The previous chapter explored the possibilities of biosensing with plants. Partially, it reveals some methods for translating plant perceptions into electronic signals (e.g. “Pulsu(m) Plantae”). Movement and locomotion are always connected with perception [Ingensiep2001, page 303; Chamovitz2013, pp. 15]. The perception signal and the movement abilities of a living organism define how the movement will be performed. This interaction has an explosive power in philosophy. These two abilities (perception and movement) determine the differences between plants and animals. More or less, the latest scientific findings reveal that plants are able to perceive their environment and react on these circumstances [Chamovitz2013]. These results cast doubts on our philosophical classification of plants and animals. This topic has an enormous impact for our ethical consciousness. If we put plants and animals to an almost equal level, than we cannot destroy and treat plants like we used to do. It is important to have this background for understanding the ideas behind the listed artworks. Furthermore, I will focus on the locomotion capabilities of plants and less on their movement capabilities. The artistic expression related to movement and kinetic gestures were discussed in “3.1. Visualizing techniques with plants”.
In relation of my masterthesis and my interests in location-based mobile apps I read the book "The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces" by William H. Whyte. The book is quite old and the first edition was published around 1980. My research focus was in particular in exploring how people behave in urban environments WITHOUT mobile communication technology. I am digital native, so I have no real idea how the world was before mobiles, walkmans and Game Boys. The book delivers a really good insight how people meet and behave in small urban places (plazas and small parks). Furthermore, it describes the vital elements of these plazas. How they correlate to each other and how to design them. The target groups of this book are more or less architects, city planners and landscape architects. But even for urban activists and street artists the book has some value. The elements of small urban spaces haven't changed much since 1980. Almost each element has his own chapter: Read more...
Last year at september Me and Andrea Suter started a location-based experiment with the name Take me Places. Our basic idea was:
TAKE ME PLACES is an art project, which plays with the notions of territory and dislocation, orientation and the loss of such. TAKE ME PLACES will travel around the world until July 2012. At the end of its travels the photographs as well as the added artefacts will be exhibited. TAKE ME PLACES plays with public spaces, is participatory, involves a random the public, is dependent upon it.
We decided to place two suitcases in public spaces. Each suitcase were equipped with a photocamera, kind of a map, kind of a container, and instructions. One suitcase represented an anolog version (Analog camera, paper maps, suitcase box for additional artworks) and a digital version (digital camera, digital map with QR Code, USB Stick as a container for additional digital artworks). People were supposed to take the suitcase with them and add some personal value to it. Read more...
During the lectures Fashionable Technology I and II from Sabine Seymour, Andrea Suter and me improved the common usage of an umbrella. In the end we developed a concept of a self em-powered device for people’s well being. Our umbrella using the approaches of light therapy and autonomous power resources.
moodumbrella
moodumbrella detail
moodumbrella in use
We created a prototype for interviews and user testings and we made a survey in Linz during a rainy day. The Austrain people were very sceptical and did not want to be asked about their happiness on rainy days. However, we were able to get some very useful feedback. The video below will show you examples of the feedback mentioned.
In the end we wrote paper about the details of light therapy and discussing mobile energy resources for smart devices.
In den vorherigen Artikel wurde darüber berichtet, wie wir Geld mit Flash Games, Online Werbung und Schulungen verdienen können. In diesem Artikel beschreibe ich nun den vielleicht hoffnungsvollsten Einkommensansatz in unserem Produktportfolio. Den Verkauf von digitalen Produkten. Dabei unterteilen wir die möglichen digitalen Produkte in 3 Kategorien:
Software & Widgets
Media Assets (digitales Rohmaterial)
Transformierte digitale Produkte ins physische Produkt
Software & Widgets
Unter diesen Bereich verstehe ich kleine Anwendungen und Utility-Programme (Hilfsprogramme), die unseren Alltag sei es im Privaten oder im Berufsleben erleichtern. Apple machte mit dem iPhone App Store den ersten Schritt zu einer einheitlichen Vertriebsplattform für ihre iPhone Applications. Dies hat einige Vorteile aus Kunden- und Entwicklersicht. Die Kunden besitzen einen Ort, wo sie eine Fülle von Applikationen beziehen können und der ganze Kaufabwicklungsprozess ist durch den AppStore von Apple seriös gelöst. Wir Entwickler besitzen einen Ort wo wir unsere Anwendungen vielen Kunden anbieten können, und müssen uns nicht um eine eigenes Abrechnungssystem kümmern. Besonders für kleine Entwicklerstudios ist dies ein immenser Gewinn und ermöglicht ganz neue Geschäftsmodelle (siehe Independent Developer 😉 Nun gut, die Konkurrenz schläft zum Glück nicht und Adobe und Nokia ziehen mit ihren eigenen Distributionssystemen nach. Adobe Air Anwendungen für den Desktopbereich können auf dem Air Marketplace vertrieben werden. Für mobile Lösungen bietet Adobe einen kostenlosen(!) Flash Lite Distrubitable Player an, der uns den Vertrieb von Flash Lite Anwendungen sehr erleichtern wird. Nokia bietet dagegen mit ihren OVI Store uns eine richtige Vertriebsplattform ähnlich dem AppStore Prinzip von Apple an. Hin und wieder kann auch die Plattform GetJar.com von Interesse für mobile Applikationen oder Playyoo für mobile Flash Games sein.