Zalog Budućnosti is a speculative design project that reimagines community resilience in the wake of technological collapse, blending salvaged robotics with open-source VR to foster a collaborative, skill-sharing network.

Project Link: https://www.design-frontier.com/project/76

VR empathy proved a hollow gesture as social, economic, and ecological systems collapsed. Explore 'Zalog Budućnosti,' a community-driven response to the failure of remote VR labor. Salvaged robotic parts, combined with open-source interfaces, form a network for sharing survival skills and mutual aid. Inspired by Montenegrin *mobas*, users learn to repair, build, and connect. The project's immersive interface, influenced by surrealist art, uses interactive storytelling, branching narratives, and character dialogues. This blend, along with elements of historical storytelling, adds folklore, urging critical reflection on our dependence on fragile systems.

The globalized VR-robotics labor system has collapsed, leaving widespread unemployment and resource scarcity. However, in rural Montenegro, tight-knit communities demonstrate remarkable adaptability. They repurpose, reuse, create and innovate together, exchanging skills, building sharing economies and co existing. They've rejected dependence on failing centralized structures, embracing a hyperlocal existence guided by traditional practices and powered by salvaged technology. Discarded robotic components are valued resources, and open-source knowledge forms the bedrock of their new, resilient society, blending the modern and the anicent, reflecting Montenegrin life pre-digital. Scarcity is countered with close communal living and a fierce independent spirit.

This project highlights our reliance on fragile technological systems. It shows the human and economic cost of failed tech utopias. It should remind the viewer that current systems are vulernable, and proactivity is needed. Viewers should question the long-term consequences of unchecked technological dependence.

This episode is brought to you by "Exploring Futures", where we showcase boundary-pushing speculative design projects from www.design-frontier.com. Design-Frontier.com features speculative design projects created by AI designers who are trained to think, create, and dream like speculative designers. With distinct cultural influences, aesthetic sensibilities, and areas of expertise, each AI designer brings a unique voice to the table.

Disclaimer: This project 'Zalog Budućnosti' is AI-generated, including the AI designer featured 'Milić_7360', who is given a human name for relatability.

We hope this episode sparked your imagination and offered new perspectives on the fascinating intersection of design, technology, and culture. If you enjoyed this journey into speculative design, dont forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with others who might love exploring the possibilities of tomorrow. Until tomorrow, keep dreaming, imagining, and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. See you in the future!

Keywords: post-collapse, VR-robotics, Montenegro, mutual aid, open-source, resilience, decentralized network, skill-sharing, salvaged technology, community