Roaming and collaborative cartography

I read about a wacky project in Infogargoyle, didn’t manage to grasp at 100% what it was exactly about (one has her limitations!), but I liked the sound of it, so I just dropped a line to Tom, its author. He explained that:

ROAM-NET is a loose community of roaming, networked people doing collaborative cartography.

They’ll test the concept during Burning Man (an art festival and temporary community based on radical self expression and self-reliance in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada that will run from August 30 till September 6) with three “mutant vehicles”. These art cars will be using the existing wireless network at the event to establish communication.
ROAM-NET members will start broadcasting information about themselves, and their surroundings.
At a most basic level, all members will be broadcasting video and GPS feeds and anyone connected to the network (including the cars themselves) will be able to view maps of their peers, and see from their perspective. Spectators can also use laptops, pocket PCs, and kiosks to view the vehicles in action, and send messages to the vehicles. For example, one might message “I need a lift, will you barter?” or “Come visit us at camp hello; free greetings and smiles”.

ROAM-NET is non-profit, and will no doubt evolve as technology and social networks improve, but is dedicated to the community of technomads (technological nomads), be them cyborgs, or computer equipped transports. We are currently using the open-source blogging/cms tool, thingster as meta and mapping engine.

They are still looking for computers and LED displays (borrowed or donated.)

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