Algorithmic Precipitation is a circuit board artwork that imagines a moment inside a post-singularity world. A world where the boundary between natural systems and engineered intelligence has fully dissolved.
The singularity, in speculative terms, refers to a future point where technological growth becomes uncontrollable and self-accelerating, leading to intelligence that far exceeds human capability. In that kind of future, cities may no longer be designed solely by humans, but co-authored by evolving systems that are organic, computational, and hybrid. This piece explores that idea as a city intersection caught in a system that is no longer purely mechanical or natural, but something in between. The “rain” is not weather in the traditional sense, but an algorithmic behavior emerging from the environment itself.
At its core, the artwork is a custom-designed PCB driven by a 328PB microcontroller (Arduino chip.) A grid of WS2812 LEDs forms a dynamic field of precipitation, cycling through three intensity states: light, medium, and heavy rain. The pattern continuously evolves, suggesting shifting environmental conditions or computational moods. Two white LEDs introduce intermittent lightning events, briefly interrupting the system with sudden bursts of bright white light. A single amber LED simulates a failing streetlight flickering with unstable behavior.
The printed circuit board measures 245 mm × 348 mm and is populated with 239 components, most smaller than a grain of rice. The finished piece is presented in a frame measuring 292 mm × 395 mm × 21 mm. Algorithmic Precipitation is released as a limited edition of 100. Each copy is signed, numbered and dated by the artist on the back. Requires USB-C power supply. To see how I made this piece, check out my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k712ZmR4pAk
If you want to get your hands on one of these, head over to my Etsy store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/BoltIndustriesPCB
