Every time we use our phones, tablets or laptops we are entering an invisible world of wireless digital signals. It is a world that we cannot see but that is literally all around us.
The Architecture of Radio is a 360 degree data visualization of what this world might look like. It shows the cell towers, GPS satellites and Wi-Fi routers around you that allow us to live our digital lives.
New: support for Iphone X, XR, XS and XS Max Screens
New: Cardboard support!
Immerse yourself in the Infosphere in Virtual Reality using a cardboard or compatible headset*
*Carboard support only for iPhone. iPhone 6s or newer recommended for best performance.
Why should I use this app?
Out of curiosity! We are increasingly dependent on a global ecosystem of digital signals. We use them for so many things, yet we cannot see them. We can see the roads we use to travel, the buildings we live in, but not the infrastructure that is changing the world. How can we understand this world without understanding how it works?
The purpose of this app is to make the invisible visible so we can look at it, think about it and discuss it.
Why Should I not use this app?
This app is not a measurement tool. It’s purpose is to inspire, to see the world through a different lens. The app is based on real world data and gives you a pretty good idea of the density of digital signals around you, but it won’t tell you where to move the couch to get a better WIFI signal.
So how does it work?
The Architecture of Radio is a data visualization, based on global open datasets of cell tower, Wi-Fi and satellite locations. Based on your GPS location the app shows a 360 degree visualization of signals around you. The dataset includes almost 7 million cell towers, 19 million Wi-Fi routers and hundreds of satellites.
Is this really what radio signals look like?
We can’t see radio with our eyes. The waves that we use for our cell phones and Wi-Fi are way outside the spectrum of visible light. In order to “see” radio, it has to be interpreted or translated into an image that we can see. There are many ways to do that but it will always be an interpretation.
The Architecture of Radio is an impression of the infosphere, a way of seeing it.
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User Rating
2.92 out of 5
12 ratings
in Canada
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Ratings History
Reviews
Stuck in Portrait Land
UPDATE (2020-10-03): “Stuck in Portrait Land”
Version 0.11 has got the iPad stuck in portrait orientation. iPad users work in LANDSCAPE orientation. iPads are not large, phoneless iPhones, nor are they jumbo iPods. iPads are at their very best when apps let users works in an iPad’s natural orientation: LANDSCAPE.
ORIGINAL REVIEW (2020-09-23): “Some Difficulties with Latest Update”
This is a fun app! And, thank you for the latest update. There are, however, a few problems with the update. First, it will not get past “loading” on my iPad Pro 9.7”. Second, on both my iPad and my iPhone 8, it says “localhost” wants to access motion and orientation, and it asks this on every startup. Otherwise, the app does seem to work on my iPhone. Thanks!
Needs an update
Enjoyed to see satellites
More AR please?
CiD? Looks like a dozen ear drums. You can do better.
Incredible visualization of the networks around you
Really cool visualization and even cooler in 3D. Really interesting to the the satellites above you and cellular towers nearby. Wifi networks are more approximated it seems, probably because they’re set using the Wifi positioning system so locations wouldn’t be exact and far from all wifi networks would be on there.
Barely works
It seems this pulls data from gps and other databases to visualize. I can point my phone directly at my wifi router and it doesn’t show anything is even there. Also no way to actually tell how far these rf fields are from you but it makes it look like it’s in the same room as you essentially. Kind of would like a refund unless you can make this work for what you say it does. Also the sound option does nothing.
Architecture of radio
Will not work on iPad loaded 6times will not connect even when access is given for location
Useless
Don not bay this crap it is a scam
Works terribly ,
I am in the middle of a large metropolitan city with a population over 1 million people and it only picks up a random wi fi signal and I am 200 meters from a cell tower , doesn't even pick it up , shows the odd satellite , really ? If it can't pick up a cell tower while standing almost beside it , how can it pick up a satellite ? I feel this is more for novelty and far from accuracy and I paid real money for it , yep another sucker , me ...
Google Cardboard Problem on iPhone 6 Plus
Amazing app but when I put the app in Cardboard mode, the 2 screens are spaced out too much so that it doesn't create the illusion of 1 image in 3D.
Wasted effort
I thought this would be remarkable and is a brilliant idea. But it is wildly inaccurate and an imaginary creation at best.
