Migration
Research Through Practice Final Projectprocess notes
Oct 17, 9.49am
i’m reading the last chapters in donald normans “emotional desing”.
I know, some think this book isn’t much to hang in the christmas tree.
but i really enjoy reading those last chapter about robotics and
emotions.
But i would like to investigate this further, robotics and the need of
emotion for it to work properly. I remember that you Natasha said that
you had some interest in this field. or did i misunderstand that? if
not, then you might have any recommendation in terms of reading.
I also write this to you to se if it might be an option for us to investigate robotics and emotion in our project.
then for you that is interested, read the last chapters in above mentioned book
sorry for all my post…
/janne
Oct 17, 9.58am
I would LOVE to. I will look into it in the library and see what I can find. If they do have have it, may I borrow your copy to make a photocopy of the last few pages? I am definitely interested in robotics and emotions.
here is a link for a medialab friend of mine at MIT who works in AI and made a robot-actor.. http://robotic.media.mit.edu/ not sure this follows the car idea, or that we have enough time to fully investigate this avenue, but it totally fascinated me.
I’ll get back to you about finding the book.
Natasha marie
Oct 17, 9:38 am
Sound system I had this idea with making sound/music in a generative system. example, the amount of surrounding sound triggers our sound system. that could actually generate a really interesting feedback loop if we feed back the sound generated by the sound system itself. Then we have to set up rules for it to take a break once in a while…
we can also let junk mail generate sound or any other date of our choice.
Radio controlled car (see radiocar.jpg in the file section) Then i have this idea with an radio controlled car, you can buy them very cheep at clas ohlsson etc. it could also be controlled by sound or light and then we could do motion tracking that is the data generated that we in one way or another use for something.
you might wonder way should we do any of those things?
me to… 
seriously i find it quite interesting to study the patterns that those
systems generate. just as Albertos right hand photographing is
generating pattern any other system does to if you have enough data.
So it could be interesting from an architectural or sound design point
of view.
Then of course we have the knowledge thing, do we know how to do this? probably not al of it, but i’m quite sure we can find the way…
anyway, feel free to comment, find new angles or just throw them in the trash
best /janne
Oct 17, 9:47 am
Jan,
Yes! I think the car idea would be the easiest to incorporate into a theory of research. You sound have car movements generated by sound and then map the shool based on a generative device… the other side of the assignment could be a social map of the school based on human experience. So on the one hand you have machine research and on the other you have human research.
notes on class to follow. I love google groups, I would just like to say.
natasha marie.
Oct 17, 10.06am
About the knowledge thing: We can probably get useful information from Alberto to make it real. Sounds like his area of expertise. I’d like to leran more about it as well! Curious about the generated patterns. I agree Natasha, google group is a good thing! (eaven though i feel a bit short on english vocabulary)
Ninna
Oct 21, 12.14am
Hey guys,
Im sorry that I haven’t showed up here before, but I have had quite a
busy time here, and such a bad internet connection 
I read all the
discussion, and guess you talked about new things today, but anyway:
About the idea with the remote control cars, would they generate sound
through their mouvement? (if i well understood?) And the source would
be every surrounding sound? Janne you said something about midi, so
i’m wondering if the result would be on midi or as a loop kind of
feedback from the sound around. I like the cars, but maybe we can
transform them on other kind of ‘creatures’? or inexpected moving
objects? or flying saucers that can’t fly? just a little touch of
humor maybe?
anyway i really like the idea of producing sound from mouvement, I
still wonder how we can do that..
i was wondering what happen with that floating idea of making music
from stadistics?
i send a little bonus here, the project i mentioned from Tim hawkinson, the signature machine (this is the only thing i could find online but I will bring the book!)
http://www.artnet.fr/artwork/424253128/423775681/signature-chair.html
see ya
maria
Oct 21, 7.26am
Hi maria,
we kind of have moved on yesterday.
the idea is to work with migration as the theme and use, interviews,
“maps”, video, sound movement to explore this.
we’re still consider the car idea but we will probably rebuild it to a
boat. And we’re consider different ideas to realize this. concerning
the video we are inspired from the drummer guy. if you haven’t already
seen it you can find the link here on this page.
Natasha did take some notes of our discussion yesterday that is
hopefully going to be up here soon .
okay maria, hope that you get your tax things done in a satisfying
way
see you soon
/janne
Oct 21, 6.49pm
hello, that sounds great, I like migration as a subject very much. Yes I saw the video of the drummer, it’s super.. would that be used in an interactive way or just as a clip? well it will be easier to talk about on thursday, but i support the idea, yeah!
see you
Maria
Oct 21, 6.54pm
Hi,
we try to keep the final creation kind of open at this moment, but the idea have had interaction as a component. for example that the “boats” are triggering words/video. we’re right now doing the interviews, and then we’ll see what that can lead to.
/janne
Oct 21, 7.17pm
Hi,
I’m confident that, once we’ve got material in form of answers, it will easier to go from there. I think there will be a lot of uncertainties around the word, even misinterpretations, because the word can have such different meanings to different people. But there can be a potential in that , as I see it…
I like the idea of a ship and the way it begins to take shape sounds beautiful. I can’t think of a name though, but it should definitetly have one.
I can’t be with you tomorrow. I have set a date, an interview with a priest to talk about death, Ecclesiastes, repetition etc. Perhaps I could ask him how to get in touch with Alberto Frigo!
I’ll watch the mail and googlegroup!
best Johan
Oct 21, 10.52pm
YES! why didn’t I think of that?
Notes on process….
1) formulate questions- 2) formulate rules or structure- 3) interview- 4) splice/edit- 5) generate/map system- 6) physical manifestation in form of boat and map- 7) Reflection on what has been learned-
Wetware: the subjective information provided by the human beings through interviews… subjective date creation. Also, the human-produced artifacts used in the generative process.
Hardware: The ship’s movement, information generated by a system of rules governed by electronic devices.
Software: The reflection component, so initially the RTP group collaborative notes, and then documentation of process, readings related to the themes, and then reflections on themes.
that’s what I’ve got, Ninna has the rest.
Natasha marie.
Oct 21, 4.22pm
Hi,
I and Natasha are going to try to do some interviews tomorrow after noon. So if anyone else have time and intreste feel free to join in.
I haven’t manage to find any appropritate/suitable bump n’ go’s. I would be really nice to get in contact with Alberto before thursday afternoon and check with him if he still have some bump n’ go’s. (he told me yesterday that he might have a couple of them, but wasn’t sure)
/janne
Oct 21, 5.17pm
Below is some thoughts/questions to read if you have time.
and feel free to continue “sinking” with me here.
So i have been reading the instructions for assignment 3. and have found some parts particular interesting or challenging. I know that we can interpret the assignment in different ways, but nevertheless i found the assignment really interesting and challenging. And since it seems that we have a lot of different commitments we can’t always meet irl so maybe this place is a good place considering this.
1. We’re supposed to posing a significant research question So our trigger is migration, should we or can we try to be more precis in this stage?
2. We’re also supposed devising a system capable of generating an
”original” or “creative” design/art/craft artefact or process.
I think we’re on our way to do this like I said today, the slumber
weaving system (Janine Antoni) is just so beautiful. That it actually
is a kind of feedback loop. I think we should aim for this to.
3. We should present the outcome of the system or the system in action. I guess this depends on how our project is evolving…
4. Could a system or a machine be capable of reflective practice? What is reflective then?
5. Can a machine – or a semi-autonomous system – be truly ‘creative’? Also an interesting discussion. I have tried to bring the topic “machine” and emotions up before. I know, it’s a tricky one but we don’t have so much to lose discussing it if we find it useful/interesting
So, i don’t want to come across as something here, just showing my interest and invite people to discuss if you have time.
take care /janne
Oct 21, 5.37pm
> 1. We’re supposed to posing a significant research question > So our trigger is migration, should we or can we try to be more precis > in this stage?
*Some suggestions for precision might be…. how can one approach the
different effects of migration, its different associations? How to represent
or visualize migration in a way that doesn’t simplify or reduce it,
retaining the ambiguity of the phenomenon on a global scale?*
> 2. We’re also supposed devising a system capable of generating an
> “original” or “creative” design/art/craft artefact or process.
> I think we’re on our way to do this like I said today, the slumber
> weaving system (Janine Antoni) is just so beautiful. That it actually
> is a kind of feedback loop. I think we should aim for this to.
*I think what we aiming for is a two part research project that does loop
back onto itself. Through our interviews, we are traditionally researching
what people associate with migration. Through the generative process that we
develop afterwards, we will research how those associations {broken into
smaller pieces} will be represented through a generative device that people
can interact with randomly {i.e. the ship will trigger certain words, or
these will be projected somehow}. *
**
*this is essentially two parts… is this what you mean Janne?*
> 3. We should present the outcome of the system or the system in > action. > I guess this depends on how our project is evolving…
> 4. Could a system or a machine be capable of reflective practice? > What is reflective then?
> 5. Can a machine – or a semi-autonomous system – be truly ‘creative’? > Also an interesting discussion. > I have tried to bring the topic “machine” and emotions up before. > I know, it’s a tricky one but we don’t have so much to lose discussing > it if we find it useful/interesting
*This could be a useful discussion to have afterwards, when they development
for the project is well under way. I personally am very dubious of machine
creativity, but I think it will be interesting to see what we come to. *
Natasha marie.
Oct 22, 6.44pm
> > 5. Can a machine – or a semi-autonomous system – be truly ‘creative’?
> > Also an interesting discussion.
> > I have tried to bring the topic “machine” and emotions up before.
> > I know, it’s a tricky one but we don’t have so much to lose discussing
> > it if we find it useful/interesting
> *This could be a useful discussion to have afterwards, when they development > for the project is well under way. I personally am very dubious of machine > creativity, but I think it will be interesting to see what we come to. *
Just as i can see the logic behind the Turing test and the question
about the meaning of “machine” and “thinking” i would say that you
could do the same with “machine” and “creativity”. But we save this
discussion for another day
janne
Oct 21, 5.20pm
we were discussing the word migration today with one of the
interviewees.
Does the word migration contain imigration?
was a question that arose.
/janne
Oct 21, 5.26pm
Human migration <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_migration>, a person leaving its own home to go to a new place or residence with different reasons and also different effects. from the wikipedia site. So yes, I think this also involves immigration, it is the larger category and addresses not only the political parts of migration, but also all the emotional and social aspects as well.
that is my opinion, anyway.
Natasha marie.
Oct 21, 6.14pm
Hi all, just wanted to let you know that we (ninna and I, and whoever else wishes to help with this) have trouble-shot and decided on materials and a loose plan for constructing the ship “shell”. It will most likely be made of micro-plywood and wood veneer, with some sort of translucent tracing-type paper for the sails. it will be lightweight and hopefully strong…the raft can be made very easily, i think. We were thinking of having a little name on the boat. If people have opinions on this matter, please let the group know: are you against it? like the idea? have a name in mind? tell us.
/beth
Oct 21, 6.57pm
i like the idea.
maybe have loads of names?
/janne
Oct 21, 9.59pm
I like it too, go beth. Should we stick to the migration theme? Do you want to go campy with the name and call it something like Suzanne Day or Glorianna?
Natasha marie.
Oct 21, 10.13pm
or maybe we could have it sponsored by pabst blue ribbon and call it “PBR” (practice based research?) hahahaha….sorry. but did anyone else notice this similarity??
Beth
Oct 22, 9.25pm
have done some research and testing around a generative system
i don’t know if this is possible to incorporate in you design of the boat. but it might be necessary to have one of those fiducial markers on top of the boats. having this it might improve/make it easier to use the boats as gerative elements.
just wanted to tell this before it’s to late… then of course we might end up in a complete different ally in terms of realization.
/janne
Oct 22, 9.10pm
Hi,
Natasha and i have made 12 “interviews” today and i have done some testing in terms of motion tracking. don’t know if that’s going to be our final solution but i thought it was fun playing with… I have booked B2 for more interviews if we want to do that tomorrow at 13.00 – 17.00 I’m going to miss the lecture tomorrow due to a visit to the swedish health care but i’m quite sure i’ll be at school before 13.00.
have Beth heard anything from Alberto?
just an update /janne
Oct 23, 4.42pm
Hi everyone!
I think we’ve achieved a lot today!
It feels like this could turn out to be a very interesting and beautiful piece – with many exiting aspects. The possibilities for reflection, associations, source of referenses seems endless! In that sence this is really good, I think.
I’ll try to summarize this, knowing that I may run the risk of making it more confusing. But it sounds more complicated than it is (I think…):
Beth and Ninna are working on the boat (or is it a ship?). We have an already existing battery driven toy-car, able to change direction after hiting an obstacle (in this case in form of a sidewall, easily built in the wood-workshop. I can do that). The boat will be attached over the original car – as a coach.
The idea (still open for changes) is shortly, to have an enclosured area – a square (the proportion could perhaps be adjusted to the size of the ship), but as a suggestion 2×2 meters.
The ship will move around, bumping into the side, change direction and move on. Above the square we hang a camera. The camera is connected to a program (Janne knows more about this). The camera recienve an image of the area and tranfer it to the program. In the program we can define several coordinates within this image. When the ship moves over one these coordinate (which are only visible in the program) the camera detects an action.. The information, coming from that, is linked to one clip. One coordinate is linked to one clip.
The clips consists of the answers earlier collected from the interviews. One word one clip.
AN IDEA IS that we could connect one word with one coordinate – i.e. one specific place within the area. When the ship reaching one place, triggering one word, the program will be interpreting this connecting it to a link that will play the specific clip. (I was thinking that it would be nice to use a monitor instead of a projector. I know there are monitors reminiscent of the ones used in supervising/surveillance that we could get hold of. It also lead ones mind to surveillance.) It would be possible also to place the words in the area, written on the floor, and connect those written words to the coordinate that represents the same word in form of a clip.
The result would be that the ship moves with no destination over the defined area, crossing all these words. The camera sees everything, confirming its awareness by actually saying/pronouncing the same word that the ship just crossed, showing it in the monitor.
This is just the practical side of it. I hope I don’t make it more confusing. Please, do correct me where it’s needed! And as mentioned, this is still open for alterations of all kinds.
best Johan
Oct 26, 12.02pm
Hey guys, I went to see the firewire that we need, and, the 4,5 M cable costs, 159 SEK. They have this ‘active’ extension which costs 350 SEK. I didn’t buy them yet because I’m not really sure we need both..I can go back on Monday to get them, I live very close, but I wanted to ask you before (janne and Johan?). What if we only get the 4.5 m and put the computer a little higher? or do you guys think we should still get the extension (it would be 500 SEK in total, I know we have the budget but this would spend half of it)
Another thing is that my boyfriend, who knows about cameras, told me that some web cams have already a wide angle, or even survelliance cameras (which fits with our idea) have a wide angle and can be connected through usb or firewire. These are also good because we don’t have to plug them, they take the electricity from the computer, so we have less cables around.
So if you guys have a webcam please bring it tomorrow, it might have a
better angle, and we don’t really care about the quality, right janne?
otherwise is seems that survelliance cameras can be affordable with our
budget (that’s why i didn’t get anything yet 
) . If we choose to use a
webcam instead, then we would need a USB cable and not a firewire I guess.
I’ll check the survelliance cameras and let u know
PLease let me know what you think, If we stick to the camera we have, i can get the cable tomorrow morning, but I think it would be worth it to try with a webcam first .. does someone have one?
Maria
Oct 26, 3.21pm
hello Maria,
Great that you have done some investigation before we spend some money that might end up not useful. i think we can discuss this tomorrow so you don’t have to do anything tomorrow morning. And what you say about wide angle cameras is definitely something to consider. One thing that i have to check is if it’s possible to use a usb-cam in this project.
I was planing to write you all an update about my work tonight but i guess i can do it already here. I have done some test-programming and i think i have a solution that might work for us. But there is a lot of different parameters to consider and find solutions for. So we’ll se how advanced this version is going to be… there is for example some difficulties to not get the boats to re- trigger clips several times or to trigger several videos at once. then of course there is some interesting things happening both visually and sonically when this happens. i have uploaded a picture of the patch that “might” give you an idea of how it’s working.
/janne
