This is the slideshow of a talk I gave at Gnomedex '09 in Seattle, Wa.
It discusses the strangeness of humans and our prosthetic culture. From the externalization of our brains to the machine, to human/machine interfaces, to the blurring boundaries of public and private spaces, to the quick progression of our relationship with humans and computers --- to the strange fact that we externalize our fashion with exchangeable clothing. How our prosthetic devices make us sexy or not (vehicles, cell phones) and determine the speed at which we can live/accomplish goals. From the traditional prosthetics like the fake legs which amputees wear, to the prosthetization of our own tasks with virtual assistants and the 4 hour work week, to the idea that cell phones make give us superpowers -- the ability to hear MEGA-distances by extending our ears across the ocean. And finally, omnipresence and omniscience through social networking sites.
93. Here, talk about the escape velocity of data when there is too much of it on a hard drive (many photos, ect). Webvisions ’09 @caseorganic ESCAPE VELOCITY OF DATA
Francis HEYLIGHEN CLEA, Free University of Brussels, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium E-mail: fheyligh@vub.ac.beABSTRACT. The organismic view of society is updated by incorporating concepts from cybernetics, evolutionary theory, and complex adaptive systems. Global society can be seen as an autopoietic network of self-producing components, and therefore as a living system or “superorganism”. Miller’s living systems theory suggests a list of functional components for society’s metabolism and nervous system. Powers’ perceptual control theory suggests a model for a distributed control system implemented through the market mechanism. An analysis of the evolution of complex, networked systems points to the general trends of increasing efficiency, differentiation and integration. In society these trends are realized as increasing productivity, decreasing friction, increasing division of labor and outsourcing, and increasing cooperativity, transnational mergers and global institutions. This is accompanied by increasing functional autonomy of individuals and organizations and the decline of hierarchies. The increasing complexity of interactions and instability of certain processes caused by reduced friction necessitate a strengthening of society’s capacity for information processing and control, i.e. its nervous system. This is realized by the creation of an intelligent global computer network, capable of sensing, interpreting, learning, thinking, deciding and initiating actions: the “global brain”. Individuals are being integrated ever more tightly into this collective intelligence. Although this image may raise worries about a totalitarian system that restricts individual initiative, the superorganism model points in the opposite direction, towards increasing freedom and diversity. The model further suggests some specific futurological predictions for the coming decades, such as the emergence of an automated distribution network, a computer immune system, and a global consensus about values and standards. KEYWORDS: superorganism, global brain, collective intelligence, cybernetics, networks, evolution, self-organization, society, globalization, complexity, division of labor, living systems.
Francis HEYLIGHEN CLEA, Free University of Brussels, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium E-mail: fheyligh@vub.ac.beABSTRACT. The organismic view of society is updated by incorporating concepts from cybernetics, evolutionary theory, and complex adaptive systems. Global society can be seen as an autopoietic network of self-producing components, and therefore as a living system or “superorganism”. Miller’s living systems theory suggests a list of functional components for society’s metabolism and nervous system. Powers’ perceptual control theory suggests a model for a distributed control system implemented through the market mechanism. An analysis of the evolution of complex, networked systems points to the general trends of increasing efficiency, differentiation and integration. In society these trends are realized as increasing productivity, decreasing friction, increasing division of labor and outsourcing, and increasing cooperativity, transnational mergers and global institutions. This is accompanied by increasing functional autonomy of individuals and organizations and the decline of hierarchies. The increasing complexity of interactions and instability of certain processes caused by reduced friction necessitate a strengthening of society’s capacity for information processing and control, i.e. its nervous system. This is realized by the creation of an intelligent global computer network, capable of sensing, interpreting, learning, thinking, deciding and initiating actions: the “global brain”. Individuals are being integrated ever more tightly into this collective intelligence. Although this image may raise worries about a totalitarian system that restricts individual initiative, the superorganism model points in the opposite direction, towards increasing freedom and diversity. The model further suggests some specific futurological predictions for the coming decades, such as the emergence of an automated distribution network, a computer immune system, and a global consensus about values and standards. KEYWORDS: superorganism, global brain, collective intelligence, cybernetics, networks, evolution, self-organization, society, globalization, complexity, division of labor, living systems.
PORTLABLE CONE OF SILENCE
telenoiaTagged: academia, lingo, paranoia, technologyA term suggested by CAiiA-STAR, as a replacement term for paranoia. Telenoia suggests a move away from anxiety and fear in the face of the increasing integration of corporate information technologies with the human body. Ascott instead advocates an attempt to create new artistic models for consciousness and social organization in a environment of surveillance and control.Linkswikipedia: telenoia
<a href="http://grinding.be/2009/06/06/german-students-developing-oled-data-glasses/" rel="nofollow">grinding.be/2009/06/06/german-students-developing-oled-da...</a>Students at the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany are developing a pair of interactive data eyeglasses that can project an image onto the retina from an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) micro-display, making the image appear as if it’s a meter in front of the wearer. While similar headwear only throws up a static image, the students are working on eye-tracking technology that allows wearers, with just the movement of the eyeball, to scroll through information or move elements about.
Surreal Becomes Real With Toys And ARKid = Never ending Demand For NEW Toys! This equation holds true in all homes, however designer Frantz Lasorne has an excellent project for us that gives a second lease of life to the existing toy collection. Called Augmented Reality, the project combines the joys of virtual reality, imagination and tangible toys. Using Augmented Reality Tangible User Interface (AR TUI) via head-mounted glasses, loads of imagination and old toys, a new environment is created that allows a child to live his fantasies.In this surreal situation, a child gets to use his old toys as weapons or tools in a fantasy virtual world where his is the superhero and superpower. The AR TUI allows for the concept to push forth the virtual parameters commonly used in video games like power, life, magic, experience, attack, weapons etc. The objective of this project is to create an imaginative and engrossing environment while still creating value for old discarded toys. Its kinda like tabletop war-game and a strategy video game coming together.Frantz describes the game play as follows:- Each player is equipped with a toy standing on a base and Augmented Reality glasses (Head mounted display).- Before the game begins, players can equip their respective toy with different capacities (health, shield, camouflage, weapons) on a limited number.- Then, players can prepare together the battlefield (game space) with real objects.- Both players start on both sides of the battlefield and the party can now begin.- The game is turn-based, players play successively in a limited time.- They can alternately move, attack, heal, use stealth, protect themselves with shields, switch weapons etc.- Each weapon has a specific range of distance and a special power.- Real obstacles can obstruct the field of vision allowing players to hide themselves.- The goal is to kill his opponent by strategically using all possibilities of game.Designer: Frantz Lasorne<a href="http://www.yankodesign.com/2009/03/16/surreal-becomes-real-with-toys-and-ar/">www.yankodesign.com/2009/03/16/surreal-becomes-real-with-...</a>
Surreal Becomes Real With Toys And ARKid = Never ending Demand For NEW Toys! This equation holds true in all homes, however designer Frantz Lasorne has an excellent project for us that gives a second lease of life to the existing toy collection. Called Augmented Reality, the project combines the joys of virtual reality, imagination and tangible toys. Using Augmented Reality Tangible User Interface (AR TUI) via head-mounted glasses, loads of imagination and old toys, a new environment is created that allows a child to live his fantasies.In this surreal situation, a child gets to use his old toys as weapons or tools in a fantasy virtual world where his is the superhero and superpower. The AR TUI allows for the concept to push forth the virtual parameters commonly used in video games like power, life, magic, experience, attack, weapons etc. The objective of this project is to create an imaginative and engrossing environment while still creating value for old discarded toys. Its kinda like tabletop war-game and a strategy video game coming together.Frantz describes the game play as follows:- Each player is equipped with a toy standing on a base and Augmented Reality glasses (Head mounted display).- Before the game begins, players can equip their respective toy with different capacities (health, shield, camouflage, weapons) on a limited number.- Then, players can prepare together the battlefield (game space) with real objects.- Both players start on both sides of the battlefield and the party can now begin.- The game is turn-based, players play successively in a limited time.- They can alternately move, attack, heal, use stealth, protect themselves with shields, switch weapons etc.- Each weapon has a specific range of distance and a special power.- Real obstacles can obstruct the field of vision allowing players to hide themselves.- The goal is to kill his opponent by strategically using all possibilities of game.Designer: Frantz Lasorne<a href="http://www.yankodesign.com/2009/03/16/surreal-becomes-real-with-toys-and-ar/">www.yankodesign.com/2009/03/16/surreal-becomes-real-with-...</a>