robotic ecologies

VendO- Energy Charging!

2011-05-16T08:45:00.000-07:00

VendO Wheel generating Energy

Power VendO -- Stripped... and Back Again.

2011-05-16T01:26:00.000-07:00

Stripped Gears...

Fixing Gear...

The Making of Power VendO

2011-05-16T01:10:00.000-07:00

Power VendO Cont...

Power VendO wheel with Gear and Dynamo

2011-05-16T00:23:00.000-07:00

As the wheel spins, the dynamo is activated. The red light on the circuit board indicates the battery being charged.

cyclos_elektor (POW) - boards

2011-05-12T00:34:00.000-07:00

2011-05-11T19:33:00.000-07:00

Power vendO

2011-05-11T13:15:00.000-07:00

EAT: Parc. Bench

2011-05-11T10:21:00.000-07:00

Parc. Bench is essentially a green parcel in the urban environment, potentially as small as a single tile in the sidewalk. Surrounding and enclosing the parcel is an object that is basically a piece of urban furniture; together they serve to nurture and protect both the human life in the city and the plant life contained within.

In its normal state, the object serves as a neutral protector, both of the plant life within and the people outside. The arms open and adjust themselves to nurture the plants, while still shielding them from their surroundings. Light sensors tell the object when to provide shade where it's needed. The gentle movement of the arms creates a sense of urban vibrancy, attracting people and letting them know that the area is safe.

When proximity sensors detect someone approaching, the object closes its arms, enclosing the plants and providing comfortable seating for pedestrians. When they leave, it opens again, ensuring that the green parcel is not suffocated by the urban life it is meant to protect.

Particulate, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, methane, and radiation sensors constantly monitor the quality of the nearby environment; when the surroundings become unsafe, the arms open completely in every direction, creating a zone around the parcel that people can not enter and signaling to people that they're in danger. The arms remain open until the environment becomes safe to enter; if the environment remains unsafe for people over a long period, the plants begin to grow and spread along the arms, essentially enlarging the green parcel in the process.

MediCom Final

2011-05-11T01:10:00.000-07:00

EAT.2 (pollution visualization and neutralizatrion)

2011-05-10T18:02:00.000-07:00

EAT.2 (pollution visualization and neutralizatrion)

2011-05-10T16:57:00.000-07:00

Everyday in the city we are exposed to invisible pollution. As the concrete jungle expands ever onward into the suburbs, our opportunities for this pollution to be nullified slowly disappear. The delicate balance is quickly ceasing to be.

This project is halfway between a lesson and a solution. It senses the solution we do not see and demands attention, showing us the harm we do ourselves by simply walking ourselves or our children down the street.

At the same time an object that warns is no match for indifference, so it acts upon its acquired data. There are two states of this project 1) urban furniture, and 2) a garden. It can be one or the other depending on which holds the greatest importance in the environment in which it is placed.

In an environment with little co2 measured, it is a stool. Sitting along the sidewalk for people waiting for the bus or weary from their city stroll.

In an environment with much co2 it is a garden; taking advantage of the co2 to feed its plants which sit below the machine. When it opens out and allows the garden, the plants prosper. When it is closed as a stool the plants sit dormant; their growth stunted by the few nutrients and little sun. Like grass growing beneath a rock; the plants would be albino and small.

Every hour the decision is made, open or closed? Light or shade? seat or obstacle? All along the sidewalk they sit. Closed and respectful or open and expanded, taking up sidewalk space to nurture their inhabitants and to save those who grumble as they walk around.

Would you grumble? Yes it's in your way, but because it's in your way that means the air you breathe is toxic, and its trying to help. So maybe you stop mid-grumble and decide to write to your senator, or go to the beach this weekend, or boycott the factory down the road.

Imagine them, in LA, sprawling out on the sidewalks with all sorts of plants growing feet high and birds visiting, because the structure never closes. Or in San Diego, with the ocean breeze howling around the barren robots, posed to seat you at your whim. Maybe you would never know what they would be otherwise.

The city would change because it needed to change, and that active response would point out to us that we need to change too.

ParkPixel

2011-05-10T11:15:00.000-07:00

POW_Final_CYCLOS_ELEKTOR

2011-05-08T19:52:00.000-07:00

FAB: ParkPixel - Rover

2011-05-04T23:19:00.000-07:00

Here is the base "rover" for the ParkPixel. It will be initiated by a lack of sunlight and turn on. it avoids hitting walls in front of it via a proximity sensor.

FAB: ParkPixel - Humidity Register

2011-05-04T23:16:00.000-07:00

The following LED strip registers and represents the relative humidity of the soil in the potted plant within the ParkPixel

POWER VENDO

2011-04-20T12:56:00.000-07:00

Power VendO - in progress

Mya generating Energy 2

2011-04-20T12:41:00.000-07:00

"Off the grid" or rather "off the 9V battery" VendO wheel.

One of many compelling stories of VendO is its mobility, fostering and promoting an independent spirit. The beauty of the wheel form lends itself to movement and consequently, generation of kinetic energy. This creates an opportunity to harness this energy for a completely autonomous mobile unit that no longer depends on the power system.

The first test uses a hand crank dynamo to charge a NiMH rechargeable battery that powers the arduino microprocessor and LED lights. Parts extracted from an off-the-shelf hand crank flash light were used for this initial test.

pollution visualization and neutralization (EAT)

2011-04-20T09:20:00.000-07:00

Pollution in the city is something that people often think of as an abstract idea, rather than something that directly and immediately affects them. While many urban dwellers become greatly concerned about certain toxins, or worry about the larger effects of pollution on the planet, they will often expose themselves to potentially deadly levels of pollution on a daily basis without giving it much thought. Diesel powered buses, for example, leave a
cloud of particulate matter and toxic gasses in their wake; people walking down a sidewalk or waiting at a bus stop might be put off by the smell, but not consider that they are breathing air that would kill them if it didn't
drift away.

This project is a response to these local, everyday exposures to pollution in the city. A number of objects are scattered throughout the city, along sidewalks and in public parks. Conspicuous but innocuous looking, they house sensors that track the level of pollution at their location. When the sensors in one of these objects senses that the environment has become too polluted - say from a passing car - they take action. The machine opens and
spreads out over the sidewalk, exposing a surface of CO2-removing greenery concealed within, symbolically cleaning the air. Audible warnings and flashing lights let people know that the air is unsafe to breath, while the spreading legs force people to walk around the site, or wait for the air to clear before entering. By providing a conspicuous signal to passerbys that something is wrong, the project raises awareness of the levels of pollution exposure within the urban environment. With numerous devices spread throughout the city, moving sources of heavy pollution can be tracked and mapped in real space, and differences between neighborhoods can potentially
be mapped in real time.

MEDICOM

2011-04-19T19:24:00.000-07:00

Self-Replicating Repairing Robots

2011-03-21T17:34:00.000-07:00

Fun Ikea Hacks

2011-03-07T22:05:00.000-08:00

Ikea Robotics - Animals from adam lassy on Vimeo.

interactive soundwave wall

2011-03-02T13:00:00.000-08:00

Kiosk interacting bracelet

2011-03-01T13:16:00.000-08:00

When bracelet is brought up against kiosk, the kiosk will output information specific to the user (hypothetically)

Proximity sensing interactive wall

2011-03-01T12:09:00.000-08:00

Using Arduino, servo, and proximity sensor to push and pull a surface based on proximity of objects to sensor

Noisy Sponges

2011-03-01T11:59:00.000-08:00

Com:2 Processing in Grasshopper

2011-03-01T11:58:00.000-08:00

A reactive surface based on inputs from a pixilated image in contrast of that image. Using Processing, Grasshopper, 5 servos, leds

Wii Joystick controls Cube

2011-03-01T11:56:00.001-08:00

Wii Joystick controls Cube

2011-03-01T11:56:00.000-08:00

Kiosk Interacting Bracelet

2011-03-01T09:58:00.000-08:00

Sponge Field

2011-02-27T01:08:00.000-08:00

Here we opperate on a field of lines. Manipulation of an attractor that deforms a regular field is controlled through the interaction with a sponge - because squeezing sponges is fun!

Asymmetrical Symmetry Drawing

2011-02-27T00:54:00.000-08:00

Here we play an endless drawing game. The graphical production can be seen as a blind diagram or representation of the interaction of the players throughout the "match".

A-MAZE-ING

2011-02-27T00:42:00.000-08:00

through arduino and firefly, we were able to create a maze based game where 1 or 2 users must control the intensity of their squeeze on a sponge in order to direct and point and draw a line through a simple maze. This game utilize the discovery, intuitive, and exploratory qualities of successful games.

The Eyewriter

2011-02-24T21:26:00.000-08:00

Check this out! Bunch of hackers used PS3's camera to track human eye movement to help out their artist friend who is completely paralyzed. He is now able to draw with his eyes -- the end of the video shows his drawing projected on to a side of a building.

The Eyewriter from Evan Roth on Vimeo.

2011-02-22T14:06:00.000-08:00

Light Aperture

2011-02-22T12:19:00.002-08:00

Team: Mike Vargas, Salar Safaei

2011-02-22T12:19:00.001-08:00

DisPROX (dispersed POV)

2011-02-22T12:19:00.000-08:00

This week we took the camera assembly which was the end of our first week process and placed it on a head piece so as to allow for dipersal of the human point of view. We suplimented the camera with a "screen"/shield that would project the video feed to the wearer when there is no motion picked up by a passive infared sensor, effectively crowdsourcing their eyesight.

BioDisco light screen

2011-02-22T12:18:00.000-08:00

2011-02-22T12:16:00.002-08:00

DisPROX

2011-02-15T12:17:00.000-08:00

Assembling Dispersed Proximity

A security device using two servos (tilt and pan), a webcam, and a photosensor that senses motion. The use of a Photosensor senses proximity and outputs a signal to the web. LEDs are signaled on a wearable bracelet allowing the wearer to know the proximity of whatever is in motion.

Kinetic sculpture at the BMW Museum

2011-02-15T12:15:00.000-08:00

2011-02-15T11:25:00.000-08:00

light aperture - pressure sensitive

2011-02-15T11:19:00.000-08:00

we wanted to create an aperture that opens and closes and lets more/less light out-
so we used a pressure sensor that as you push more on it could let out/block light

Salar Safaei
Mike Vargas

DisProx process :D

2011-02-13T23:43:00.000-08:00

Rainbow robot

2011-02-13T18:59:00.001-08:00

robo-rainbow from mudlevel on Vimeo.

COM:one cloud (interactive design)

2011-02-01T11:48:00.000-08:00

http://vimeo.com/5548626

The TableTalk project interactive table with arduino

2011-02-01T11:40:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEGwsfpHevU

BMW

2011-02-01T11:25:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVhVClFMg6Y&feature=related

2011-02-01T11:24:00.001-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vqc9BiGsVoo&playnext=1&list=PLCCF745C4A2E76D7A

Propaganda

2011-02-01T02:01:00.000-08:00

2011-02-01T01:51:00.000-08:00

POW:Neural Sky

2011-01-31T19:50:00.000-08:00

Neural Sky is a massive networked nodal structure that connects people with it through lightening fast bolts of light. When a person is close to any one of the legs where the network meets the ground an ultrasonic sensor detects the position of this person and shoots lights from that person to another person there in 3-d through the nodal structure.

POW: Bubbles-Open-air Interactive Exhibit at the Materials and Application Gallery

2011-01-31T19:17:00.000-08:00

Bubbles is an adaptable spatial pneumatic installation at an urban scale. The installation will consist of large pneumatic volumes that inflate and deflate in reaction to the visitors coming to the site.

http://robotecture.com/bubble/

Electro-acoustic dresses

2011-01-31T19:08:00.000-08:00

Benoît Maubrey is the director of DIE AUDIO GRUPPE a Berlin-based art group that build and perform with electronic clothes. Basically these are electro-acoustic clothes and dresses (equipped with amplifiers and loudspeakers) that make sounds by interacting thematically and acoustically with their environment.

An interactive architectural mapping

2011-01-31T18:22:00.000-08:00

Fete des Lumieres / Lyon / France / 2010. A mapping by 1024 Architecture, projected on the facade of former Lyrical theater the "Celestins". The building deformations and figures were controlled by the audience, using a microphone and an audio analysis algorythm.

2011-01-29T09:29:00.001-08:00

Interacting walls

2011-01-29T00:21:00.000-08:00

bamboostic

2011-01-28T23:50:00.001-08:00

Mud Tub

2011-01-27T16:47:00.000-08:00

The mud tracks movement to control computer (new form of a mouse). It gets people away from a purely technological world and brings them back to nature.

Interactive landscape

2011-01-27T16:35:00.000-08:00

Interactive landscape that reacts to people walking by with sound, light and movement.

rAndom International -- Swarm Light

2011-01-27T16:31:00.000-08:00

Swarm Light from rAndom International is a light installation that responds to, records and displays a user's audible presence.

Snow Bells

2011-01-27T12:19:00.000-08:00

This game uses a camera to visualize users in a space and then allows them to nock these snowflakes. each user produces a unique sound when they pop a snow flake. Merry Christmas!

Beat-Box Pin-Ball

2011-01-27T12:16:00.000-08:00

This multitouch table top allows multiple players to fabricate music through the manipulation of disruptive elements in a pinball-like space

Suprasensorial: Experiments in Light, Color, and Space

2011-01-27T11:50:00.000-08:00

This is a video my brother made for the new MOCA exhibit entitled Suprasensorial. Although it is not directly utilizing new responsive and interactive technologies, I feel that these pieces do embody the spatial and experiential qualities that our projects will strive to embody. These projects aren't complete until users and actively interacting with them.

The Urban Visual Recording Machine [3 of 3]

2011-01-26T23:36:00.000-08:00

This is a visualization along with the audio of the NYC Art parade.

The Urban Visual Recording Machine [2 of 3]

2011-01-26T23:33:00.000-08:00

This is a short on how the urban recording machine works.

The Urban Visual Recording Machine [1 of 3]

2011-01-26T23:20:00.000-08:00

This is a mobile recording device that records various conditions like ambient sound, weather, and visual surround and abstracts them for a print format.

email counting tshirt

2011-01-25T22:22:00.000-08:00

Urban Speaker

2011-01-25T21:58:00.000-08:00

Interaction Grass - Project by Frits Stam

2011-01-25T12:30:00.000-08:00

Festo - InteractiveWall

2011-01-25T12:06:00.000-08:00

Yelp KegMate, COM, data, record, filter, images

2011-01-25T11:41:00.000-08:00

2011-01-25T11:27:00.000-08:00

New Facebook app give cash saving deals: wpri.com

Evan Grant - Cymatics

2011-01-25T10:39:00.001-08:00

Dexter

2011-01-25T10:34:00.001-08:00

Big Dog

2011-01-25T10:32:00.000-08:00

Aeroponic system for urban agriculture

2011-01-25T10:25:00.000-08:00

The world's deepest bin - Thefuntheory.com - Rolighetsteorin.se

2011-01-25T10:16:00.000-08:00

More is More: 4D Product Design for the Everyday

2011-01-25T09:55:00.000-08:00

High res 25 min FULL ABSTRACT of MORE is MORE 2 Event. from Alec Robertson on Vimeo.

Prospero: Robotic Farmer

2011-01-25T08:57:00.000-08:00

The interesting piece for this robot is its ability to detect a seed already planted in the ground and bypassing the area as a result. Wondering what type of sensor is used to detect the seed (or what logic is used to emulate the presence of the seed).

Light Nucleus

2011-01-25T06:45:00.000-08:00

Augmented Reality that detects motions and adds visual graphics via Processing according to your movement in the space. He has a version that is also sound activated.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hp4NEPAUe8U&feature=related

Garduino Geek Gardening

2011-01-25T06:24:00.000-08:00

Love to garden but don't have time? Let the Arduino help you with that....

http://makeprojects.com/Project/Garduino-Geek-Gardening/62/1

POW : Haptic Sound

2011-01-25T01:46:00.000-08:00

Although this project does not harvest energy, I can imagine something like this in tandem with the energy harvesting dance floor, at which point the entire experience would be user-generated.

Past/ Potential Urban Interventions

2011-01-25T01:38:00.000-08:00

I've come across plenty of videos about linking plants to networks so they can tell you when they need watering, but this project goes far beyond that.

This project from a few years ago addresses urban issues and also provides an interactive solution.

Illah Nourbakhsh Lecture: Ethics in Robotics

2011-01-25T01:00:00.000-08:00

Though not directly relevant to class, a great talk about ethics in robotics. Something to chew on while we dabble in the cyber world.

Robots with a mind of their own

2011-01-25T00:48:00.000-08:00

AMANDA PARKES: Phrases of the Kinetic: Organicism and Transformation fro...

2011-01-25T00:30:00.000-08:00

Harnessing bodily energy... through fashion. Robotics is no longer just for geeky boys with pocket protectors! Mmmm... wearable algae, who knew?

Networked Buoyant Individuals / Piezoelectrical Generation

2011-01-24T20:04:00.000-08:00

Taken as a combined proposal, I think these two videos create a phylogenetic field of possiblity.

A dense cloud of floating piezoelectrical generators could capture the waste energy of East span Bay Bridge pile driving, for example, at the same time alleviating construction-related noise pollution; a network of intelligent photovoltaic balloons could not only follow sunbursts from one side of the city to the other but shade festival-goers in Golden Gate park.
//J Austin

Arduino THE MOVIE

2011-01-24T11:58:00.001-08:00

Arduino The Documentary (2010) English HD from gnd on Vimeo.

Responsive Kinematics

2011-01-24T11:41:00.000-08:00

Responsive Kinematics Video - From Robotic Ecologies Fall 2009

Sensors, Sensibilities and more

2010-12-28T10:59:00.000-08:00

Here are some recent articles of interest:

Sensing:
Sensors and Sensibilities Economist - 14 Nov, 2010
A Sea of Sensors Economist - 14, Nov, 2010
Tracking:
Facebook Map of the World P. Butler/FastCo - 14 Dec, 2010
Your Own Private Matrix Economist - 14 Nov, 2010
Simulating:
Project Aims to Simulate 'Everything' BBC - 27, Dec, 2010

Robotic Ecologies Update

2008-09-22T15:51:00.011-07:00

Where we are now and where we are headed 2008-09...

During the Fall/Spring 2008-09 we will be at the
University of Michigan TCAUP (link). Jason Johnson will be serving as the Oberdick Research Fellow, and Nataly Gattegno will be the Muschenheim Fellow. During the Summer of 2009 we will serve as the 2008-09 New York Prize Fellows at the Van Alen Institute in New York (link) working on our Aurora interactive installation.

* All 2008/09 updates will be published here: FUTURE CITIES LAB . NET

2008 Digitalis Robot

2008-07-07T11:23:00.002-07:00

The 2008 Digitalis Robot was produced by architecture Prof. Jason Johnson and music Prof. Matthew Burtner with assistance from Joy Wang, Megan Manion and Troy Rogers -- plus the Interactive Media Research Group [IMRG] and ITC at UVa. [more info, images and video coming soon.] On April 4th, 2008 our robot responded to real-time information from over 300 wireless laptops at the UVa amphitheater ... a world record perhaps?? check back soon to find out ....

Robotic Ecologies Sp-2008 Process Video

2008-05-20T12:16:00.002-07:00

Robotic Ecologies 2008 Opening

2008-05-05T10:44:00.002-07:00

Text from an article published in the Daily Progress: May 5, 2008 (By Jeremy Borden)

Inch a little closer and the robot will come toward you, too. Then it might even have something to say.
University of Virginia students on Sunday displayed moving, blinking, music-making robots, a culmination of a course that produced non-humanoid automata that filled gallery space at the School of Architecture. Some there suggested that the interdisciplinary approach in the “Robotic Ecologies 2008” class provides a window into the future.
Architecture, music, engineering and computer science students collaborated in small groups to create what they called “sonic spatial” instruments. For example, one of the instruments, called “Medusa,” would create drum-like sounds after its long tentacles were flicked. One tentacle would activate another tentacle nearby, and flashing lights corresponded as drum-like beats reverberated throughout. Other robots relied on motion and infrared sensors, and would respond with notes to touch or even proximity.
Jason Johnson, the UVa architecture professor who headed the class of 15 that produced the three robots in just a semester of work, said he wanted to combine students from seemingly disparate fields of study “and see what [happened].”
“The critical part was to get these guys to talk,” Johnson said. What emerged, he said, provides a window into a future that combines disciplines and makes the virtual a reality.
One such “cultural artifact” is Apple’s iPhone, he said. The phone, Johnson said, combines audio, visual and sensory items in a “beautiful object.” Two engineers sitting down to solve a problem wouldn’t have come up with it, Johnson said.
Students said the robots are more than just physical things that respond to simple computer programs. Yuri Spitsyn, a doctoral candidate in music, said the robots provide a new look at the idea of our surroundings. Though the students’ robots are just small prototypes, similar designs could be produced on a much larger scale to create a more immersive experience.
“For me, it’s more like an environment,” Spitsyn said.
Cammy Brothers, a UVa professor who teaches renaissance architecture, was impressed with how the disciplines gelled.
“It’s stretching each of the disciplines,” Brothers said. “They occupy this new category of object that’s between architecture and instrument. The point is that architecture now is barely engaging movement or robotics. The idea of sensitivity … responsiveness and robotics has a lot of potential.”

[Correction Note from Jason: Unfortunately this article does not mention that the seminar was co-taught with Prof. Matthew Burtner and we were assisted greatly by our T.A. Troy Rogers from the VCCM.]

Link to the Article: "Music of the Machines: Students Display Harmonic Robots"

2008 R-Eco Project Descriptions

2008-05-04T11:10:00.000-07:00

Click on the image to enlarge the project descriptions for the EXSO, Medusa, Panta Rhei and RAVE projects.

Digitalis Festival 2008

2008-04-30T10:00:00.002-07:00

The Digitalis Festival is tonight (4/30) from 8-10pm at the UVa Amphitheater. Come see our interactive robotic maestro channel an orchestra of over 500 wireless laptops. Shape changing LED auroras will spotlight participants as they produce an emergent sonic spatial environment. Our phototropic beacon features the world's first photovoltaic mohawk that searches out sunlight during the day and then playfully transmits pulses of light and sound at night.

The Digitalis Festival is a joint production of the Virginia Center for Computer Music (VCCM), UVa's Interactive Media Research Group (IMRG) and UVa's ITC. Interactive Maestro by Prof. Jason Johnson, Prof. Matthew Burtner in collaboration with the VCCM, IMRG, UVa School of Architecture, Future Cities Lab LLC, the Robotic Ecologies Lab and the MICE Project. Project assistance by Joy Wang, Megan Manion and Troy Rogers.

Deux Ex Machina 1

2008-04-16T14:10:00.005-07:00

We are now working day and night to complete our latest three robotic prototypes for the deadline next week. The students have been pushing hard to refine and integrate their ideas into fully functioning interactive sonic-spatial assemblies. The date and time of our opening show will be announced soon. My "Deux Ex Machina" (in collaboration with Matthew Burtner and the IMRG - Interactive Media Research Group) will be released at this year's "Digitalis Festival" on April 30th. The robot will be directing (or be directed by?) a symphonic scale (200+) laptop LAN MICE orchestra . There will be a live webcast provided by UVa's ITC. Check back for details. On May 20th I will also be presenting the project at the New Horizons Conference. The keynote speaker will be Ben Fry (co-author of the amazing Processing programming environment.)

Bill Fontana Workshop 2008

2008-03-22T10:27:00.005-07:00

We are thrilled to be working with internationally renowned sound artist Bill Fontana this week in the Robotic Ecologies seminar. He will be working with the students on their projects on Thursday (3/27/08) and then giving the Dean's Forum public lecture "Acoustic Simultaneity and the Sculpture of Sound" at 5pm on Friday in the School of Architecture. Fontana has worked on major sound installations including the Harmonic Bridge (in association the Tate Modern London 2006), Pigeon Soundings (at the Kolumbia Museum in Cologne 2007) and his Panoramic Echoes project (New York 2007). A short clip from Fontana's artist statement: "From the late 90”s until the present my projects have explored hybrid listening technologies of acoustic microphones, underwater sensors (hydrophones) and structural/material sensors (accelerometers). I have also realized and am developing projects that access live seismic networks to explore the sound energy of ocean waves, traveling long distances underground." Also check out Peter Traub's interview with Bill Fontana.

Emergent Effects Workshop 2008

2008-02-06T13:49:00.001-08:00

The Robotic Ecologies Emergent Effects Workshop 2008 is running during the next two weeks from Jan 30 to Feb 13, 2008. The group will be meeting Wednesday nights from 7:00 - 10:00pm Campbell Hall Exhibition Room C. We will be hosting a series of electronics sessions including an intro to solar driven robotics led by Troy Rogers on Feb 6. Final prototypes will be presented on Feb 13.

From the workshop handout: Emergent behaviors are rendered visible when a small number of self-organizing agents interact in simple ways to produce complex patterns or effects. A familiar example is the collective swarming behavior of starlings: individual birds, with no top-down directive, follow simple rules to form extraordinary shape changing patterns in the sky. Many other dynamic processes in the material world, from bees to flowing metals to entire cities, can be explained using emergence theory.

The aim of the workshop is to invent and build small-scale machines that are capable of generating and registering these emergent effects. During this process we will be developing and situating small performative machines capable of generating, interacting and registering their own emergent patterns over time. Unlike typically linear processes of cause and effect, you will propagate wild forms of expression – dynamic marks, traces, notations and the like – that will emerge from the interplay of these synthetic modes, materials, and mediums with their environment.

An exotic host of base materials, electronics and mechanisms will be provided. If necessary, during the week you should also pillage the likes of the second-hand shops, toy stores, hardware stores, the recycling bins, the garbage, etc. There is no need to expend lavish amounts of capital – be inventive!

Pictured Above: A photograph of an sound-material experiment by Hans Jenny - Spores of moss (lycopodium) form emergent clusters that rotate around their own axis, while the larger collection of clusters rotates around the central axis of the plate.