Exploration space @ ACDH-ÖAW focuses on experimentation and open innovation. Set within the liquid, participatory concept of the post-dictionary, various interactions and experiments, both digital and virtual, are offered. Artists, practitioners and scientists aim to co-design and take the participants on a shared journey into intimate dimensions of food as part of European cultural heritage as well as European blended culture, touching all senses by various experiences.

1. FOODPRINT

Credits: Ross Whyte (sound)
Artists: Dan Shay (artist / Glasgow), Slaven Stekovic (University of Graz)

We are what we eat, so what do we eat?
Foodprint as a sum of influences that food has on humans and humans have on food and the environment is an ongoing process. By capturing a spectator’s foodprint in time and space, we are increasing the awareness of various aspects that are integrated into the everyday process of consumption of various food products. Creating space for us to reflect: Is the food just a sum of its ingredients or does it carry non-material components worth considering?

This work is the first one in the series that challenges transformative forces of food and meal genesis. It examines the interaction of consumers and food using light/shadow and sound/silence as representatives of this inseparable relation.

We are what we eat and what we eat is us.

2. INVASIVE SPIRITS: NATURE, FOOD, AND SENSORY EXPERIENCE IN THE CITY WILD

Credits: U.S. Embassy Vienna; Austrian Academy of Sciences, Austrian Centre for Digital Humanities (ACDH), exploration space; metaLAB (at) Harvard, Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society
Artists: metaLAB (at) Harvard, Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society, Matthew Battles (US), Keith Hartwig (US)

YEAST is no mere “ingredient,” but a world of vital organisms, partners of humans since the dawn of civilization. For Ars Electronica, we’ll offer “sensory gifts” in the form of several vials of yeasty materials: sourdough, wort, pickles, and materials gathered from the world (waste, rubbish, trimmings or clippings from plants growing in open areas in the city). Participants will tell us what these aromas mean to them; we’ll visualize these along with scientific names of yeast and their DNA.

3. DISTINCTION MACHINE: LIMITS OF OUR DIGITAL REALM

Credits: U.S. Embassy Vienna; Austrian Academy of Sciences, Austrian Centre for Digital Humanities (ACDH), exploration space; metaLAB (at) Harvard, Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society
Artists: metaLAB (at) Harvard, Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society, Kim Albrecht

In the midst of exploring and understanding cyberspace, it is intriguing to ask about the boundaries of computation itself. Ludwig Wittgenstein said the limits of our language define the limits of our world.

What limits the language of computation? And how is it defining our worldview?

This set of experiments asks the computer to perform a simple task, placing two differently colored rectangles at the same position in a three-dimensional space. As none of the two is in front of the other, the machine is confronted with a problem of what color to show. The decision for one color and against the other happens on the lowest level of computation in which electricity flows through the silicon circuits. The computer represents the one or the other, but never an in-between. The vagueness of our world, the betweenness is nothing that could be computed. This certainty in the uncertain shines through on every level of mediation between us and the computer.

4. MORAL LABYRINTH

Credits: U.S. Embassy Vienna; Austrian Academy of Sciences, Austrian Centre for Digital Humanities (ACDH), exploration space; metaLAB (at) Harvard, Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society
Artists: metaLAB (at) Harvard, Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society; Sarah Newman; Nikhil Dharmaraj

Moral Labyrinth is an art installation that takes the form of a physical walking labyrinth and an interactive website that contends with the Value Alignment Problem in artificial intelligence. The Value Alignment Problem is the challenge of assuring that the goals either embedded in AI systems or secondary goals that they subsequently form are aligned with the values of the society they serve.

Such alignment between machine and human is difficult to achieve; there is no dictionary for the vague and uncertain values we hold. In the post-dictionary realm, our concepts are fluid, while the machine seeks the binary. The answer lies in reflection and engagement. As a step toward addressing this issue, Moral Labyrinth brings to the public a direct and accessible form of engagement, provides an opportunity to meditate on conflicts in values, and invites viewers to engage inquisitively with pressing philosophical questions.

This project explores ideas of infinity, in specific, horizontal lengthening and particle scattering theory.

Website:

• http://igrey.net/

The anti-carpet is an interactive generative audiovisual installation exploring environmental design in futuristic architecture with roots in Persian motifs.

The initial idea of this project was to make a connection between ancient Persian art icons and link them with a new design objective in the form of an installation. The key element was Persian carpet which was the consequence of the idea of an earthly paradise spread through Persian literature from the time of the Achaemenid Dynasty, to provide a place for protected relaxation of various kinds: spiritual, and leisurely.

In contrast with traditional carpet, QAL is not a single pattern, it is a mortal which dies in one second and it is very easy to create by the motion of hands in real-time affected by light. Over 60 patterns are generated in one second, some of which were captured and printed on canvas in a size of 1.5 m x 2 m.

An example based on just such considerations is the Concept Truck by Rosenbauer, a prototype of a self-driving fire truck. And the work on this trailblazing technology is being done not too far from here—in the Rosenbauer Corporation’s R&D division located in the vicinity of Linz. Now, in a collaborative project with Linz AG—the city’s utility and thus the very epitome of an organization with an intensely local focus—we’re expanding the Future of Helping theme to encompass municipal challenges and responsibilities. What changes can we reasonably expect in our immediate surroundings and what preventive measures would it be advisable to take now? Another initiative attesting to our ongoing attention to future regional concerns is Europe’s first completely electric fire truck. The outcome of an Upper Austrian joint venture involving Linz AG and two of the most innovative firms in this state’s private sector, Rosenbauer and Kreisel, this vehicle is already in use. Cutting-edge technology not only helps to fight today’s fires; it also demonstrates how mobility could be interpreted and lived out in the very near future. Besides collaboration with the conscientious men and women of this region’s fire brigades, another Linz AG project has to do with hard-working creatures. Here, modern technology meets an essential, long-time helper of humankind—the bees. LoRaWAN technology, which is also used in Smart Home applications, makes it possible to monitor Linz AG’s airborne associates in order to detect health-endangering influences in a timely manner and then to quickly take the right countermeasures.

The Future of Helping is concentrating on those future challenges pertaining to the security and quality of life in our own city. There’s a long list of important points that could also be addressed: water quality, air quality, parks/green areas, waste management, etc. The great breadth of these areas of responsibility is indicative of the tremendous significance of some of the things in everyday life that we tend to take for granted. An essential role in the ability to assure the maintenance of our quality of life is played by well-balanced deployment of new and time-tested technologies. Both projects showcased here underscore the diversity of both the challenges that are being confronted as well as the approaches that are being taken here by regional firms working together responsibly.

CL-P Compact Line
Approximately two years ago, three innovative Upper Austrian companies joined forces on the initiative of the company fire brigade LINZ AG with the aim of implementing a completely new vehicle and thus following a common vision. The cooperation between Rosenbauer, Kreisel Electric and LINZ AG resulted in a top innovation in the emergency vehicle sector.

In firefighting, the idea of climate protection has long since arrived from a practical point of view. Experts say that fire brigades are already having to move out more and more often because of extreme weather events attributed to climate change. As a result, climate protection is in a certain sense also self-interest for the fire brigades.

What drives LINZ AG?
The initiative of the company fire brigade meets with open doors at LINZ AG. In this project, LINZ AG’s motives are innovative spirit, economy and practicable functionality with an eye on the environment. The project initiators see the climate protection benefit in particular in the potential for imitation.

The highlights of the new emergency vehicle at a glance

European innovation: the first fully equipped tactical fire engine with electric drive in Austria and Europe will be in service in Linz.

A showcase project with potential for imitation: The lighthouse project is suitable for making tomorrow’s clean mobility tangible and visible, pointing out opportunities and bringing new ideas about e-mobility. Furthermore, the fire brigade – in Upper Austria alone the fire brigade has almost 100,000 members – is a great multiplier for e-mobile solutions.

Economy/environmental effect: with the electric drive, the new emergency vehicle will be much cheaper to drive than with conventional drive concepts. The concrete CO2 savings achieved by operating the vehicle will be demonstrated by practical experience. The assumed mileage of 12,000 km per year is expected to save 4.8 t CO2 per year.

Simple operation: The vehicle is very easy to operate with the accelerator/brake system and accelerates excellently – advantages that can be decisive, especially in applications where it has to be quick and every move has to be made.

Utilisable synergies: LINZ AG is fortunate to have a lot of know-how in the field of e-mobility in its own ranks. This applies to the charging infrastructure – an e-charging station is being set up at the fire brigade site FHKW – as well as the operation of electric vehicles as a whole.

Pioneering position: LINZ AG once again underlines its pioneering position in the field of e-mobility with the first all-electric fire-fighting vehicle

Intelligent beehive scale at Pöstlingberg
As part of a pilot project, LINZ AG has been carrying out a test run at Pöstlingberg – where 17 beehives are located – since summer 2017. The newly developed beehive scale with LoRaWAN transmission technology is to contribute to securing the bee’s survival in the future.

Smart networking
The beehive scale sends the current weight of the beehive as well as the temperature and humidity to the servers of LINZ AG three times a day. In addition, local weather data is available. Beekeepers will then be able to access and evaluate this data via their own web platform. In the event of irregularities, they can receive alarm messages and react at short notice.

Enormous relief for beekeepers
The knowledge about the weight development and temperature allows the optimal feeding of the bees and gives information about the collected amount of honey. Until now, beekeepers had to weigh their hives regularly. The data also help to find the optimal location for the beehives.

Low energy and maintenance costs
The beehive scale is powered by a photovoltaic system. An energy management system ensures that the scale consumes energy only when needed. The system is equipped with two sensors: one collects and transmits data on temperature and humidity, the other on weight. One sensor requires no battery change for up to ten years. With LoRaWAN, LINZ-ENERGIESERVICE GmbH-LES and the business unit LINZ AG TELEKOM found the right radio standard. This combines high range with low energy consumption. Currently LINZ AG has installed a total of six LoRaWAN transmitters, an expansion is planned.

Unique total package
The complete package makes the LINZ AG beehive scale an innovation that facilitates the care and conservation of bee colonies for beekeepers. The first results of the pilot project were promising and once again demonstrate the innovative power of the LINZ AG subsidiary, LINZ-ENERGIESERVICE GmbH-LES.

LoRaWan (Long Range Wide Area Network) is a radio technology that scores with low costs, very good range and a very long battery life in the end devices. It enables numerous ´Internet of the Dinge´ and Smart-City applications. For example, it can be used to optimize energy consumption and increase energy efficiency as well as for customer frequency measurements and much more.

The initiative Think Your Product teaches students entrepreneurial thinking and creativity in coming up with product ideas and starting a new company as a first step of a potential career path. Students are offered several motivational and informational events over the course of the year. Think Your Product works closely with Upper Austria’s Startup Network and numerous IT companies of the public transport in Linz. The initiative’s highlight is the Make Your Product Week during which the teams with the best product ideas can spend a whole week focusing on developing a prototype and, at the end of the week, present the results to a jury of experts.

Streampy

Stefan Stanzel (AT), Karsten Köhne (AT), Andreas Leeb (AT)

Streampy is an app, where the user can create playlists across different streaming platforms. It frees users from the tedious task of searching music over different streaming platforms, sorting out the high number of overlapping offers in order to get the music they are really looking for.

Ludimus

David Matousch (AT), Eric Stock (AT), Elias Bürger (AT)

Ludimus is a mobile gaming platform for card, board and arcade games that is revolutionizing how families play games with their kids. As a mobile solution, it enables players to take their entire game collection with them on vacation or to their friends’ house.

Remember five years ago when you did.. you know.. uh? Remember your favourite food from five years ago? Do your beliefs from back then actually still exist? What kept you busy, worried you, caused you sleepless nights? What made you happy, what let the sun shine through your smile, what made you think you live in heaven?

Nowhere is our own imperfection more evident than when we look at our own development and past. Who was I? Who were you five years ago? The time capsule contains snapshots of past days. 2013 at Total Recall – The Evolution of Memory, visitors were provided with the opportunity of sealing significant items, letters or messages in the capsule. Preserved knowledge, stored memories that have been dormant in the earth since then, are waiting to be awakened again.

Therefore we offer all time travellers, who dared to banish memories into the time capsule for 5 years, this year the possibility to dig out exactly those memories with us – on SUNDAY, 9 September 2018, at 15:00, the time capsule will be opened and hidden contents will be returned to the participants of the time experiment.

In that sense, let’s #flux

Marty McFly: “Wait a minute. Wait a minute Doc, uh, are you telling me you built a time machine … out of a DeLorean?” – Doc: “The way I see it, if you’re going to build a time machine into a car, why not do it with some style?”
(Back To The Future 1985)