About the Project

ExiTrip is a project by Artist/Engineer team Lea Bertucci and Ed Bear and sponsored by Free103point9. We have selected this specific outmoded device, the iTrip Nano FM transmitter, to exemplify the potential impact of re-engineering consumer devices originally destined for landfills.  As is, the iTrip only functions with a single generation of iPod Nano, which is no longer manufactured. At 40¢ each on Ebay, the low price creates unprecedented distribution opportunities for a low power transmitter and encourages end-user experimentation. We have hacked the iTrip to function without the necessity of an iPod, vastly increasing its usefulness as a development platform for artists and designers.

In 2010 and 2011, we will distribute these hacked devices to artists of different disciplines and document their work for a forthcoming book. An express goal of this project is to empower artists with diverse technical and creative backgrounds to create works using radio. This constitutes a social experiment and community building exercise that documents creative responses to a common tool. 

The occupation of the public in Hertzian space is fundamentally controlled by access to electronic technology.  To advance the practice of repurposing commercial electronics is to further the reach, relevance, and accessibility of transmission in art and society.  This project will critically, materially, and publicly develop, experiment with, and codify the historical and contemporary relationship between creative electronics and transmission artists.  How can we, as artists, thinkers, hackers and designers break the cycle of electronic waste that is perpetuated by planned obsolescence and bad design?

About the Device

The range of transmission of one of our hacked ExiTrips is approximately 5 feet. This can be altered as per our instructions here.

It is powered by 2 double A batteries (the battery pack is soldered onto the hacked version). It is also possible to power the ExiTrip with DC current or with different batteries. For alternative power sources, please see this section

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