Steve: The Robot H.E.Ai.D. (Human Energized Artificial Intelligence Device)
Created by the Über Geek Team from Seattle
This is an installation that will be at Burning Man 2009. I thought that it would be relevant to class, since it talks about the evolution of human beings, leading to emergence.
Here is more information taken from their website:
"This year’s theme, Evolution, raises three questions: What are we as human beings, where have we come from, and how may we adapt to a world which we can effect? The question we further ask ourselves is-- where are we going as human beings? What is the next step in our evolutionary history?
We believe that, through culture, human evolution has long left the constraints of biology. Progress is determined by our capacity to share knowledge and collaborate, creating emergent entities that exist outside of our mortal shapes.
...
With Steve: The Robot H.E.Ai.D., we explore the idea that the next step in our human evolution is when these meta-beings wake up, become in some way self-aware, and start speaking to us as individual nodes within its larger brain. "
...
EXPERIENCE
"Imagine you are strolling along the playa with friends, and from a distance you see a structure with an array of lasers inside and a sculptural orb hanging in the middle. As you approach you see two giant eyes and think, ah, it appears to be some kind of giant brain. You walk in, and reach out to touch a laser. It makes a noise! A low thrum. As you move your hand along the laser beam, the nose shifts in tone.
Your friends also rush in, and you all sprint around the structure making different noises. The lasers are spread out, so each person must use their whole body to play just a couple of chords. “It’s like a giant instrument!” your friends say, and excitedly you coordinate with each other to create music. As you collaborate, the music becomes more and more layered. As you and and your friends become more in sync, you notice the sculptural orb hanging in the middle gets brighter, and the giant eyes are getting brighter.
You begin to feel anticipation, sensing something is about to happen! As the music gets louder and louder, reaching a crescendo, the eyes and the sculptural orb are suddenly flashing brightly, and you swear you see them blink. You hear a deep voice “I am Steve”. Your friend cries “We woke it! We awakened the brain!” You continue to play as Steve whispers to you through the music in its deep voice, recognizing the moment you stop, the giant brain will fall sleep again. "
Sources
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dhqn75wz_9dzng6hn3
http://dbltht.com/ubergeek/
Created by the Über Geek Team from Seattle
This is an installation that will be at Burning Man 2009. I thought that it would be relevant to class, since it talks about the evolution of human beings, leading to emergence.
Here is more information taken from their website:
"This year’s theme, Evolution, raises three questions: What are we as human beings, where have we come from, and how may we adapt to a world which we can effect? The question we further ask ourselves is-- where are we going as human beings? What is the next step in our evolutionary history?
We believe that, through culture, human evolution has long left the constraints of biology. Progress is determined by our capacity to share knowledge and collaborate, creating emergent entities that exist outside of our mortal shapes.
...
With Steve: The Robot H.E.Ai.D., we explore the idea that the next step in our human evolution is when these meta-beings wake up, become in some way self-aware, and start speaking to us as individual nodes within its larger brain. "
...
EXPERIENCE
"Imagine you are strolling along the playa with friends, and from a distance you see a structure with an array of lasers inside and a sculptural orb hanging in the middle. As you approach you see two giant eyes and think, ah, it appears to be some kind of giant brain. You walk in, and reach out to touch a laser. It makes a noise! A low thrum. As you move your hand along the laser beam, the nose shifts in tone.
Your friends also rush in, and you all sprint around the structure making different noises. The lasers are spread out, so each person must use their whole body to play just a couple of chords. “It’s like a giant instrument!” your friends say, and excitedly you coordinate with each other to create music. As you collaborate, the music becomes more and more layered. As you and and your friends become more in sync, you notice the sculptural orb hanging in the middle gets brighter, and the giant eyes are getting brighter.
You begin to feel anticipation, sensing something is about to happen! As the music gets louder and louder, reaching a crescendo, the eyes and the sculptural orb are suddenly flashing brightly, and you swear you see them blink. You hear a deep voice “I am Steve”. Your friend cries “We woke it! We awakened the brain!” You continue to play as Steve whispers to you through the music in its deep voice, recognizing the moment you stop, the giant brain will fall sleep again. "
Sources
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dhqn75wz_9dzng6hn3
http://dbltht.com/ubergeek/
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ReplyDeleteBlogger AH440 said...
ReplyDeleteMaia, thanks for the info... Uber Geek's installation at Burning Man very much relates the AI/AL topic — as does the yearly Burning Man festival (over the years, a number of Seattle based artists/groups have contributed to the art scene - Wired Magazine often covers the artists' work). If you want to write a blog on Burning Man, we could discuss it in class.
Barbara