🧱 Protomesh Memory Wall

Where Technology Meets Community

Step into some decentralized communication! Leave a memory, share a thought, and discover how mesh networks can connect us all β€” no internet required.

πŸ“‘ What is Meshtastic?

Meshtastic is an open-source project that enables secure wireless communication without a cell signal or an Internet Service Provider. In this mesh network, each participant is meant to have their own portable node that they carry along with them. This way, every person helps extend the network’s reach and resilience.

It's perfect for:

  • πŸ†˜ Emergency: Natural disasters, power outages, communication blackouts
  • πŸ”’ Privacy: Communications are encrypted and decentralized, making them difficult to monitor or censor.
  • 🏘️ Community: Neighborhood networks, art installations, local organizing

The only cost to communicate is to have a device. This costs around $20-60 and it can communicate about a mile in an urban environment (or further with repeaters or strategically placed nodes). These devices are low-power and can easily be operated with β˜€οΈ solar panels or πŸ”‹ battery packs.

πŸ€” How Does It Work?

The Protomesh Memory Wall uses LoRa technology and Meshtastic to create a decentralized network where your messages hop from device to device, creating a web of connections that works even when the internet doesn't. We have 3 devices called PROM, PUNK, and CATZ. A display tablet is connected to PROM to show visitors the chat history in our shared channel called Protomesh. Here is how our setup works:

πŸ“±
Display Tablet
View & Post Messages
Bluetooth β‡…
🎊
PROM
Protomesh/Main Community Node
β‡… LoRa Radio Transmission ⇡
🎸
PUNK
Roaming Node
LoRa Radio Transmission ⇆
🐱
CATZ
Roaming Node

Message Flow Process

πŸ’­ πŸ“±Your Phone Connects to your personal portable node
β†’
✍️ Send a πŸ’¬ message to Protomesh Channel
β†’
πŸ“‘ πŸ’¬ Message travels via mesh to 🎊 PROM
β†’
πŸ“² Tablet shows stored message and acts as a bulletin board

🌱 Three Ways to Connect

πŸ“ Visit the Installation πŸ“

Prototypepgh x Oakland
460 Melwood Ave #208
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Come experience the future of community communication in person!
Open 24/7 to members. For non-members, Open Houses are the best time to come in and check it out, check prototype events for the details.