Tree-mounted machines connect to web app to let users knock on wood remotely
A new project introduces 'Knock On Wood,' a web-connected device enabling remote engagement with the classic superstition. This whimsical fusion of ancient ritual and modern tech sparked a wave of humorous commentary on HN, with users playfully imagining an endless array of 'X-as-a-Service' models for other everyday absurdities.
The Lowdown
Shashwath Santosh and Nithin Eluvathingal have unveiled 'Knock On Wood,' an internet-connected device that brings the age-old superstition of knocking on wood into the digital age. Part of their ongoing 'Machines Responding to Superstitions' series, this project uses industrial design and engineering to provoke critical thought about our beliefs and rituals.
- Remote Rituals: Users can press a digital button in a web app to trigger a physical device that performs the act of knocking on wood, anywhere in the world.
- Global Connection: The system utilizes internet-connected knockers and a central server, allowing a user in Tokyo to activate a knocker in, say, New York's Central Park.
- Artistic Exploration: The project extends a series that examines how machines can interact with and reflect on human superstitions and everyday behaviors.
Ultimately, 'Knock On Wood' is more than a gadget; it's a piece of conceptual art designed to make us ponder the essence of tradition in an increasingly networked world.
The Gossip
Superstitious Services: X-as-a-Service for the Digital Age
The most prevalent theme is the humorous extension of the project's concept into other 'as-a-service' models for various superstitions. Commenters jokingly propose subscription-based AI for adjusting superstition needs, 'Touch-grass-as-a-Service,' 'Spit-as-a-Service,' and even a 'Rabbit AI' for throwing salt over one's shoulder, highlighting the absurdity of applying tech business models to ancient rituals.
The Ritual Riddle: Does Remote Knocking Count?
A significant portion of the discussion questions whether a remotely triggered, automated knock on wood genuinely fulfills the intent or efficacy of the traditional superstition. Commenters ponder if it would 'piss off the wood spirits,' emphasize the historical need for 'unpainted wood' and direct physical contact, or even specific hand movements, suggesting that the digital mediation might undermine the ritual's purpose.
Fantastic Fun and Philosophical Follies
Many comments express delight in the project's creativity and share similar whimsical or absurd tech-art concepts. Users commend the creators, share related projects from the same 'Machines Responding to Superstitions' series (like a black cat radar), or bring up other amusing 'services' like 'After the Rapture Pet Care' and the classic 'Pet Rock,' demonstrating an appreciation for imaginative and sometimes nonsensical applications of technology.