In this session, the focus was on how we can traverse physical space with digital tools, map our location and connect with others. There was a particular focus on who has been in the same location and what this could mean for sharing an experience of a space or idea of place. The discussion was led by Dr Chris Chesher, who initiated the discussion by sharing his interest in robots and augmented space.
This topic is close to my heart as it is related to my creative practice as well as my PhD research.
This discussion covered a lot of ground in terms of covering tools, conceptual issues, future possibilities and challenges. For this reason, the majority of this blog post is a list of dot points which are split into three sections – concepts/issues, tools and references. The best aspect of this session was that there was a lot of blue sky thinking about what was imagined, what was possible and what is already emerging. Thanks to @ellenforsyth for providing the initial list of discussion points.
Concepts/issues
There were so many ideas, concepts and issues that emerged from this discussion, that I thought it prudent to try and only list some of the main themes:
- how robots inhabit space – robots moved from science fiction to reality
- gps – networked connections which inform about the space
- spaces which have embedded information systems
- what are the regulatory questions?
- using mobile devices to record knowledge, stories in situ and feed it back for others
- problems have changed – the technology gets smaller – perhaps the tablets are the solution – better image size – can make available in museum (Puke Ariki doing this now or soon)
- two sides – using location based information to access received wisdom (museums, libraries, archives) but the other side of the community generated knowledge – accumulation of wisdom about specific locations – mention of 4square as a way of getting local recommendations
- looking at memory – it may be the experience of the place, not the place itself – the personal stories, example of visiting the site of the former World Trade centre and the stories around
- issue of following people on twitter who may over tweet their location – are we interested?
- question about how to represent “my space” in a physical and an online way – how can an indiviual represent their physical space
- second life mapping? dashboard with all spaces represented – could have a physical representation at some point, virtualising
- artists working with gps locating combining in physical space – eg. Nigel Helyer
- need for a truly topological architecture which can change, be exploratory, but can leave a trace others can interact with
- AR – example which uses face recognition technology – as a navigation and access tool – using separate feeds for interaction,
- is there an intiutive, pure way of leaving the trace in the environment?
- the audio moving as you move through physical space – wanting diversity
- who funds the staged experiences? collaborations? scalable? interlinking? example of staged experience cycling through inner west Sydney looking at galleries – other wise would not explore
- push space – potential for marketing, but also possible for heritage and art discovery
- example of Blutooth enabled signs in Adelaide for a band – song sample played
- rfid – can slide tags in everywhere – no way of judging/evaluating them – perhap a solution is to be able to put filters on?
- is there a market for the cultural sector to be a collective filter for people to opt to – as a collaboration rather than organisation by organisation?
- idea that aggregators with crop up in the future – subscription option – also location filtering?
- there could be a place for local aggregated information for discovery
multiple view points helpful for many areas/locations - are the technologies providing the connections or enabling the connections
broadening connections and also ultra local possibilities - different platforms with different norms about who you will have relationships with – differences with facebook, twitter, delicious…
- need to keep in mind W3C standards and full accessibility – plus multilingual options? also social inclusion is very important – eg. iPhone ad showing people using their phone to sign
- example of developing countries doing really interesting things with mobile phones, mobile phones as leap frogging technologies
- example of using mobile phone technologies in refugee camps, and in transitioning to settlement
- mobile phone as private space – this feeds into the notion of augmented space and personal/public have become blurred with the use of technology
- banking transfer system in one African country based on mobile phone
- are we already augmenting reality – by sharing things in different ways?
- phones in West Bank provide a way around the changing boundaries – as can reroute people about the changes, adn map for boarder crossing pathways with real time updates
- parking police mobile app – you know where they have been…
- rfid tracking of cattle and sheep – genetics and feeding
- stories from the US passing laws the prevent employees being micro chipped
Tools
- readcloud – for ipad – people in a book club can comment, add images, where they are, twitter feeds, within the application of the book club, bringing together online and physical
- soundcloud – similar with comments on the audio track, or kindle ap with high light within text to share possible sections of reading
- Parramatta Library/Heritage centre will loan devices for accessing the walking tours
- Museum which created a story ending at at secret room at the museum, online sources from Nina Simon blog
- Tools for geocaching audio – blockchalk.com, graphito (iphone app)
- What about qr codes, qr queries? has their time passed? Issues of adding qr codes to buildings – who owns the plaque, can the code fit? Not all phones can read qr codes
- new forms of fiction – King Park app finding your way to particular points – you are part of the story – also a version for Sydney Park
- judas goat – feral goat tracking device – way of doing feral goat reduction
- mesh technology could tie in with local applications as well
- in France – Free – two boxes – networked foneros (?) works feeding “extra” maps.fon.com bandwidth into shared area – sharing your own bandwidth
- 4square – using gps to recognise where you might be, and can share information with friends or tweet or post tips for anyone to read – game mechanic “mayor” of place
- Parramatta Heritage i-phone app for Governor Macquarie heritage walking tour, walking the past in Parramatta through the built up environment
- mesh mobile phones – mobile phones reaching the tower through other mobile phones – for emergency phone towers
References
- Cyberspace first steps (text title) this book was refered to, circa 1999, but I have not yet found it in a collection)
