Totem - an Open, Digital Contract Platform in Physical Space

Totem: from paper prototype, to code and physical interface.

Context:

Created with Lui Scheer, Fritjof Nørretranders and Frederik Pedersen for the course IxD II during my bachelor in Digital Design, Totem is an speculative design artifact which:

• Lets people sign transparent contracts in a local, physical space.
• Furthers social cohesiveness and resilience through technology.
• Is almost perfect...

Concept:

Drawing inspiration from blockchain technology, smart contracts and critical design, Totem aims to become the center of trade, barter and general interaction in the modern village, resulting in a more democratic and resilient society.

Totem ideally reduces the need for leaders, hierarchies, rules - even trust.

In reality, it both examines and mocks such "perfect" technologies, as it has a considerable potential for design bias, back doors and other flaws.

The Totem manifest: statements in red may be ambiguous.

My contribution:

I designed and coded Totem's web interface, played a key role in the mechanical design of the physical cryptex interface and contributed to general ideation and design.

Here's a live DEMO of the web-GUI.

The Totem web GUI.

Technology:

• HTML/CSS/JS, PHP/MySQL
• Arduino, Raspberry Pi, RFID chips/sensors
• Laser-cut plywood
• A pile of LEGO-wheels

The Totem cryptex interface at work.