TAKEAWAY, the Festival of Do-it-yourself Media is taking place at the Dana Centre in London. It ends on Friday so hurry up if you’re in the area.
The three-day festival of hands-on workshops, exhibitions, lectures and discussions about how an increasing number of individuals transform themselves from media consumers to media producers.
Practical workshops demonstrate how to create a blog, videolog or podcast; install and use free operating systems; where to find free software; ideas for distributing and marketing – and how to get paid for it.
Highlight from the exhibition (thanks Michael for the pictures!):
Tactile ball, by Hiu Feng, allows people to communicate physical tactile movements via tracking balls. Except the tracking ball function, when one of tactile balls is touched, the light turns on and users can feel the finger pads movements from another tactile ball in real time. Pressure sensors input the signals to control the servo motors movement. Radio transceivers transfer signals to each other through the micro control boards.
Feral Robot, developed by Giles Lane and Natalie Jeremijenko, enables communities to measure the quality of their environment.
Following an initial community mapping workshop last November the project team selected the sensors to build into the feral robot. The robot was tested last week in London Fields, where it captured GPS location, air quality and carbon monoxide readings. These were sent via a mesh WiFi connection to the UT server for analysis and visualisation.
The team is planning to launch the documentation and technical specs (circuit board design, software etc) for others to use to replicate the designs or develop their own.
MPAA (Mobile Phone Abusers Anonymous) takes a critical look at how mobile phones have influenced social behaviour. By Hwa Young Jung in collaboration with Someth;ng.
The Cactus Phone has had the buttons on its keypad replaced with razor-sharp needles. On the surface, it may be seen as a masochistic fetish object or designed to prevent its use. Calls can become more meaningful when the other knows you are enduring physical pain to talk to them.
Phish Phone forces one to make short, concise phone calls: the temperature in the tank in which it ‘swims’ rises one degree per minute spent on the mobile.
Tru:th has a breathalyzer attached: you can only make calls when you are drunk.
Rosary reflects on our “faith” in technology, and in communicating with the unseen, in this case – God. The screen of the mobile displays the progress of “prayer”.
Mirror Me is an interactive shop window installation developed by Allen Au. When you stand in front of this huge ‘mirror’, you will see yourself in an unexpected way. You may see yourself several seconds ago. You may pull a face – but the reflection you see may be of a gesture you made up to ten minutes earlier – and it may not move – you may see a frozen image of yourself.
Proximity to the mirror/window, the speed at which you move in front of it, your movements, and the sounds you make, will produce a different reflection. If you do nothing – you will gradually disappear…… (video)
The user’s movement speed in front of the installation affects the playback speed of the sound effect. The distance between user and the installation triggers different sound effects.
Corrugation Street, by Dave Miller, is a soap opera that you can help to write. Log on and get involved in making the story. Be a co-author, co-illustrator or a researcher. Change the subject of the story, the mood, or the look and feel. Create your own unique version of the story, told in your own personal way.
Gori.Node Garden, by Je Hyun Oh, is an electronic garden whose flowers grow – or die – as a reflection of your relationships.