DIY Robotix

William Gibson has a new book out, ‘Pattern Recognition’. He’s the sci-fi boy who named ‘cyberspace’, without even knowing how to use a computer at the time. Gleaned the idea from watching kids play arcade games and wondering where their joystick frenzied minds were. The kids of those kids are probably building wobots nowadays and grappling with artificial intelligence algorithms. They’d like these books from www.mcgraw-hill.com.au.

High Score~! The Illustrated History of Electronic Games
By Rusel Demaria & Johnny l. Wilson
300+ pages of pixel porn, tracing the prehistory of electronic games through to today’s multiplayer online and immersive realism. Even early pinball machines get some gorgeous space on the page, and as the book slides through the 70s, 80s & 90s, the fantastic plastic architecture of early game machinery is as pervworthy as the endless screenshots of games such as Ms Pacman, Donkey Kong, Marble Madness, Dragon’s Lair etc etc. Funny how many dormant game memories come flooding back when you can browse such a thorough collection of screengrabs.

Luscious colour graphics aside, High Score also packs a compelling retelling of the human stories behind the rise of computer games. Be charmed by the passion and innovations of early pioneers and experimenters. Thrill at the many technical and creative hurdles these cats leap over, as they strive to provide new levels of interactive entertainment. And grin at the games of today: 4750 x 2 for a Boneless + mute backflip (dude). Purrrrrrfect coffee table fodder for the gamer at heart.

Junkbots, Bugbots & Bots on Wheels:
Building Simple Robots with BEAM technology.
By Dave Hrynkiw & Mark W. Tilden

‘Perpetual motion machines can be really annoying unless you build really well’ – from the preface, Mark Tilden.

Trying to fast-track the robot dream, these kids figure the more people out there building their own robots the better. Fed by long-term experimentation with the possibilities of automated machinery in the household, this book outlines an introduction to electronics, mechanics and assembly techniques, several projects for immediate tackling, and an extensive array of research resources, technical schematics and material listings.

BEAM stands for Biology, Electronics, Aesthetics and Mechanics, and is apparently a growing alternative to traditional CPU-based robotics. Accordingly, this BEAM robotics book aims to get you ‘breeding’ bots as soon as possible with a range of cheap ‘n’ dirty techniques for building cool robots.

Project bots include a mini-sumo wrestling robot, a BEAM walking robot, a magbot pendulum, a herbie photovore, and a solaroller drag racer. For the financially challenged, there’s even a chapter on how to best scavenge robot parts : Dumpster Diving 101. They really want you raising the robot population. A great introduction to creating simple and fun, self-guiding robots. Ongoing support for the book and roboprojects can be found at http://junkbots.solarbotics.com

Robot Invasion – 7 Cool & Easy Robot Projects
Dave Johnson

With a nice introduction chapter about the world of robotics – thought for robots, robots around us, neural nets, laws of robotics etc – Dave soon dives into building the beasties. Except he lands in something like a kiddies pool, compared to say the dumpster of the Junkbots crew. Thing is, while these projects are cool, they all require the Lego mindstorms robotics kit. Which makes it a bit more like a Toys ‘R’ Us invasion, but still a decent swarming – given the robotic car hammers, robotic arms, racing robots, 4 wheeled robots, solar powered rover robots and remote-controleld videobots on offer for building. You’ll still learn a lot with this, and have fun, but ultimately Junkbots offers more.

by Sean Healy, February 5, 2003 0 comments

Latex Mind Research Interview

Peacocks are fantastic synchronised swimmers. Even more remarkable is their ability to sync their fine-feathered manoeuvres, while swimming in ponds that may be as far as 2000km apart. Humans have a few sync-tricks up their sleeve, even if they do involve thumb strain or mouse-hand rsi. And we do such wonderful things with technology. Just ask Aerial, a self described ‘plastic shaman’, and researcher about the use of latex & resonators (inflatables) – for enhancing meditation, yoga & spiritual development. That URL if you missed it? http://latexmindresearch.tripod.com

What first attracted you to latex as a child?
It was the way it felt and sounded. It were mainly latex balloons – their warm, smooth, elastic surface – partly also the static electricity of them and the way they droned when drumming with fingers on them.

What did you do with your “first red, rubber band” ?
I likely stretched it, felt it and played “guitar” on it, but balloons were much more interesting – the rubber bands in a kitchen table drawer were just the 1st elastic rubber objects I got in contact with in my early childhood.

What were your “strange, energizing childhood fantasies” about latex?
I often inflated plastic bags and tried to sit or lie upon them. I often tried to lie or sit on cylindrical balloons and was very annoyed when they didn’t survive. I also remember an experience with a pink, cylindrical balloon that smelled particularly awful and made my hands smell for 1 or 2 days,which I found quite eerie at that time. But mostly I sat just there, embraced a latex balloon and dreamed /sort-of meditated with it. A key experience in my life and my fascination for latex was also a TV show in that a bodybuilder inflated by mouth a hot water bottle until burst. I often thought about how big rubber gloves could inflate, and before sleeping I often visualized slowly inflating ones.

What does latex offer those in search of transcendental experience?
That’s a very complex topic. I am consciousness researcher and one of my main research topics is the resonator technology, based on the particular capability of inflatable latex objects to intensify and modify the perception of bodily vibrations to synchronize brain waves. This helps to learn and intensify meditation (a similar concept like bio-feedback; more explanations can be found on my site).

A goal of mine is to develop a device to make enlightenment available for everyone. What we yogi call enlightenment is a neuro- cybernetical process which leads to the activation of previously unused brain areas and though (besides others) enables human beings to gain a much more comprehensive, holistical understanding of the universe. Read also the page “The metaphysical secrets of latex” on my site.

What other materials have similar benefits?
None are directly comparable. Normal PE plastic bags also can function as resonators, but much worse. Most other rubber sorts seem to be toxic – I got e.g. a very bad silicone poisoning from pranayama experiments with a silicone swimcap – see “swimcap resonators” page in the pictures section.

How much latex do you have in your house?
I have multiple dozens of normal resonators (rubber glove and swimcap type etc.), about a dozen hot water bottles, 2 latex cushions and I have bought parts for building a physio-kundalinih resonance suit of latex, and I have also bought some latex sheeting to build trance equipment from.

How often a day do you touch latex, and how?
Sometimes I meditate with resonators in my bed, but mainly I meditate and experiment the entire sunday with latex resonators to stabilize the operating point of my nervous system. I am a sort of modern alchemist and do a lot of different stuff with latex. I mainly meditate by gently squeezing them against the body and concentrate myself to their vibrations. Often I pray for world peace during this. I sometimes also do elastAyama (inflating to the limit) with new resonators.

Can you elaborate on what you mean by “with certain *interdimensional assistance* I began to research the working principles of yoga and learned how to apply inflated membrane structures as resonators”?
I got spiritual visions by my enlightenment, where I was instructed to develop technologies to ease enlightenment for the mankind.

Describe what latex feels like to a person trapped inside a bubble all their life for medical purposes, unable to touch the outside world?
That’s a silly question. To me latex feels like absolute harmony – something like personified tenderness or a mystical essence of pure bioenergetic lifeforce and cosmic balance.

What latex dreams have you had?
As a child I e.g. sometimes dreamed/ fantasized about floating around on top of or inside a huge latex toy balloon, or about tiny rubber sofas those can safely inflate to giant size. But nowadays I rather dream about resonators or inflatable latex suits or strange latex diving suits etc.

Future latex plans?
I plan to build the Physio-Kundalinih Resonance suit. On my site I want to add more latex DIY tips – particularly about building such a PKR suit and also about latex alchemy things like non-toxic latex gluing or which unusual plants can be used to make latex rubber from – but currently I have no time for this.

by Sean Healy, January 19, 2003 0 comments

One Bass, One Love, 12 Volts : Slender Whiteman

Survey in a recent edition of Outdoor Lovemakers Journal showed that 42% of outdoor lovemakers felt ‘electric and alive, more connected to mystery’, 34% felt ‘foxier about bodies of water’, 18% had developed borderline insect-phobias, and 6 % believed they were now ‘more likely to connect with their partner during dreams’. Not sure if Torsten Lauschmann aka Slender Whiteman is a Journal subscriber, but most solar powered laptop buskers probably are. Find out at: www.slenderwhiteman.com

Describe the Slender Whiteman portable sound set-up?
One heart, one bass, 12 volts! Slender Whiteman travels with a portable micro dub soundsystem – laptop, keyboard, midi controller, amplifier, loudspeaker, battery and a solar panel. The soundsystem is a custom made unit which needs no extra power other than the sun and Jah.

Biggest challenge setting up a portable solar sound system?
It took a while to work out which parts will be powerful enough to make enough noise, are cheap and light. I tried to get the weight under 20 Kg so I could take it on a plane. Finding the right gold paint for the speakers was difficult too.

What sorta styles / ways do u play, and how do people react to a laptop busker?
An important part of the project was the attempt to bring music which the commercial media doesn’t play in public places. I think the mainstream media totally underestimates peoples tastes in music. So I find it sad that even the majority of (professional) buskers play only Beatles and Oasis. I performed my own tracks which are influenced by many genres like Dub, Glitch, Electro, Punk Rock, Bastard Pop and I also played recorded music by people which for me are total Pop Stars (this is meant as a compliment) like Pole, Hey O Hanson, Schlammpeitziger, Toots and the Maytals, Farben and Akufen…

In general people reacted very positive about the music and especially about the fact that it was solar powered. At times I had 2 people in front of me listening and, what is a common laptop problem, 20 people behind me watching what I was happening on the screen.

Where have your laptop busking adventures taken u lately?
The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao (Spain), which was good. Unfortunately I didn’t realise that I was sitting next to an art work which consisted of 2 million water jets spitting water towards my laptop. I was invited to play in Belgrade, which’d be great for an Eastern European tour, but I don’t have the cash at the minute.

Strangest jam you’ve had in the urban wilds?
The best place was at the most western piece of rock in Europe. At Sunset, facing towards the American continent I played a version of “Take me home country road” by Toots and the Maytals. It sounds totally naff, but it was really moving and confirmed to me that there is no bad music but only wrong contexts.
(c4 yourself: )

Musical insights from a nomad wandering between cultures?
There are definitely communities in Europe where synth sounds haven’t reached, where people like Kraftwerk would be burned alongside witches. But in general people aren’t stupid, they just don’t have access to good music through most commercial Media. Surprisingly, lots of older people were totally fascinated by things like Pole, Kit Clayton, Burnt Friedman.

Rumour has it you’ve been turning up to gigs with an empty hard drive & remixing TV signals?
Slender Whiteman is one alter-ego I use for music projects. As Torsten Lauschmann (authentic name) I do Audio-visual gigs with custom made software. I just developed a Show called “Slackness vs. Culture” where I sample videoclips and sounds of live TV and try to turn crap into gold. One Problem is the reception in most places, so I probably have to get a portable satellite dish (12 volts of course).

What features would a Slender Whiteman action figure have?
It’d have three heads – Lee Scratch Perry’s, Noam Chomsky’s and Ronald McDonald’s. It’d be armed with a 12 volt soldering iron and Britney Spears CDs. One of his hands would constantly play with his nuts.

How have machines invaded your dreams?
Not really. I still dream of nice organic natural things, if you know what I mean.

3 hints for wannabe laptop buskers?
1. Don’t play in Paris.
2. Buy parcel tape to make your new shiny laptop look like you found it in the bin. This helps against theft and fetishisation of your gadget in general.
3. Remember that some traditional buskers play because they have no money or even a home. So show respect, as a privileged white(man) male with a 1500$ laptop.

by Sean Healy, January 5, 2003 0 comments

2002 : Cut N Pastried

Little boy on a stoner loose bike. Purple woollen, handknitted beanie dangling from his handlebars. Cherishing a Portuguese custard tart in one hand. Parks in the shade under the Information Highway overpass, and takes his hearing aid out. Feels better that way. Lifts the little puppy from his beanie and figures it’s okay to let him have a run here. Might save him a bit of crust. Graffiti opposite him says ‘Bush is a terrorist’. The traffic din is soothing somehow, washing over him in crumpled waves. Scoops out the free street press magazine he picked up with the custard tart. Time to poke fun at that hit and miss technology column once again. Plays a little air guitar to celebrate at finding the right page. Zooms into the words:

‘Best Software of The Year’

Some complained that the act of writing and ‘recording’ our thoughts, would in fact worsen our memory and lead to the downfall of our then oral culture. However, shifting gears has never been a problem for the human race when it comes to adapting to new forms of communication. Writing and the printing press later, both profoundly altered the human experience, and enrich us daily. We are still in the embryonic stages of televisual immersion, our perceptions of the world invariably shaped by the ways it is presented onscreen to us. With this in mind, and the massive adoption of computer and internet use over the last decade, thought I’d reflect on the most interesting software packages to hit their straps in 2002.

Sez boy with bike: “Glitch puppets.”

Best Audio Software
Newest cat in the stable would have to be ‘LIVE’ from ableton.com. Mixed metaphor, but seems that most audio companies trying to produce software for making live electronic music have been mixing theirs. Or at least missing the mark a bit, by attempting to reproduce the conditions of a recording studio used to record a rock band, when they could be exploring what a computer is good at and uniquely suited to do. ‘LIVE’ grew up under the wings of Monolake who knew what he wanted in a live application, and many are the peeps, who b.vario happi with this elastic masher of sound. Reakor 3 & the Traktor mp3 mixer from native instruments shoudl also get a nod. ‘nod’.

Sez boy with bike: “ziga ziga, ch buk buk chaaaa”

Best Live-Video Software
PC heads have been getting down n dirty with Visual Jockey – an app which lets you customise your own effects in a modular fashion, but not to the same extent as apps built with nato – a video programming environment of sorts that runs on top of max audio software. VDMX 3 looks like da bom 4 mac-peeps with a capacity to mutate live camera feeds in real-time, auto synch any paramters to audio and excellent playback speeds. As always audiovisualizers.com has all the vid-booty a girl’d ever need.

Sez boy with bike: ‘Show us your fractals.’

Best Web Design Software
Given that everybody decided simultaneously sometime around April this year to stop building useless webpages, and companies decided that they felt guilty about turning the net into a shopping mall, web production ground to a halt and so most web software developers are now actually getting into herbal medicine, acupuncture and weekend parachuting.

Sez boy with bike: “Is this custard organic?”

Best Anti-Terrorist Software
Available online for you to play with , software at www.lemonbovril.co.uk/bushspeech/ lets you cut up and rearrange George Bush speeches for yourself. Combined with an address to the American nation, this presents a powerful tool for reversing the damage that Bush has been perpetrating around the world.

Sez boy with bike: ‘That sounds cool.”

Best Pro-Terrorist Software
Microsoft’s Outlook Express is a clear winner here for its buggy, bloated and haphazard approach to security. It is also one of the main vehicles on a PC that can be used to pass on a virus.

Sez boy with bike:“Heeeeere, little puppy.. ”

( Enjoy your custard tart in the summer shady. – jp )

by Sean Healy, December 15, 2002 0 comments

Future Screen 02: Data Terra

Factoid for the day: John Howard and Arnold Schwarzenegger have the same eyebrow stylist. Easy enough to imagine Arnie pumping iron at Parliament House, butt much harder to swallow Johnnie on the back of a harley in leather with a sawn off shotgun and cables sticking out of his neck.

Only one of them though may be sending citizens off to kill soon though. Trying figure out why Australia might go to war inevitably leads one through media mazes, where the battle for your perception of events and other countries is fiercely contested. Timely then, is the dLux presentation of ‘Data Terra’, a series of events exploring our very own virtual reality minefields, the goopy media saturation of 2002.

Desert Rain
First tank off the rank is a very large scale interactive piece by Blast Theory(UK) that 6 people spend half an hour inside. Trying to blur the real and the fictional, Desert Rain sees participants a mission in a virtual world – projected onto screens of falling water. Each member explores motels, deserts and underground bunkers, communicating with each other within the virtual world and has 30 minutes to find their target. Each target has had their life changed by the Gulf War in some way and talk about their relationship to the events, their proximity to them and how ‘real’ it felt. Check the impressive screenshots online and book your ticket.

$6 / 11, Nov 15 -22 every half an hour between???
At Artspace, 43 – 51 Cowper Wharf Rd, Woolloomooloo Cost:
Bookings essential: the piece is structured as an interactive game for six players.
Groups of six get one ticket free – call 02 9380 4255, leave contact details.

The All Star Data Mappers ~ curated by John Tonkin
Surveillance these days of course, is shifting to the monitoring of our ‘data-bodies’, the traces of our electronic movements and money flows. This exhibition pulls together some of the best electronic artists dissecting the politics of ‘data mapping’, each providing innovative and provocative ways of visualising and interacting with ‘data maps’. Works featured include Benjamin Fry’s genomic piece, Schoener Wissen’s graphical browser for surfing the Gnutella network, Golan Levin’s make-your-own-axis game, and Josh On’s theyrule.net which shows the massively interlinked corporate boardrooms for the top 100 corporations.

Opening at Artspace, 6pm, Nov 28,
Or catch it from : Nov 29 – Dec 7 (Mon – Sat 11am – 6pm)

Data Conspiracy
Cut N pastry: ‘An informal evening of data swapping with dr Martin Ng, dr Ann Finnegan + Kate Richards A drinking date, a live experiment will place audience and speakers together in an intimate setting. The art of conversation combined with a little tapas and the divulging of sets of information [data], will be served. Experience a deep data debate in order to digest the mediation of information across technological, cultural and physical terrain.’

Mon 2nd Dec 2002 6 – 9 pm $15
bookings essential, call Dlux 9380 4255

Interalia
All the high-falootin real-to-virtual theorising gets properly mashed at the Data Terra closing party; an audio visual performative environment with 3 stages, 3 – 5 projectors, a multi -channel surround sound system, a stack of audiovisual performers and performance/ live artists. Byo Arnold Schwarzenegger & John Howard masks.
9pm till late, Sat Dec 7, $5.
The Chocolate Factory, Level 2, 144 Cleveland St, Chippendale

by Sean Healy, November 12, 2002 0 comments