December 2011
2 posts
A (rather longwinded) definition of a robot
Defining a robot is by no means an easy task. The noun robot does not refer to one specific object; it is not based on a particular technology, activity or function and whilst certain stereotypical robot forms such as anthropomorphic pervade, other diverse and surprising configurations of technology can also be considered a robot. The definition for such a broad range of possibility is by...
Abstract: Why robot?
One of the enduring objects used to represent our technological future is the robot. This legacy means that its promise has the ability to evolve in accordance with our societal and cultural dreams and aspirations, it can reflect the current state of technological development, our hopes for that technology and also our fears; fundamentally though after almost a century of media depictions and...
November 2011
1 post
PhD preface
“… the story of humanity’s repeated attempts to colonise the red planet. The first men were few. Most succumbed to a disease called the great loneliness when they saw their home planet dwindle to the size of a fist. Those few who survived found no welcome on Mars. But more rockets arrived from earth, and more.
People brought their old prejudices with them – and their desires and fantasies and...
October 2011
1 post
Robotic recurring dreams
In the history of their development many technologies go through an initial period of existing as a technological dream on their journey towards being either discarded and forgotten or applied in useful machines or products. The fact that after countless years of development, iteration and promise robots are still to make this transition leads to the conclusion that they are a recurring...
September 2011
1 post
New emotion detector can see when we're lying
The science behind the Happylife project is featured on the BBC website
April 2011
1 post
Project: Robjects
Robjects proposes an environment where existing domestic products are treated with elements of autonomy, intelligence, sensing and networking to create robotic objects and spaces. These adapted products not only offer labour saving opportunities that aid us in our increasingly busy lives but also intervene positively in the complex balance of domestic harmony.
Traditional labour saving devices...
March 2011
1 post
Robot Ecologies
Simplistic ecosystem from the perspective of the robot. The red lines suggest relationships or interactions. The diagram represents the period of creation thus facilitating a focus on the motivation behind a robots development, subsequent build and its intended projection into the outside layers.
February 2011
1 post
September 2010
1 post
Abstract for Swiss Design Network talk
Referring again to the diagram below.
The products of tomorrow will be shaped and controlled by the emerging technologies of today. In their current state these technologies can be complex, chaotic, unkempt and unpredictable. Comfortable in the hands of the scientists and engineers responsible for their development but wholly unready and inappropriate for domestic application. The journey of a...
July 2010
1 post
Description of the diagram
At the origin we have the here and now; everyday life and the real products that are available on the high street. The lineage of these products can be traced back in time to where the technology became available to iterate them beyond their current form. The technology element on the left hand side represents research and development work, the higher the line the more emergent the technology and...
May 2010
1 post
Alternative presents and speculative futures
April 2010
1 post
Lord Robert Winston and Happylife
At the Impact Exhibition
March 2010
2 posts
February 2010
6 posts
Chatting with Regine at Transmediale.
Jimmy at Transmediale
Latest EPSRC project description
In the context of national security, criminal activity and human safety, technology is seen as a means to an end. However dark or invasive the application, its presence is accepted because the worst case scenario would be infinitely worse. Thus through these means ‘smart’ technologies are entering our lives and being applied as infallible judges and experts of human character.
But with a slight...
an interesting conversation about bellybuttons...
And of course in Berlin!
Carnivorous Domestic Entertainment Robots at...
December 2009
2 posts
Treehugger - Best green tech concepts 2009
We like the last line: Brilliant - completely disgusting, but brilliant.
Archives: Cat Answering Machine (1999)
Using pavlovian methods, a cat and some items of kitchen equipment we have a no-tech telephonic activity indicator.
The telephone rings, the cat thinks of food, it salivates and the device collects the saliva, from this we can understand roughly how many calls we have had.
November 2009
4 posts
FLYPAPER ROBOTIC CLOCK
Illustrative experiment.
ILLUSTRATION (robot lampshade)
An illustrative experiment using 1970’s rock album cover style.
TREE GAMBLING SYSTEM
A system that uses trees and falling leaves as a basis for gambling.
All leaves are recorded as they fall and punters bet by predicting when the leaf will fall. This might be according to date or by numerical position i.e 1st, last or 30,0345. Accumulators can generate huge odds and potential winnings by betting on the leaf you chose being the last one on a particular date.
A similar system...
EPSRC IMPACT PROJECT
Initial thoughts
The concept of the smart home has been around for some time. Spectacularly toyed around with in Science fiction literature (Bradbury, Ballard) and realised on a much more mundane level by several telecoms and IT companies, there is something about the idea of a reactive home and intelligent products that somehow captures the public imagination. Heretofore control of products...
October 2009
1 post
2 tags
Welcome
to our new website and our first ever blog.
We won’t promise that we’ll post often but it is our intention to use this space as a testing ground for new concepts, ideas and designs. Feedback and comments are therefore encouraged!