Talk given at the DANA centre, as part of Takeaway Festival on Thu 21 May 2009

1. Brian Degger
transitlab.org
brian@transitlab.org
Hybridity, Collaboration and FOSS in
Light Responsive Device
Brian Degger transitlab.org

2. Transitlab.org?
• A collection of thoughts
– exploring hybridity
– topics related to trans-disciplinarity
– amazing people
– exciting events
– troubleshooting technology (software and hardware)
– importance of just starting it.
Brian Degger transitlab.org

3. keep learning
• learning is fun
• doing it with others is great
• peer supported learning rocks
• workshops (like here at takeaway) are great
ways of dipping the toes
• gleaning ideas from other makers
Brian Degger transitlab.org

4. Opportunities
• Free and Open Source Software
– its all there......or you can make it happen
• Application Programming Interfaces (APIs)
– allow access to data services( i.e. pachube, last.fm,
googlemaps, yahoo etc)
• communication
– internet based maker community
Brian Degger transitlab.org

5. Hybridity
• People learning in a third space/non-university (Noisebridge,
Access Space)
• resisting labelling or using a matrix
• aRt&D http://processpatching.net/triangle/triangle.html
Brian Degger transitlab.org

6. Collaboration
• language is important
– Engineering
– Electronics
– Programming
– are you really saying the same thing?
– Similar names → different concepts
Brian Degger transitlab.org

7. cargo cults are good
Brian Degger transitlab.org

8. Interdisciplinarity
Pairs
fruitful friction? Scientist/Artist
Engineer/Artist
timelines
culture clashes
new bodies of knowledge
Shared
(Centre for Social Robotics) Experiment
Methodology
Different Outputs Different
Outcomes Shared
CoAuthoring
Brian Degger transitlab.org

9. Development
• when to share? or is it too simple to share?
• can you share it with people of differing abilities?
• when does it become a platform? is it any different to other work
x?
Brian Degger transitlab.org

10. Arduino(hands up)
• a reintroduction to electronics
• a gentle introduction to the world of micro controllers through:
– affordable platform
– examples of code and circuitry
– great community
Brian Degger transitlab.org

11. Inspiration
• thinking about emergent systems, swarming and relationships in
nature (ie Stork and the Crab)
• life-like works of Ken Rinaldo and the life system work of Andie
Gracie systems
Brian Degger transitlab.org

12. LightResponsiveDevice
• build it and you will learn....more than you thought possible
• LRD is my first interactive piece
• arduino+LDR+servo+LED (and a bit of wire
• idea of simple interaction
– interaction is not simple
Brian Degger transitlab.org

13. Find a place to work
development has been
– on the dining room table
– at ISISArts for a mini-residency
Brian Degger transitlab.org

14. Tools and materials
• basic electronics, hobby drill, soldering iron,
various screwdrivers, pliers, wirestrippers
• hot glue, ping pong balls, wire, RGB LEDs,
polymorph, heat shrink, mechano, servos, etc
Brian Degger transitlab.org

15. Further development (getting from day 1-50)
• idiosyncrasies of the creatures, still learning
• moving beyond a simple behaviour.
• use ideas gleaned from twitchie to make a circuit board
• an untethered version
• circuit board // miniproduction
• Light detecting sensors??? place differently
• make 30
Brian Degger transitlab.org

16. Showing/Get it seen/User Interaction
– at any table
– at Connecting Principle
– at Glasgow DCA (introducing my objects to ... project1891
– at Polytechnic Event datarama 0.3
– at Maker Faire
Brian Degger transitlab.org

17. Thanks
Takeaway Festival for inviting me to talk
ISISArts Newcastle for a place to develop LRD
Oli @coldclimate for initial sketches in processing
Brian Degger transitlab.org

18. Brian Degger
transitlab.org
Brian Degger
brian@transitlab.org
transitlab.org
Contact
twitter @sctv
Brian Degger transitlab.org