The Restart Project Podcast

In this month’s radio takeover, Restart volunteers Ben Skidmore and Dave Lukes talk about “repair on the edge”: how to deal with unusual fixes when one lacks the necessary skills or tools. First, Ben and Dave introduce us to some tech news. We discuss the enforcement of GDPR with its ubiquitous pop-ups. Is it necessary for all companies to ask for your consent again? Are we giving consent when coerced or persuaded? We also talk about a new malware scare and security issues with our devices. Next, Ugo calls in to update us on two issues: – A few weeks ago we interviewed Tarek Loubani, who works to provide 3d-printed medical devices to areas like Gaza, where there is a lack of resources due to its blockade. Ugo tells us that Tarek got shot while providing emergency care in uniform at recent protests in Gaza. He will recover, but many of his medical colleagues were not so fortunate. – Also, Ugo tells us about his recent visit to Brussels. He says that the EU is starting to prioritise repair-related measures, like ensuring provision of spare parts and repair information. Member states are likely to vote for a package of measures for some appliances before Brexit, and hence the UK will have to take action on these matters. Ugo tells us about the influence of the pioneering US Right to Repair movement on these EU initiatives. Ben and Dave then focus on “repair on the edge”, discussing the excitement and fears when faced with unusual repairs. They tell us about their most dangerous repairs, including smartphones. They also discuss risks when fixing electronic devices, like lithium batteries, capacitors, or the glass on our phone screens. We also discuss the importance of improvisation when repairing, and of making the most out of commonplace objects that can be reused for marvellous hacks. Ben tells us about guitar player (and hacker!) Eddie Van Halen and about Tom Fox, who creates unique instruments out of recycled electronics. Then Ben himself, who used to be a professional guitar maker and repairer, shares his experience repairing a friend’s cello. Links: The Independent: Turn your router off, says FBI Medium: 3d printed tourniquet – Day 2 of Gaza field trials ends badly (by Tarek Loubani) Twitter: Tarek Loubani (@trklou) Restart Radio: 3D printing medical devices in Gaza US Public Interest Research Group: Right to Repair Vulpestruments (recycled music instruments by Tom Fox) The post Restart Radio Takeover: “Repair on the edge” appeared first on The Restart Project.

Ellie and Dave interview Restart volunteer Alvin Hardy (call-sign G1BTF), who shares his life-long passion for amateur or so-called “ham” radio. We discuss the importance of radio as a pioneering mode of communication, and the value of the worldwide community that it helps bring together. First, Alvin tells us about his career as an engineer, and how he’s been tinkering with radio since he was 15. He also comments on his dad as an inspiration to his interest in radio, as he was a radio operator during war. Next, Alvin tours as around his house in Rainham, London, taking us through his radio equipment: HF, VHF and of course ham radio. He tell us about the origin of ham or amateur radio in the early 1900s in Columbia University, where its founders opened up this invention so that others could help develop it. Now retired, Alvin regularly volunteers at Restart Parties. He tell us about his motivations to do so, saying that in the current throwaway culture, younger generations don’t see a need to repair their gadgets. He wants to teach his tinkering and repair skills to inspire them to fix their electronics. Also, he says, it is fun too! Alvin enjoys being part of the Restarters community and interacting with all the people that come to the events. He is thrilled by fixing though, he loves “bringing back to life” their devices, so that they can last for longer. Alvin shows us how ham radio works, particularly the slow-scan television (SSTV), which serves to transmit and exchange static pictures with other radio operators around the globe. Alvin tells us about the codes and tricks needed to communicate through SSTV, and how to identify what countries signals come from and who sends them. “You are still sending sound, and it just converts it into picture”, he explains. We hear amazing radio sounds, which we rarely hear anymore as we have embraced digital radio. Despite his engineering background, Alvin is sure that anyone can learn amateur radio, and motivates everyone to become part of this community, of this “way of life”. Links: RSGB: Getting started with amateur radio Columbia University: History of the CU Amateur Radio Club HamQTH: G1BTF Restart: World Radio Day Motherboard: Amateur radio hobbyist are connecting the Caribbean after hurricane [Featured image “Ham Radio Station” by Richard Topalovich is licensed under CC-BY 2.0.] The post Restart Podcast Ep 32: Amateur (ham) radio with Alvin Hardy appeared first on The Restart Project.

In this week’s episode, Isabel Lopez and Dave Lukes talk about the materials we use to hack and fix. We will discuss the most basic tools and materials we can use for these tasks, from the usual tapes and glues to more sophisticated techniques and materials. First we discuss some news. Jessa Jones, a popular repairer based in the US, has had 24 aftermarket iPhone screens seized at US Customs. US Customs and Apple have justified this seizure by labelling it as ‘counterfeit’. They have called attention to the Apple logo in these screens – a very tiny logo inside them which is not visible to consumers. Now, is refurbishing the same as counterfeiting? The overarching question here is: why are these repairers getting spare parts from third parties or the ‘grey market’? We talk about the Right to Repair movement, in which Jessa Jones is particularly active. As she insists, she would rather buy spare parts directly from Apple, but this is not a possibility. Car manufacturers are obliged to make spare parts available – and at reasonable cost – to car repairers, why is this not the case with our electronic devices? Next, we talk about stuff we use to repair. We start with screwdrivers, which are one of the most basic tools to carry around. We mention issues with opening up our devices, such as Apple’s pentalobe screws, or the change in design of our laptops and phones that makes it way harder to take out and replace their batteries. Then, we talk about ‘sticky’ materials. Dave tells us about the use of tapes, (super)glues, or more fancy materials such as Sugru, a very mouldable silicone-based material which can be used for multiple hacks and fixes; or the bioplastic Formcard, which can be easily carried out in our wallet and, once heated up, can be moulded into any shape and then reheated for reuse. We then shift to more complex techniques, such as soldering. Soldering is used to join two pieces of metal together by melting a tin wire (or ‘solder’). Soldering irons heat up the solder up to 200 degrees so it becomes liquid. We talk about alternatives to this technique, such as cold soldering or crimped copper tubing. Dave also discusses some incidents – great narratives that even made our Resonance 104.4 FM engineer laugh – and important health and safety procedures. Finally, we give some advice to those of you who want to get started fixing things. Beyond the joy of getting things working again, at Restart we want devices to keep working for longer to reduce the environmental impact of electronic waste. Links: Motherboard: DHS seizes aftermarket iPhone screens from prominent right-to-repair advocate Motherboard: Apple sued an independent iPhone repair shop owner and lost Jessa Jones’ iPad Rehab YouTube channel Sugru: Tech & gadget – the best tech hacks right now The Guardian: Bioplastic encourages people to mend, not replace [on FORMcard] Restart Wiki [Featured image by Sugru] The post Restart Radio: Materials we use to hack and fix appeared first on The Restart Project.

In this week’s episode, Ugo and Isabel interview Tarek Loubani, a Palestinian-Canadian doctor who has created low-cost 3D-printed medical devices to help with the lack of supply in Gaza. We also discuss the importance of having repair parts available to keep all medical devices working for longer, and opportunities for 3D printing to boost independence and resilience when using these devices. First, Tarek tells us about the start and motivations for the project. In the context of the Gaza blockade, he had been trying to figure out ways to ensure the necessary supply of medical devices in Gaza hospitals. Playing with a toy stethoscope, he realised it could be reasonably functional, so he put together a group of engineers to come up with a simple, low cost, 3D-printed alternative, which costs less than $3 to produce. Not only did it work, it has recently been clinically validated! This proves that it is 100% as good in terms of quality compared to current professional competitors, which cost a hundred times more. Tarek tells us how there was an initial skepticism around quality as they produced domestically, so this validation is great news for the team, as well of course as for hospital patients. Next, we discuss other devices that Tarek’s initiative has helped 3D print. His group was approached by the Disasters Committee in Gaza, who called attention to the fact that many people in Gaza’s 2014 war died as a result of gunshot wounds in their arms and legs. So Tarek and their team came up with a 3D-printed tourniquet to help medical professionals block hemorrhages. This device again proves crucial given the recent March protests in Gaza, where almost 1,000 people were shot in one day, with about 80% of these being injured in arms or legs. 3D printing is usually not an effective way of printing large amounts of units of a product: it’s a slow process, with a large environmental footprint. However, Tarek reminds us that the real problem in Gaza is the blockade, drastically limiting access to all kinds of supplies. In this context, 3D-printed devices can be the difference between life and death. Tarek tells us about Gaza’s 100% plastic recycling rate, and how they use recyclable ABS plastic and solar power to 3D print, as they can’t rely on electrical supply. Finally, Tarek comments on the importance of bringing 3D printing literacy and skills to other parts of the Gaza strip. For example, they have had high school students come to their office to learn first hand from this work. But the whole world can learn from more repairable and modular medical devices. Even in high-income countries like Canada, Tarek reports, expensive devices such a pulse oxymeters fail and can’t easily be repaired. 3D-printed devices may in the future offer more independence and prove more affordable in the long run. Why spends lots of money in something you can’t easily repair?   Links: Glia Project: About us The Guardian: Palestinians hold day of mourning after 773 shot Independent: Tarek Loubani 3d printed stethoscopes to alleviate supply shortage Science Daily: Clinically-validated 3-D printed stethoscope Repair.org: Medical MSF: MSF teams observe unusually severe and devastating gunshot injuries   [Featured image from Glia Project’s Facebook page] The post Restart Radio: 3D printing medical devices in Gaza appeared first on The Restart Project.

In this week’s episode, Janet, Ugo and Dave Lukes discuss our personal data being collected and held elsewhere, focusing on the new EU regulation on data protection and its effect on consumer rights. We focus on ‘connected devices’, where increasing amounts of our personal data are collected and stored by companies. There are potentially wider, positive implications of the new rules in relation to the lifecycle of these devices. But first, May 1st is International Workers’ Day in many countries. We celebrated it by discussing news of the Global Day of Action Against Samsung. A network of organisations called for the protection of their electronics factory workers, who have been and may continue to be exposed to dangerous chemicals. They are asking Samsung to stop attempting to suppress information on chemicals used, to use safer ones, and to ensure workers’ right to organise independently. Also on Samsung, a US class action lawsuit alleges that the company has teamed up with two other major DRAM memory manufacturers (who have a total marketshare of 96%) to raise the price of their products. Next we discuss the GDPR, or General Data Protection Regulation (acronym botched by Janet!), which will be enforced on 25th May by the EU. GDPR has to do with the current emails you may be getting from companies or organisations asking you to remain on their email lists. Dave explains the regulation has a strong focus on protecting our personal data, that is: any information that could be used to identify someone. We talk about one of its main principles: about consent. According to GDPR, we all need to be fully and explicitly informed about how our personal data is being used.     Then, we talk about the importance of GDPR in the context of ‘connected devices’. First we have a laugh about inscrutable terms and conditions of products, such as those of Amazon Kindle: it took an actor 8h 59 mins to read them all! Clearly, in the age of GDPR, user-centred terms and conditions will become the rule for these connected devices and appliances, which may soon include household appliances. We use Samsung “smart” TVs as an example, revealing that already there is a divergence between Samsung privacy policies for European (UK) consumers and the rest of the world. Finally, we reflect on how mandatory, increased attention to the lifecycle of personal data can influence the lifecycle of our devices. With companies accountable for protecting our information, they may have to ensure that our gadgets remain safe of data breaches or hacks, and we hope this implies extending security updates over longer periods of time.   Links: Change.org: Global day of action against Samsung Change.org: Call on Samsung to protect workers Gizmodo: Class action lawsuit alleges price-fixing scheme by DRAM manufacturers Youtube – Choice: How long to read Amazon Kindle’s terms and conditions Cnet: Samsung’s warning: our smart TVs record your living room chatter Samsung: Privacy Policy Restart: Privacy policy The post Restart Radio: Protecting our personal data in an age of connected devices appeared first on The Restart Project.

In this month’s Radio “takeover”, Restart volunteers Ben Skidmore, Dave Lukes and Steve Cook proclaim “It’s MY Device!”: they talk about our right to repair and maintain our electronics, and about exciting fixing stories at repair events held in London for Earth Day. First, Dave introduces recent tech news, including Lenovo (owner of Motorola) preventing mobile users from installing another ROM (like an operating system for mobiles) on a recent smartphone. Next, they ask: how much do we own our devices? They talk about our right as consumers to repair our stuff. They discuss the restrictions to repair certain gadgets, which might not only be technical but also legal. There are initiatives pushing against this scenario, such as the US initiative of “Right to Repair”. They also discuss the case of John Deere’s repair monopoly over tractors, which has led farmers to demand access to repair their own vehicles. They also comment on the recent lawsuit which Apple lost in Norway against an independent repair shop, accused of violating their trademark by using aftermarket iPhone parts. So, do we really own our devices if we are not allowed to fix them? Ben, Dave and Steve volunteer at our regular Restart Parties in London. They discuss recent events and comment on their favourite repairs. Dave’s pick was quite a particular one: a cat water fountain, which he helped fix in a Hackney Fixers event with a simple rubber band. “Presumably her cat is happy now”, he adds. Ben tells us about his experience with fixing a printer, and they all discuss their approach to repairing these often-hostile devices. Steve and Ben talk about the recent repair event at Crystal Palace, where they dealt for the first time with fixing a lawn mower. They also discuss the importance of improvisation when attempting a repair, and the use of commonplace objects such as paper clips or credit cards to tinker with gadgets. Links: Reddit: Lenovo banned bootloader unlocking CNET: Flickr has a new owner BBC Sound Effects iFixit: Right to Repair Motherboard: Tractor-hacking farmers are leading a revolt against repair monopolies Motherboard: Apple sued an independent repair shop owner Youtube: How-to clean a printer Part 1 and Part 2 [Featured image by Pixabay user jarmoluk is licensed under the Pixabay License] The post Restart Radio Takeover: “It’s MY device!” appeared first on The Restart Project.

Dave and Ugo interview Professor Ross Anderson, an expert on Security Engineering at Cambridge University, on the topic of software obsolescence. First, we discuss how devices connected to the Internet need to be constantly updated to remain secure. Anderson tells us about the approach of vendors to software: it is costly to maintain it and hence they only provide updates for the latest devices, expecting us to get new devices regularly if we want to be safe. Then, we talk about the frustration that many users experience around repair. Dave tells us about his experience at Restart Parties, where many people feel helpless or uninformed when it comes to software updates and issues of memory or functioning after doing such upgrades. “I feel like every time I do an update something will go wrong”, says Savita at a Restart Party. We also point out the environmental implications of software updates. We discuss their effects on the durability of the products we buy. Also, we debate over consumers’ awareness of software obsolescence, and how “the software problem” should be noticed when we make purchases: how will having software on our fridge affect its durability? Anderson suggests that appliances that do not need a connection to the internet could be sold with a “dumb switch” to maintain their core functionality when connection to the network fails. Finally, we discuss who should take responsibility for software obsolescence. Ugo asks about the role of the European Union in the matter, and then they all emphasise the importance of citizen action. Anderson talks about the many levels of action for everyone: from a more conscious purchasing, to actually influencing policymaking. He ends up calling companies to action: “What you got to do is you got to keep shipping patches for Android, not for 3 years, not for 5 years but for 10 years. Then we’ll believe, Mr. Google, that you actually do care about sustainability.” Links: University of Cambridge: Professor Ross Anderson University of Cambridge: Device Analyzer The Verge: Android P drops support for Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P and Pixel C tablet Techradar: Samsung cuts off updates for Galaxy S6 The Verge: Android manufacturers lying on security updates European Parliament News: Durable, repairable goods and obsolescence Motherboard: iOS Update interferes with third-party repair The post Restart Podcast Ep 31: Software obsolescence with Ross Anderson appeared first on The Restart Project.

Ugo interviews Alasdair Davies, who has been working as a conservation technologist for over 10 years. Alasdair introduces us to his work on bringing affordable, customisable and repairable open hardware technology to people working on conservation projects. When he started working in the field, Alasdair noticed it was hard to get access to devices. The options were: either spent a lot of money on out-of-the-box, proprietary equipment or take a chance with DIY options made in makerspaces. In response, after being involved with the maker movement and working for the London Zoo, he decided to launch his own project – the Arribada Initiative – which aims to deliver “open conservation technology for all”. So how can technology help in conservation? First, Alasdair tells us about his project with sea turtles, where he used GPS transmitters to tag and track the turtles’ routine – where they feed, where they nest, and hence where to protect them. These tags used to be extremely expensive to buy and repair, making it too costly to track populations. However, he has worked to reduce this problem, with each tag now costing a third of the original price. Also, Alasdair tells us about how they used cameras and Raspberry Pi technology on the tags to explore the bottom of the oceans. The images are quite impressive: Next, we talk about the potential of technology for communities to influence local policymaking. For instance, people in marine communities can analyse the type of plastic they find impacting on sea life and where it might have come from. And they can prove how and where to take action for the conservation of species thanks to the more inexpensive tags. Then, given our interest in repair, we talk about responsible design. When out in the field, there are many issues around repairing the devices used in conservation projects. For this reason, Alasdair has worked on devices which can be fixed easily and locally, making use of traditional tools that communities feel confident with. Also, we discuss the potential to reuse these devices through sharing tools with other conservation teams. Finally, Alasdair tells us about other projects such as his work with king penguins in Antarctica for “Penguin Watch”, and with AudioMoth, an open source audio recorder used in the field. Arribada’s approach in supporting the team working on the AudioMoth is promising, as it acknowledges the importance of ensuring that open hardware projects get long-term software updates and maintenance. Links: Shuttleworth Foundation: Alasdair Davies Arribada Initiative O’Reilly: Sea turtles and open source Penguin watch Open Acoustic Devices: AudioMoth   [Featured image by Randall Ruiz is licensed under the Unsplash license] [Video source: Institute IRNAS, as published on the Raspberri Pi blog – Sea turtles and Arribada initiative] The post Restart Radio: Wildlife conservation and the role of open, repairable technology appeared first on The Restart Project.

In this episode, Janet and Isabel interview Suw Charman-Anderson, founder of the Ada Lovelace Day (ALD), which annually supports and increases the visibility of women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) careers. First, we discuss how ALD started and how it came to be such a huge initiative, with international events happening each year. We then ask Suw why she chose Ada Lovelace as a symbol for this project. She tells us the story of Ada, a 19th-century mathematician who worked with polymath Charles Babbage on the design of the ‘Analytical Engine’, a vision of the first mechanical computer. Ada has been considered the first ever computer programmer, with a computing language now named after her. Then, we talk about the importance of role models for girls and women to go into science. Girls and women are still underrepresented in STEM, specially in fields such as physics or computing. Also, the historical contributions of women to science and tech have commonly been overlooked. At Restart, we are interested in engaging people with technology from a young age – we chat with Suw about the need to engage girls from a very young age to actually change the gender disparity in STEM. Not only to motivate girls to go into these fields of education, but also to actually continue their careers after their training. Suw walks us through her own career in science, having graduated from Geology and struggling to find her professional path. She went into publishing and journalism, and reminds people that it is fine to have a less conventional career path. Before ALD, Suw co-founded the Open Rights Group in the UK, which campaigns for digital rights. We relate their early work on intellectual property law to the US Right to Repair initiative, discussing whether we actually own our devices when our access to repair is denied. And of course, whether Lovelace would’ve been a repairer and user of open-source software. Don’t forget to save the date of the tenth Ada Lovelace Day, 9th October. And in the meantime you can join us at a Rosie skillshare, for/by women and non-binary people. Links: Finding Ada: ALD Finding Ada: Who was Ada? Adacore: The Ada programming language Open Rights Group iFixit: Right to Repair [Featured image “Ada Lovelace” by Susanna Dahlgren is in public domain] The post Restart Radio: Ada Lovelace Day and the stories of women in STEM appeared first on The Restart Project.

In our monthly Radio “takeover”, Restart volunteers own the show. This time, we have Ben Skidmore, Panda and Steve Cook discussing our relationship with phones. What makes us replace them and how can they last for longer? To start, they chat about the new Samsung Galaxy S9 release, which has some minor improvements – like a better camera – but no increase in relevant features: battery life, for instance, has not improved. Do we need to buy new phone models when only small features change? Next, they discuss reasons why we change our devices, thinking about issues of repairability and software support. At Restart, we are interested in understanding the repairability of our gadgets. This is something Steve is actively involved in, as he is volunteering for us as a data analyst, looking at the information gathered through our Fixometer application. Our volunteers discuss the importance of batteries as key components to the functioning of our phones and how, still, these parts are often hard to repair – for instance, when they are glued into the phone. In terms of software, it is common for companies to stop updating software for their old phones, leaving these users unsupported or unprotected. They also mention the vulnerability of 2G phone users, who can be left behind as companies stop supporting this network. In terms of repairability, they talk about the importance of being informed when buying new products – not only about durability but about the availability of spare parts. They refer to modular phones, such as Fairphone 2, which offer replacements for repair. We also learn that in France, companies are obliged by the law to inform of the period of availability of spare parts when selling products. Links: BBC News: Keeping FM radio for longer The Restart Project: World Radio Day Techradar: Samsung Galaxy S9 review Wired: Phone wars on the camera RadioNZ: 2degrees to switch off 2G Techradar: Fairphone 2 review The Restart Project: France – warranty of spare parts in bill [Featured image by Alexandre Godreau is licensed under the Unsplash license] The post Restart Radio Takeover: Why we replace our phones appeared first on The Restart Project.