Inspiration
The internet of things is all around us
To kick off this collection, I wanted to post some projects that I am particularly inspired by in the world of “physical computing.” In their book Physical Computing: Sensing and Controlling the Physical World with Computers, Dan O’Sullivan and Tom Igoe explains this phenomenon best:
Personal computers have evolved in an office environment in which you sit on your butt, moving only your fingers, entering and receiving information censored by your conscious mind. That is not your whole life, and probably not even the best part. We need to think about computers that sense more of your body, serve you in more places, and convey the physical expression in addition to information.
Commercially, Tellart has created an entire business around developing these types of interactive experiences which combine the phyiscal world and technology. One of the most inspiring projects that they have worked on is the Chrome Web Lab, a year-long exhibition at the London Science Museum. This collaboration between Tellart and Google is designed to “bring the extraordinary workings of the internet to life.” Exhibits include a robot that takes user-submitted images from the internet and sketches them in sand, an eight-piece orchestra in which each instrument is played by someone via the internet, a set of periscopes connected to cameras around the world, and more.
Another beautiful installation of physical computing is the Lumarca. Latin for “light box,” the project combines a computer, projector, and common materials available at most hardware stores to view three dimensional images and motion. The collaborators, Albert Hwang, Matt Parker, and Elliot woods build the first Lumarca platform using borrowed technology and less than one hundred dollars worth of string and gaffers tape. But don’t let the affordable pricepoint fool you—the experience that it creates is astounding.
I find this project particularly inspiring because it is something that anyone can put together with some time and effort. For me, this project encapsulates the ethos of the physical computing movement; it brings digital expression out into the real world in a way that allows extension, modification, and adaptation by anyone in the world.
The last source of inspiration I want to share is the Cloud Lamp by Richard Clarkson, a Masters candidate at the School of Visual Arts in New York.
This Arduino-controlled device puts on a motion triggured lightning and thunder performance, creating a beautiful intersection between the digital and the physical world. Clarkson suggests that the Cloud Lamp provides new discourse on what the nightlight could be.
Much like the Lumarca, this project has galvanized my excitedment about physical computing because of the accessibility of the tools used to create it. We are so lucky to have such powerful tools for artistic creation available to us today, and I can’t wait to begin exploring the endless possibilities available in this space.
