Thinking time...

Php. It is the way forward. My RFid tags have the capability of posting information into a database. All I need php to then do is look at the last three inputs, combine them and print out the story that is represented by that combination. I have temporarily ditched the proximity element of the exhibition, as the unique identification and portrayal of the stories is far more important.

I have some reading to do - aside from reading RSS feeds, I don't have much experience with php, so wish me luck!

I still don't know how to make my three (head-ish-shaped) objects, or rather I can't decide. Plaster would, if done well, look amazing, but with this time scale? I've heard of Fymo(?) being like a tough playdough that hardens when cooked. It's expensive and may end up looking like a nursery project.

Another idea is to draw the heads in two dimensions and have them cut out of a thin sheet of wood by the laser cutter. I can't decide if this loses something of the interaction though, as I would worry that they may just appear to be props, as opposed to tangible objects. Something feels lost, like the metaphor of these heads carrying spiritual qualities would be lost if the heads themselves didn't have a proper, 3d physical presence. Annoyingly all of this creates more and more work. I am away this weekend, so I'm just going to have to do a lot of thinking. If you are reading this and happen to own 3 small head-type shapes, one with big ears, another with gills and the third with feminine features (I'm thinking pouty lips) then please drop me a line!

Printing

I must - get my head around the RFid tags that I am hoping will be AWESOME

I must - work out a printing mechanism (PD print /this/ website when /this/ happens)

We must - discuss exhibition space

We must - brand Orange-wise.

How should I display stories?

Please comment...

Should the stories (posted earlier) be -

printed,
text to your phone,
spoken to you through headphones,
projected,
emailed,
on a screen,


Or... any other suggestions?

My to do list/

Let's get real.

Eggs in one basket = rfid tag + reader coming ~ 1st March




I need to Plaster Cast my Bisj

I need to make 3 objects, one with big ears, one with feminine eyes, one with gills

I need to work out my proximity technology

I need to decide how to display the story outcome

Ten stories

Almost complete, the story book is attached if you fancy a gander.


10 Stories (pdf)

RFid uses...

Mitsukoshi interaction design for rfid retail./

Seems that it hasn't tempted many customers yet, but it is a nice addition. Reminds me a little of the app for the Google phone that scans QR tags to compare prices online.



I have found a product with rfid uniquely identifiable tags, and the starter pack comes around the 1st of March. Fingers crossed it works otherwise I may investigate QR tags or Semacode, funny how that ties in with our AC module. (AC Blog)

Laser Cutting

Cross posting is occurring HOWEVER my recent laser cutting experience means I may try to design some tribal artwork for use on the podium/object placement plate.





Also... leafy effect around the centralized light? We shall see.

At the moment I am struggling to be inspired to complete my series of Native American Myths. I'm not sure I realised how much work I had set myself. Three to go though, and I'm going to work till late tonight. Try my best to get somewhere with my ever growing list...

Technology and more Stories

So I'm trying desperately to understand RFid. The conclusion I've come to is to phone a company that sell them, describe what I am doing and pray they are game for helping! Andrew Cook, our tech help, seems to be not to phased by the idea of them, but like me he has little knowledge of what I need. I suspect the biggest help will be once I have the RFid tags; helping me get them to interact with pd!

On the story front I have 7 versions and am seeing a tunnel with a dim light at the end of it. I may upload a pdf story book instead of uploading the individual stories, so watch out for an exciting download!!

Stories

Ok, so as a reminder, the stories that emerge from interacting with my exhibit are inspired by Native American Mythology. There are 3 objects, each representing a particular spirit set as is set in Papua New Guinean mythology -

This has loosely translated as 3 heads: The first is that of a woman, symbolic of sexuality and promiscuity/dishonesty. The second is that of a large eared man, representing greed. The third is a man with gills, representing fertility, generosity and honesty.

To complete a story with the interactive Bisj pole the audience must interact with it three times, by placing any order, combination or singular object on the plate suspended above. This a beginning or set-up, a middle portion in which complications develop, and a climax or resolution.

For me, this means there are ten possible story outcomes.

So far, I have defined the three "pure" stories, which would result in any single one of the three heads being placed and replaced on the plate three times, thus producing a story very much focussed on the attributes that head carries.

Proximity to Spiritual Objects

Last semester Sarah Kettley, Jewelry Designer and research student at Napier University, presented her 'wearables', which included a series of necklaces that were unique to one another, using RFid tags to locate one another friends in a museum space could gain more from the space and create some interesting scenarios in trying to find one another through walls and floors. I would be interested in investigating this technology so as to uniquely identify the objects that are placed on the Bisj.

RFid tags are uniquely identifiable. The technology works, as I understand it, by having these tags, like a radio barcode, attached to the objects that we wish to track. The reader then is informed of the objects id. RFid tags are now being utilised in Pet Tracking technologies, but come at a cost. I would be looking to interpret the closeness of the tag so as to affect the light above the Bisj and also affect the video being displayed on screen. This video would be relevant to the object that had been placed on the plate, and the objects would ‘contain’ different human qualities ready for absorption.


Application for Mac OSX that utilises bluetooth proximity, used here for logging in / out of your computer. This technology doesn’t appear to have a scale of proximity, it only determines whether the bluetooth object is in or out of range.

Been a while...

Been working on a dedicated research site for this project, I'll post the link as soon as I've ironed out the creases!

Although this has been a set hand-in for the module, it has actually proved useful in really setting out my idea properly. Thinking about the technology that I'm going to have to get my head around (RFid tags... moan) is daunting but at least I am getting closer to being able to ask for help with something specific instead of "uh I'm like doing a Totem pole thing... yeah totally" which is how I sound in my head whenever I try to justify the exhibit!

In the mean time we spent some time in the exhibition space last week and got a feel for it's limitations and it's advantages as opposed to other spaces that we have considered using in the past. To my relief the space isn't as big as I had remembered, so although my Bisj pole is only ~4 ft tall, once it's on a podium and has a light hung above it, it will in fact be a perfect height! The exhibition curators pointed out another problem - powering up to 17 computers is going to be difficult! So although these are solo projects we are as ever going to need to work closely to one another and work out appropriate positioning of our exhibits so the projects that can share computers can share them without having cables everywhere!

Exhibition

So-

Bisj Pole
Circle
Put something (not a human head) on top, feeds the surroundings...

Asmat People

"For the Asmat, carving is part of the ritual and religious life of the community. Their carvings act as mediators between society and the world of their ancestors. The Asmat believe that spirits, especially those of the ancestors, control the activities of the living. Through carvings, the Asmat make direct contact with their ancestors. Each carving is named for someone who has recently died. Once the carving is named, it embodies the spirit of that person. Carvings play a key role in many Asmat ceremonies and during the feasts associated with them.

Ancestor (Bisj) poles are spectacular traditional carvings. Consisting of two or more human figures carved one above the other, an ancestor pole can reach a height of 25 feet. Each pole is carved from the soft wood of the mangrove tree. The wing, Cemen, is a root left intact when the tree is cut down. Each figure on the pole represents a person who has died. Oftentimes, the Bisj poles were carved in conjunction with feasting which preceded a head hunting raid."

American Museum of Asmat Art

There is also a documentary about them - "The Sky Above, The Mud Below" (1961) which might be relevant to watch...



[Poster image available from 'MovieGoods' an Ebay Store]

Papua Trekking Site

Encyclopedia Britannica describes the Bisj pole (the totem pictured further down this page) as also representing special powers - intended to carry the souls of the recently deceased away from the village and to impart their magical powers to novice tribesmen. The Bisj pole 'harbors' the souls of the dead. I am coming getting closer to an idea of how to interpret this for the brief, but it doesn't sound like it's going to be a cheerful exhibit!