Inge Ploum's Research Blog

The Integral Tram Workshop part 1

missmalone — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 18:01:35 +0000

Last thursday the workshop ‘Integral Tram’ – a collaboration project of the Centre of Applied Research Groningen (Innovation, Art & Society) and Academy of Architecture Groningen – kicked off with the lecture of media artist Shu Lea Cheang. This project – in which I am a visiting workshop leader – researches the opportunities of an integral research approach in the development of the forthcoming tram in Groningen.

After the inspiring lecture, the students were placed into groups. Each group was given the task to explore how the integration of the tram in the city of Groningen and the daily lives of its inhabitants could be improved. By going on a city safari on friday each group explored not only their part of the actual tram lines, but they were also confronted with the potential impact of this tram line. It would cut through the city like a hot knife through butter. After having absorbed this information, the students were asked to share their findings with the rest of the group. The next day the groups were divided into smaller groups and asked to create a concept based on their findings. At the end of the each group had to present their work so far.

Although there is still a lot of work that needs to be done, all the students worked really hard and the results (so far) are promising. Next weekend will be the last workshop session, so we just have to wait and see.

Usertest: Serious Game

missmalone — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 15:15:51 +0000

The last couple of months we have been working on an educational computer game called ‘Inn-o-vator’. This serious game simplifies the educational innovation processes teachers working in the Digital Art Lab Zoetermeer go through. The game stimulates sharing workshop ideas among other teachers and functions as an idea development process tracker (i.e., how an idea evolves from concept to product/service). Yesterday was the day of our first usertest. This was the result:

Asimov’s The Robot Chronicles Comic

missmalone — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 10:24:39 +0000

For all my loyal Asimov readers, a post with all the episodes of The Robot Chronicles so far. In 2012 the comic will probably get a different style and will continue the storyline.

Asimov’s The Robot Chronicles: Episode 12

missmalone — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 09:34:56 +0000

In this 12th episode of The Robot Chronicles, Asimov refers to 2 historical account in which gaining knowledge/technology is filled with fear. In both accounts/stories a higher authority (i.e., God/Zeus) disciplines humans/half-gods by punishing them. The message in both stories is clear: gaining knowledge comes at a cost.

Asimov’s The Robot Chronicles: Episode 11

missmalone — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 09:25:33 +0000

I know, I know… it has been a while since I last posted an Asimov comic. After a busy period, I finally managed to finish the eleventh episode of Asimov’s The Robot Chonicles. In this episode Asimov continues his quest for the historical stories on artificial life (and the human fear for artificial life).

Testing the New Analog Live-Following Revolution in Istanbul

missmalone — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 19:53:31 +0000

My boyfriend recently came home from a music festival, stating he accidentally discovered a new revolution. For once in decades, not a digital, but an analog one: Live-Following.

My first reaction was: didn’t we have another word for that in the real world? (stalking)

But after he explained I was at least somewhat interested.

Here is what he did. Since he had seen all the performing bands on the festival a million times anyway (Offspring, Skunk Anansie etc), he came up with the idea to follow other people for 5 minutes, and see what they were up to. Just like a follower on Twitter, but now in real life.

At first he was a bit insecure to approach followees, but quickly he improved on the art of Live-Following. He started at 9 in the evening, and was sent home by his last followee around 7 in the morning. He didn’t spend a single coin on drinks or food, and wasn’t bored for a minute.

The Rules for Live-Following Revolution:

1) Go to a random person, and ask if you may follow him or her for 5 minutes of his/her life.

2) Tell him/her that this is a new analog revolution you are trying out, and that you find it interesting to follow him or her for 5 minutes.

3) After 5 minutes the followee has to point out a new followee for you to follow, and you will start following that person. One follow-session usually takes more than 5 minutes, but it gives you and your followee the chance to get rid of each other.

4) If someone does not want to be followed, then ask him/her to point out at least another person to follow for you.

Repeat these steps until you want to go home, and ask your most recent followee to release you.

Typical FAQ’s and responses for Live-Following are:
Followee: Why would you want to follow me?
Follower: I am trying out a new concept, and I am interested to see where it will bring me.

Followee: I am boring, you don´t wanna follow me.
Follower: That´s funny, a lot of people say that, but I found no-one boring yet.

Followee: I’m not sure about this.
Follower: Don’t worry, it’s just 5 minutes. And if someone asks who I am you just tell them: “Who? He? Ow, That’s my follower”
Followee: (thinking: “mmm, that IS kinda cool)

Punchlines to make it happen are:
Live-Following is better then e.g. Twitter since you:
1) don’t need to login
2) it’s more efficient, since the followee does not have to tweet
3) it’s totally green technology
4) it’s open source, change the game whenever you want!
5) you can start NOW

Some tips:
- ask for followee’s to point out a new followee who seems to be on his/her way somewhere.
This will increase the chance of you meeting totally new people and seeing totally new things.
- don’t ask for or give names. This makes it more analog and less Twitterish.

What do you get in return? Ofcourse you should play this game to have conversations with people you would never talk to. And you will see that most people are on their way to eat or drink something, or at least to see friends that are doing just that. When you get there, you will find yourself introduced as your followee’s follower, and you are bound to receive a share of what everyone is having.

This weekend I am going to ISEA in Istanbul Turkey. After all the big stories I’m going to try this out for the first time. Follow me there.

Asimov’s The Robot Chronicles: Episode 10

missmalone — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 06:16:18 +0000

This 10th episode of Asimov’s The Robot Chronicles explores the boundaries between the living and the non-living by taking the classic narrative of Rabbi Loew and the golem of Prague.

Asimov’s The Robot Chronicles: Episode 9

missmalone — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 17:01:23 +0000

This 9th episode of Isaac Asimov’s The Robot Chronicles, as for the previous two episodes, is an ‘archaeological’ account of robots in mythology. Asimov demonstrates that the creation of artificial life (what he calls ‘The Frankenstein Complex’ in other robot novels) has been associated with either the divine or the demonic.

Asimov’s The Robot Chronicles – episode 8

missmalone — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 11:23:33 +0000

This episode is a continuation of the seventh episode. By quoting Homer’s Iliad, Asimov traces the historical roots of the concept ‘robot’ back to ca 850 BC – the period when epics were created. This historical trail enables Asimov to couple the concept robot directly to the hero who surpasses the ordinary. Constituting an abstract image of the robot as larger-than-life.

Asimov’s The Robot Chronicles – Episode 7

missmalone — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 19:09:22 +0000

This episode of Asimov’s The Robot Chronicles explains the robot from an antropological point of view. In other words, Asimov argues that the robot has its origin with Homer’s Iliad (i.e., an ancient Greek poem).