses his work creating custom sensors and data-driven art installations, including his 'Digital Ice Core' project in the Arctic. He explains how he uses Arduino-based circuits, ATmega microcontrollers, and Iridium satellite transmitters to collect environmental data from harsh environments like sea ice and ocean drifters. Keener details the engineering challenges of power management in extreme cold, the use of flexible PCBs with thermistors and RGB sensors, and his collaboration with sensor maker Lovro Valcic. He also reflects on his transition from traditional art to tech art, his NSF grant for deploying open-source sensors, and the role of art in communicating climate change.