![iaa-300[1]](https://teach.alimomeni.net/2014spring2/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/iaa-3001.jpg)
box 2.0
This is attempt number 2 at using the drone in side the box. It is now a more personal experience, with the use of headphones that magnify the sound that is created by the drone in side the box. and using a cell phone. The box is lit from the inside, and the drone is now powered by a plug so it has an infinite power supply. You can view a video from the drones camera here which shows what the participant sees when they are flying the drone. This is not the final rendition of this project but I am in need of more time and funds to work out some of the issues with the many cords, and the frame and space in which this is in.
Mystical Blessings for Finals Week
After re-evaluating problems with my previous final project iteration I chose to change directions completely and start fresh with a whole new project.
Feeling the stress of finals, I decided to intervene in a way that would let others and myself relax and gather positive thoughts. To do this I assumed the role of a mystic shaman and gave blessings to others for good luck during finals week. I drew inspiration from meditation, hypnotism, CMU lore, and pop culture in formulating my words and traveled to various places around campus to give these blessings.
I wanted to travel to the places where people were working because most people are reluctant to move from their place of study during finals. I carefully considered the role of props and decided on a minimalist approach given the fact that I was to be mobile and needed to set up/tear down quickly. The LED crystals we held in our hands were ideal for this because they were easy to use and stimulated a psychic energy connection between us.
I was pleased with the reception I got from those who received blessings and with how smoothly the performances went.
Final Project -Emergent Behavior of Robotcars
Each car run the similar code and can be assign different role with different behavior wirelessly by the computer.
Emergent Behavior of Robotcars from Chen Geng on Vimeo.
Final Project: RoboBlockade
This Project is a robot restructuring the area of a space to be a hinderance to human traffic. The intervention is to see peoples reactions about a perceived autonomous robot causing discourse.
Location: UC Black Chairs.
The UC Black Chair are a common communal area. There 20 cushioned chairs, 6 plants, 2 trashcans and 2 stairwell.
Time: Tuesday May 14th 3:00 – 7:00. Wednesday 1:30 – 4:30.
Tool:
70 pound cylinder robot capable of pushing aside heavy objects. robot is puppeteered from far away with remote and vision system. Audience is unaware of TeleOp control.
The Strategy: Block entrances ways, doorways and stairways with the plants, chairs and trash cans.
This will see if people react to the hinderance and try to reset the area, or just ignore the blockade and move on.
“Robots allow you to do things you wouldn’t do”
Robots are semi invisible to people. Bystanders assume robot is infallible and executing it task. If robot is doing something strange, spectates assume it to be a bug in the program or error. But the robot itself is never wrong.
Due to this infallible mask. I able able to cause discourse is a public space without receiving backlash or punishment of any sort.
Observation:
When robot first attempted to move chair, people found it to be entertaining and laughable. During operation, robot would continually hit chair to move it, making a large noise. It would then precisely angle it with little nudges until block was properly positioned. Robot successfully blocked first entrance with chair and plant. People did not stop the robot. People did not remove blockade, neither did the custodians. Flow of traffic through that entrance did stop. But there were two other entrances people could easily use, so the discourse had not yet reached a level of inconvenience.
When Robot successful blocked all three entrances, spectators would first try to reset chairs, then impede the robot, and then eventual turn off robot all together. Robot is now a nuisance to society, both in impeding traffic and noise pollution. (Many onlookers evacuated the area due to the robots loud operations.) The robot, first perceived as innocent, is now deem a menace and hence is executed by public.
Changing the architecture of a space:
Robot has power to change it’s environment. It is actively attempting to disrupt the natural flow.People tolerate this disruption until it becomes too much of an hinderances and then take action.
Intervention made it on CMU Overheard:
