Hydra models WebRTC browser streams as patchable modules, enabling live routing of video between remote peers

Jack built Hydra by mapping the WebRTC peer-to-peer video streaming protocol onto the modular synthesizer concept: each browser window is a ‘box’ that processes a signal, and WebRTC connections are the ‘cables.’ Any peer connected to the network can feed their stream as a video input into another peer’s patch. Unlike a server-mediated setup, WebRTC connections persist client-to-client after the initial handshake — the server only brokers discovery. This enables distributed, low-latency video compositing without a central video server.

Examples

Workshop exercise: each participant takes the stream of the person to their left, mixes it with their own camera, and sends the result to the person on their right — creating a looping network with no starting point.

Assessment

Describe the role of the server and the role of WebRTC in Hydra’s networking model. Why can peers in different countries still exchange streams with low latency?