Ad Infinitum parasitically attaches itself to curious visitors when they reach inside to grab the handle of a crank mechanism. The parasite lowers a set of cuffs that hold the visitor’s arm in place and simultaneously attaches a pair of electrodes to the visitor’s wrist muscles. It then proceeds by stimulating the visitor’s muscles with small electrical impulses. When the muscles involuntarily contract, they automatically move the handle, which generates kinetic energy on the crank mechanism. The parasite leeches on that energy and keeps on electrically persuading the visitor to move their muscles. The only way a visitor can be freed is by enticing another visitor to sit on the opposite chair and take their place.

This experimental setup reminds us that, on the brink of artificially thinking machines, we are no longer just “users”; the shock we feel in our muscles triggers an involuntary gesture that acknowledges our intricate relationship to the uncanny technological realm around us.

Credits

http://www.a-parasite.org

Acknowledgments: Astrid Thomschke

Supported by Hasso Plattner Institute & VIDA16 Incentive Award

The kinetic, photosensitive and adaptive model shows a type of architecture that constantly changes its morphology to adapt not only to the environment but also to human emotions.

The shape, size and speed of adaptation are controlled by an evolutionary optimization algorithm, which is a bionic technology inspired by nature. But instead of a lifetime cycle, one iteration takes just a few seconds. This algorithm follows biological criteria for life that have been transferred to architecture, such as physical irritability, and growth through tensile materials within a self-regulating system. Participants are invited to stimulate the architecture by setting it to their mood by changing the energy and light sources, as the building is intended to evolve from the climate given in this way—like plants or animals do.

Credits

Univ.-Prof. Dipl.-Arch. Dr.sc.ETH Urs Leonhard Hirschberg
Institut für Architektur und Medien, Technische Universität Graz

Priv.-Doz.in Mag.a Dr.in Doris Haas
Institut für Hygiene, Mikrobiologie und Umweltmedizin, Medizinische Universität Graz

Ao. Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr.rer.nat. Martin Grube
Institut für Pflanzenwissenschaften, Universität Graz

Assoc. Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr.techn. Franziska Hederer
Institut für Raumgestaltung, Technische Universität Graz

Ao. Univ.-Prof. Priv.-Doz. Dr.phil. Werner Jauk
Institut für Musikwissenschaft, Universität Graz

Univ.-Ass. Mag. Dr.rer.nat Emanuel Jauk
Institut für Psychologie, Universität Graz

The interdisciplinary research is based on experiential investigations. The results are presented in form of experimental prototypes such as LightScale II or lead to professional creative projects such as SINGULARITY, which was developed with the choreographer and Assoc. Prof. Carol Brown.

http://www.arc-sec.com
http://www.carolbrowndances.com

::vtol:: (RU)

The center elements of the work are a red glass crystal and a flexible Fresnel lens. The project includes many reworked electronic devices – a CD-ROM, an old scanner, reused electric motors. Multiple moving elements provide a wide variability for rather primitive optical elements. It is accomplished by constant change of focal length between the light source, crystal and lens, as well as by changing the crystal’s tilt angle and mechanical distortion of the lens.

The object works autonomously, by algorithm, with many accidental events tied to feedback, with sensors defining the position of various mechanical elements in relation to the range of their movement. The sound part has up to four voices which depend on the activity of various elements. The sound is also in direct interaction with the actual position of those elements, and basically is voicing the process of movement, brightness of light, and intensity of the piece.

Depending on the amplitude and frequency of the speaker’s sound, the balls bounce on the membrane and jump to a certain height. In each of the seven tubes attached to the cups, an optical sensor is installed, registering the passage of the balls. Depending on how often and in which particular cup (tube) the ball hits, the algorithm of sound generation changes in the second circuit, which executes the generative composition. Also the hits affect the frequency of sound in the primary circuit. Once the ball enters the collector it can be returned to the mechanical dispenser with the help of a robotic “hand”.

In essence, the object represents a complicated feedback machine, where the feedback doesn’t have a direct impact, but uses kinetic and mechanical elements-intermediaries. Those intermediaries are nothing other than random number generators inside a complex and precise system. This results in a constant change of the sound. The system’s attempts to hold itself in equilibrium and continue its work can visually be observed.

The Powerbrain is the central control element, the heart and mind of this construction kit. Movement modules make it possible to implement various forms of locomotion—driving, tipping, spinning or gripping. The movement modules are driven by servomotors; the energy is delivered by the Powerbrain’s battery. Sensor modules react to light sources and objects in the installation space. Tiny passive components called Cubies let you custom-design your robot.

All elements are easily interconnected without the use of cables, so kids as young as six can build mobile, interactive robots and get a playful introduction to mechanics, sensors and energy.

This work constitutes a new stage in the artists’ researches. They carried out new investigations, each within their own domain, on plastic and sound organicity in order to combine them into this fascinating object: a return to life operated by means of mechanics and sound processing. The approach is a long-term analysis culminating in an advanced and complex minimalism.

Nyloïd is a rudimentary structure. Often extreme, its movements are at the junction between mechanical perfection and raw material. Its impressive sounds, which seem to emanate from the material itself, are the result of an extremely sophisticated vocal research. The combination of raw material, mechanical and sound perfection results in a kind of hypnotic and dramaturgic choreography from which, in a paradoxical way, perfectly random kinetics arise.

Credits

Cod.Act is André and Michel Décosterd