Workshop leader: Shaun MurrayDate: 13/06/05 – 17/06/05Arch-OS:
Arch-OS [www.arch-os.com] is an ‘Operating System’ for contemporary architectures, which has been developed to manifest the dynamic life of a building. Arch-OS systems (integrated hardware and software) incorporate a range of embedded technologies to capture audio-visual and raw digital data from a building through a variety of sources which include: the ‘Building Energy Management System (BEMS); computer and communications networks; the flow of people and social interactions; ambient noise levels; environmental conditions…Context:Currently data and analysis are used as ‘strategic tools’ to predict, examine and exemplify situations occurring in all fields. Usually information and data are treated as a commodity which can be bought and sold and ‘act’ as a powerful tools to predict future trends of our natural, social and technological environments.How can dynamic data and analysis of environments become a ‘pro-active’ detrimental part of construction in ‘actual’ environments?From these origins, dynamic data and analysis will become ‘edited’ into palettes for a working model. These palettes would come from all fields of knowledge and research institutions that work with all sources of field data, environmental, social and technological. This working model will become a design tool during the process of construction.To construct working models one may examine:>The presence of the past>Analogy of the idea of process whereby the forms of previous systems influence the development of form of subsequent similar systems>Linking environmental, social and technological conditions holistically>Taxonomy of architectures linked to fluid fields of the system>To develop a Notational System of what is there and intervene with an active purposefulnessWithin the spaces where Arch-OS lingers, fluid fields are resonating. Architectures are coupling and uncoupling within the local and global. The purposively active development of the system can be triggered by unknown sources or seed in other evolving architectures.What is being suggested is that by using Arch-OS the form of a system, including its characteristic internal structures and vibrational frequencies, become present to a subsequent system with a similar form; the spatio-temporal pattern of the former superimposes itself on the latter‘Nature is an infinite sphere, whose centre is everywhere, whose circumference is nowhere’.
Pascal

 

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Arch-OS and the The Ami-I-Able Network:
Arch-OS participates in the The Ami-I-Able Network event which is being held to coincide with Bodies in Motion in Banff (http://www.banffcentre.ca/programs/program.aspx?id=345) from June 25 to June 28, 2005.

The Am-I-Able Network for Mobile, Responsive Environments fosters a high degree of creativity by exploring interactive technologies, which can be made more aware of us and of us in our environments through researching and creating responsive spaces and wearable devices. Using mobile and sensor technologies, the researchers are creating and adapting clothing, furniture, and architecture to become communication devices that enable personal expression as well as multi-point communication amongst and between individuals and groups. Arch-OS was a partner in the original grant application. The project is funded by: Canadian Culture On-line, Canadian Heritage, The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), NSERC, Canada Council, Canada Foundation for Innovation, Simon Fraser University, Banff Centre, TRLabs, Concordia University FRDP Grant, Hexagram Research Grant, Savage Media, Vincent Leclerc, Arkadiusz Banask, Future Physical, Daniel Langlois Foundation, FQRSC Research Grant.

FROM http://www.banffcentre.ca/programs/program.aspx?id=345

Participants: Julie Andreyev – Artist / Associate Professor, Emily Carr Institute, Luke Azevedo – Director of Operations and Technology, Media & Visual Arts and Creative Electronic Environment, The Banff Centre,Marc Bernier – Computer Technician, Interactive Media, The Banff Centre, Joey Berzowska – Assistant Professor, Department of Design Art, XS Labs, Concordia University, James (Jim) Bizzocchi – Assistant Professor, School of Interactive Arts and Technology, Simon Fraser University, Alan Boykiw – Design Head , Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design, Katja Canini – 10th Anniversary Work Study, Banff New Media Institute, The Banff Centre, Slavica Ceperkovic – Co-Production Production Co-ordinator, Banff New Media Institute, The Banff Centre, Marcelo Coelho – Research Coordinator, XS Labs, Concordia University, Sara Diamond – Director of Research, The Banff Centre and Artistic Director, Banff New Media Institute, Tom Donaldson – Lead Faculty, A.R.T. Mobile Research Laboratory, Banff New Media Institute, The Banff Centre,Jennifer Dysart – Coordinator, Banff New Media Institute, The Banff Centre, Gretchen Elsner – Designer, Whispers Group, Iwona Erskine-Kellie – Assistant, Banff New Media Institute, The Banff Centre, Danielle French – Co-Production Line Producer, Banff New Media Institute, The Banff Centre, David Gauthier – Games Programmer, Banff New Media Institute, The Banff Centre, Carmen Gerstl – Architect/Artist, Tina Gonsalves– Visual Artist, Medulla Intimata, Lizbeth Goodman – Director, The SMARTlab Centre, Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design, University of Arts, Ivan Grubanov – Visual Artist, Anthony Harckham – President, Ordino Inc., Tomoko Hayashi – Fashion Designer, Am-I-Able Project, Banff New Media Institute, The Banff Centre, Luke Heemsbergen – Research Assistant Work Study, Banff New Media Institute, The Banff Centre,Anita Johnston – Games Designer, Banff New Media Institute, The Banff Centre, Christine Keller – MFA, Dipl. Des., Department of Fine Arts, XS Labs, Concordia University, Heather Kelley – Game Designer, Ubisoft Divertissements, Susan Kennard – Acting Director and Executive Producer, Banff New Media Institute, The Banff Centre, Filiz Klassen – Associate Professor, Ryerson University, David Kretz – Lead Programmer, Interactive Media, Creative Electronic Environment, The Banff Centre, Martha Ladly – Professor of Design, Ontario College of Art & Design, Mik Lamming – Distinguished Scientist, Hewlett Packard Labs, Palo Alto,Maria Lantin – Research Associate, Banff New Media Institute, The Banff Centre, Sarah Lasch – Technology and Administrative Assistant, Banff New Media Institute, The Banff Centre, Barbara Layne – Hexagram Researcher , Concordia University, Department of Studio Arts, Vincent Leclerc – Research Assistant, Tangible Media Group, MIT Media, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Angus Leech – Interactive Media Writer Fellow, Banff New Media Institute, The Banff Centre, Sang Mah – Researcher, Whispers Group, Charactermotion.com, Diana Mainstone – Fashion Designer, Am-I-Able Project, The Banff Centre, Sean Maw– Sports Science/Engineering Consultant, University of Calgary, Marc Morisset – General Manager and Marketing Director, Four Star Distribution Canada, Michael Pelletier – Manager, Interactive Media, Creative Electronic Environment, The Banff Centre, Mike Phillips – Director of i-DAT and Researcher, Institute of Digital Art & Technology, University of Plymouth, Nathalie Prévost – Ph.D. Cognitive Science, Limbics Founder & Planum Temporal, Mark Resch – Independent, Barry Sanders – Canada Research Chair and iCORE Chair, Institute for Quantum Information Science, University of Calgary, Thecla Schiphorst – Associate Professor, Whispers Group, Simon Fraser University, School of Interactive Arts & Technology, Kenneth Stein – Founder and CEO, PlaySpace, Inc., Suzanne Stein – Founder and CEO, PlaySpace, Inc., Jan Storgårds – Chief Software Architect PC/Net/Mobile, Suunto R&D, Michelle Teran – Artist

Ubiquitous computing and advanced memory capacity provide new possibilities for mobile and rich media that draw on embedded applications. These technologies provide challenging new production models and partnerships. This summit explores the creative, technical, and business potentials of physical interfaces such as wearable computing, sensor based memory devices, location-based rich experiences that rely on ubiquitous computing and mobility. Applications span fashion, personalized media systems, location based games, training applications, security systems, wellness, and recreational technologies.

Memory is now embedded in sensors, textiles, garments, buildings, and the air we breathe. The miniaturization and reduction in cost of digital memory and the proliferation of personal recording devices as well as surveillance technologies provides individuals and societies with a vast realm of memory materials. How can we deploy these capacities?

What are the design and creative capacities of memory rich materials and forms? One of the proclaimed goals of pervasive computing research is to develop invisible distributed sensor networks to record various aspects of our activities. Wearable computing research is similarly concerned with questions of memory, in particular contextually-specific memory. The summit will also examine the idea of alternate display substrates (e.g., walls, garments, or furniture) that recall their “history of use,” or how embodied memory can be communicated through augmented data.

What drives the contemporary desire in the technology world for total data memory? How does data memory sit beside new kinds of memory capacities in other materials? Memory is closely linked to histories and the interpretations of history. Some of the best mobile experiences combine local memory, histories and place. What models of memory and mind are used in designing technologies that remember? What are the ethical implications of memory machines? What does this mean in time of war, increased security? How do we include the need, capacity, and desire to forget? How do we include trauma?

This summit will engage nanotechnology researchers, medical researchers, and historians, and look to psychology, cognitive science, spirituality, kinesiology, machine learning, and artificial intelligence as well as material designers, fashion, and art.

This summit builds on ongoing summits and research in mobile media, wearable computing, responsive environments, emotional computing, and nanotechnology at the Banff New Media Institute. It is co-created with the Am-I-Able Research Network, Department of Canadian Heritage New Media Research Network, and specifically with Joanna Berzowska, Computation Arts, Concordia University, and Am-I-Able co-Principle Investigator.

The summit will be video-streamed live to universities and colleges in Canada and abroad as a learning resource, as well as prototypes demonstrated through the ACCESS grid, desktop audio, and video-conferencing software. Event coverage will be archived for use by future researchers.

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