TL;DR: #
FLIP TABLE; was a mini-hackathon and showcase for "weird" databases: things that read and write data, but with a twist of some kind. It took place on Sunday, May 17th, 2026 at Hex House in Brooklyn.
Each presentation was recorded and linked below. Presenters' databases were also scored by audience members according to the following alignment chart:
data
┌─────┬─────┐
│ │ │
│ │ │
cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed
│ │ │
│ │ │
└─────┴─────┘
based
Prizes were given out to the five superlative databases, which were:
MOST BLESSED
secret nonograms .... isabel lee MOST CURSED
the hair issue ...... sam heckle MOST DATA
NyQL ................ marcos acosta MOST BASED
a db from scratch ... john lemme TRUE NEUTRAL
SSH hex wordle ...... isaac
DATABASES #
description
encode a message to your loved ones in a puzzle :]
stats
storage ▓▓░░░░░░░░ 2
availability ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░ 8
consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░ 9
read speed ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░ 7
write speed ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░ 7
alignment
data
┌─────┬─────┐
│ │ │
│ │ * │
cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed
│ │ │
│ │ │
└─────┴─────┘
based
description
physical database of hair
stats
storage ▓▓░░░░░░░░ 2
availability ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░ 9
consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ 10
read speed ▓▓▓░░░░░░░ 3
write speed ▓░░░░░░░░░ 1
alignment
data
┌─────┬─────┐
│ │ │
│ │ │
cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed
- │ │ │ │ │
└─────┴─────┘
based
by: marcos acosta
[website] medium: Mac alarms
description
Schema-driven row-based database backed by iOS/MacOS alarms
stats
storage ▓░░░░░░░░░ 1
availability ▓▓▓░░░░░░░ 3
consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░ 9
read speed ▓▓░░░░░░░░ 2
write speed ▓▓░░░░░░░░ 2
alignment
data
┌─────┬─────┐
- │ │ │ │ │
cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed
│ │ │
│ │ │
└─────┴─────┘
based
by: john lemme
medium: Scratch
description
I made this on an ipad
stats
storage ▓░░░░░░░░░ 1
availability ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░ 7
consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░ 8
read speed ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5
write speed ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5
alignment
data
┌─────┬─────┐
│ │ │
│ │ │
cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed
│ │ │
│ │ * │
└─────┴─────┘
based
by: isaac
medium: SSH hex wordle
description
A simple read/write database using a wordle clone as the storage medium
stats
storage ▓▓▓░░░░░░░ 3
availability ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5
consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░ 7
read speed ▓▓▓░░░░░░░ 3
write speed ▓▓▓░░░░░░░ 3
alignment
data
┌─────┬─────┐
│ │ │
│ │ │
cursed ├─────*─────┤ blessed
│ │ │
│ │ │
└─────┴─────┘
based
by: char stiles
[[website]](https://charstiles.com/about)
medium(s): data centers (speculative), charcuterie
description (data center database)
I found out last week a friend works on algorithms for datacenter power allocation and i started to convince her to allow me to have a backdoor to throttle the data and a way to monitor the datacenter status, and through breaking the datacenter you send and recieve data
description (PCBCB) thats it... printed circuit board charcuterie board.
stats (PCBCB) storage ░░░░░░░░░░ 0
availability ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ 10
consistency ░░░░░░░░░░ 0
read speed ░░░░░░░░░░ 0
write speed ░░░░░░░░░░ 0
alignment (PCBCB) data
┌─────┬─────┐
│ │ │
│ │ │
cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed
│ │ * │
│ │ │
└─────┴─────┘
based
by: ava lehner
medium: music
description
songs are a database for your memories
stats
storage ▓▓░░░░░░░░ 2
availability ▓▓▓░░░░░░░ 3
consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ 10
read speed ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░ 8
write speed ▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░░ 6
alignment
data
┌─────┬─────┐
│ │ │
│ │ * │
cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed
│ │ │
│ │ │
└─────┴─────┘
based
by: cameron (emptyflash)
[[website]](https://emptyfla.sh/)
medium: Strava
description
Store and retrieve data encoded as the GPS coordinates of a run in Strava
stats
storage ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░ 8
availability ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░ 9
consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░ 7
read speed ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5
write speed ▓▓▓░░░░░░░ 3
alignment
data
┌─────┬─────┐
│ │ │
│ * │ │
cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed
│ │ │
│ │ │
└─────┴─────┘
based
by: aaron, talisa, & krysten
medium: decay
description
Ability to access and project end of life bursts, however information gets degraded over time
stats
storage ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5
availability ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5
consistency ▓░░░░░░░░░ 1
read speed ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5
write speed ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5
alignment
data
┌─────┬─────┐
│ │ │
│ │ │
cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed
│ *│ │
│ │ │
└─────┴─────┘
based
by: logan williams
[website] medium: iNaturalist
description
iNaturalist datastore
stats
storage ▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░░ 6
availability ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░ 9
consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░ 9
read speed ▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░░ 6
write speed ▓▓░░░░░░░░ 2
alignment
data
┌─────┬─────┐
│ │ * │
│ │ │
cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed
│ │ │
│ │ │
└─────┴─────┘
based
by: frank chiarulli
[[website]](https://www.frankchiarulli.com/)
medium: Etch-a-Sketch
description
its an etch-a-sketch stats
storage ▓▓▓▓░░░░░░ 4
availability ▓▓▓░░░░░░░ 3
consistency ▓░░░░░░░░░ 1
read speed ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5
write speed ▓░░░░░░░░░ 1
alignment
data
┌─────┬─────┐
│ │ │
│ │ │
cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed
│ │ │
│ * │ │
└─────┴─────┘
based
by: omar rizwan
[website] medium: MacOS display
description
Associate anything on your screen with anything else on your screen so it pops up when that thing comes onscreen
stats
storage ▓▓░░░░░░░░ 2
availability ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5
consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░░ 6
read speed ▓▓▓░░░░░░░ 3
write speed ▓▓▓░░░░░░░ 3
alignment
data
┌─────┬─────┐
│ │ │
- │ │ cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed
│ │ │
│ │ │
└─────┴─────┘
based
by: rafal dittwald
[website] medium: deck of cards
description
Encoding data in a deck of cards.
stats
storage ░░░░░░░░░░ 0
availability ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░ 8
consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░ 9
read speed ░░░░░░░░░░ 0
write speed ░░░░░░░░░░ 0
alignment
data
┌─────┬─────┐
│ │ │
│ │ * │
cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed
│ │ │
│ │ │
└─────┴─────┘
based
by: ben anderman
medium: cpu built from scratch
description
A counting based data editor for the Spork 8 CPU, to store data on 32KB cartridges. Pretty functional; the main twist is the absurd number of extra steps involved, and the somewhat inconvenient interface.
stats
storage ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░ 7
availability ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░ 8
consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░ 9
read speed ▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░░ 6
write speed ▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░░ 6
alignment
data
┌─────┬─────┐
│ │ │
│ │ │
cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed
│ │ * │
│ │ │
└─────┴─────┘
based
by: andrew boylan
[website] medium: Instagram
description
store data on instagram (i'm just a normal shopkeep)
stats
storage ▓▓▓▓░░░░░░ 4
availability ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ 10
consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░ 9
read speed ▓▓░░░░░░░░ 2
write speed ▓▓░░░░░░░░ 2
alignment
data
┌─────┬─────┐
│ │ │
│ │ │
cursed ├─*───┼─────┤ blessed
│ │ │
│ │ │
└─────┴─────┘
based
by: haki alpay
medium: GitHub
description
Translingual cjk etymology dictionary
stats
storage ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ 10
availability ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ 10
consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ 10
read speed ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ 10
write speed ▓░░░░░░░░░ 1
alignment
data
┌─────┬─────┐
│ │ │
│ │ │
cursed ├────*┼─────┤ blessed
│ │ │
│ │ │
└─────┴─────┘
based
by: sidney san martin (s4y) medium: simulated birds
description
Stores data in a flock of simulated birds
stats
storage ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5
availability ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░ 8
consistency ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5
read speed ▓▓▓░░░░░░░ 3
write speed ▓▓░░░░░░░░ 2
alignment
data
┌─────┬─────┐
│ │ │
│ │ │
cursed ├─────┼*────┤ blessed
│ │ │
│ │ │
└─────┴─────┘
based
description
SpectreDB implicitly writes data in an unsuspecting load balancer by querying specific paths, which can then be read back by measuring cache hits and misses.
stats
storage ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░ 8
availability ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░ 8
consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ 10
read speed ▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░░ 6
write speed ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5
alignment
data
┌─────┬─────┐
│ │ │
│* │ │
cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed
│ │ │
│ │ │
└─────┴─────┘
based
by: brandon liu (bdon)
[[website]](https://bdon.org/about/)
medium: AirPods
description
open and close your AirPods case to blast data to unprepared strangers via bluetooth
stats
storage ▓░░░░░░░░░ 1
availability ▓▓░░░░░░░░ 2
consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░ 8
read speed ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5
write speed ▓▓░░░░░░░░ 2
alignment
data
┌─────┬─────┐
│ │ │
│ │ │
cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed
│ * │ │
│ │ │
└─────┴─────┘
based
by: cristóbal sciutto
medium: PNGs
description
Image-backed programming system. everything is an image.
stats
storage ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░ 9
availability ▓▓░░░░░░░░ 2
consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░ 8
read speed ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5
write speed ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5
alignment
data
┌─────┬─────┐
│ │ │
│ * │ │
cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed
│ │ │
│ │ │
└─────┴─────┘
based
by: connie liu
[website] medium: Wikipedia links
description
A way to see your route as you traverse through a page
stats
storage ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ 10
availability ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░ 9
consistency ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ 10
read speed ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░ 8
write speed ▓▓▓▓░░░░░░ 4
alignment
data
┌─────┬─────┐
│ │ │
│ │ │
cursed ├─────┼*────┤ blessed
│ │ │
│ │ │
└─────┴─────┘
based
description
Through the power of oral history, data is encoded through morse code vocalizations.
stats
storage ▓▓░░░░░░░░ 2
availability ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5
consistency ▓▓░░░░░░░░ 2
read speed ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5
write speed ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5
alignment
data
┌─────┬─────┐
│ │ │
│ │ │
cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed
│ * │ │
│ │ │
└─────┴─────┘
based
description
The robot wants you to dance. How does it want you to dance? In the most information-theoretically dense way.
stats
storage ▓▓▓░░░░░░░ 3
availability ▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░░ 6
consistency ▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░ 5
read speed ▓▓▓░░░░░░░ 3
write speed ▓░░░░░░░░░ 1
alignment
data
┌─────┬─────┐
│ │ │
│ │ │
cursed ├─────┼─────┤ blessed
│ │ * │
│ │ │
└─────┴─────┘
based
PHOTOS #
CREDIT #
ORGANIZER .......... Marcos Acosta #
VENUE HOST & A/V ... Sidney San Martin (s4y) #
PRIZES ............. Ava Lehner & John Lemme #
PHOTOS ............. Cyrene Zhang #
COKE ZERO .......... Isabel Lee