Due: Thursday, May 6 at 10:30am

Overview

For this project, we ask you to create an active proxy body. We will continue with our investigation of creating a proxy body – this time creating a proxy body that directly interacts with others (people, animals, things, the space). For our definition, active means engaging and exchanging with another in a way that requires direct attention. This active proxy body is a representation of someone or something in a far away place – think avatar, puppet, or remote controlled robot.

You will be paired with a classmate for this project. Each student will physically build the representation of their peer they are paired with. As before, the proxy body will communicate bidirectionally via live transmission of digital data. Each proxy will have capabilities in both sensing and transmitting a local interaction while receiving and performing a remote action. The roles are symmetric, but the proxies do not need to be the same. The representation of your peer, again, does not need to be a literal representation, it could be a constructed, imagined or fictional representation.

The active proxy body can take on many roles and forms. It can be a unique kinetic or tactile communication device. It could take on a supervisory role, a friend role, a role of a monster, a distracting sibling, a pet, a space alien, etc. Its form could be similar to a puppet, a wearable or garment, an abstract textile sculpture, etc. The role and form will play off of each other and contribute to the character of the active proxy body.

Similar to very intentional interactions we may have with another through telephone, mail, video chat, or social media, our active proxy bodies will require our focused attention. Our interactions might be limited by the time availability we have to give that attention.

As before, we are open-minded about solutions to this abstract prompt. But we are especially interested in approaches involving tactile telepresence, possibly as a wearable or garment. We consider sound within this realm, but would discourage traditional visual and verbal telepresence in favor of expressive non-verbal interaction.

Objectives

To create an active representation of another person who is existing remotely from you.

To use the capabilities of live digital data exchange via the Circuit Playground and MQTT systems.

To utilize the pliable qualities of textiles as medium within this project. You are not limited to only using textiles.

Deliverables

Make: Create an Active Proxy Body that is remotely activated using live transmission of digital data back and forth between two locations.

Document: Create a video that shows the story of this Ambient Proxy Body. The images should be clear and easy to comprehend by other’s who do not already know your project.

Write: Create a blog post on the class website to share the video. In the post, write a few paragraphs on the following topics: describe your project (what was it’s intention? what was the resultant experience of it?); tell us what was was successful and unsuccessful in the project; tell us about ideas for the future that are inspired by this project.

Due: Thursday, May 6 at 10:30am

Evaluation

  • Tenacity: Are you forging through difficult problems without giving up?
  • Execution: Are you crafting with purpose, precision, and attention?
  • Experimentation and Inventiveness: Are you discovering/exploring methods outside the obvious and predictable?
  • Fulfillment: Did you meet all of the requested supporting criteria (such as providing scans of sketches, categorizing your blog post correctly, documenting your projects, writing reflections, etc.)?