Bristol visits SXSW
March 17, 2008
Posted by Clare in: Innovation | Ideas | Technology | Bristol | Add a commentLast week I headed to the South by South West Interactive Festival in Austin, Texas, with four other digital agencies from Bristol. The Festival celebrates the creativity and passion behind the coolest new media technologies and featured keynote talks and panel sessions covering everything from web design to bootstrapping to social networks.
Traveling with Mike Bennett of Bristol Media, Benjamin Hostler of Beef, Hazel Grian of Licorice Media and Andy Parkhouse of Team Rubber, our mission was to research new business opportunities, spot emerging digital trends and explore what Bristol can learn from one of the biggest international conferences and festivals of the year.
The hot topics at the Festival were mobile, creativity, collaboration and ARGs (with Hazel of Licorice being recognised across the Festival for her MeiGeist ARG). You can read our blog, which covers general impressions of the Festival and some detailed notes on events, here.
Shadowplay: Event Report
February 22, 2008
Posted by Emma in: Ideas | Robots | Add a commentWhat makes a robot lifelike? How do we respond to humanoid technology? What do machines tell us about ourselves?
These were all questions discussed in Shadowplay, today's Creative Technology Network event, lead by freelance Science writer Piers Bizony, and AIB Senior Lecturer, Andrew King.
Shadowplay is a concept for a hybrid puppet/robot performance which will dramatically refine our emotional reactions to machines. Past personifications of robots fall into stereotypes - menacing, emotionless or simply toys - but Shadowplay aims to push the boundaries of aesthetics and audience engagement by introducing complex technology and some psychological trickery.
Taking inspiration from theatre works such as War Horse and large scale public events such as The Sultan's Elephant, Shadowplay will research to what extent stagecraft can fool and human imagination will compensate for endowing an 'intelligent', yet inanimate, object with life.
Today's CTN event brought together a diverse group from academics, students, puppeteers, performance choreographers and technicians, from which a core team has been assembled to take the project forward. The project is in its early stages, so if you feel you have expertise and experience you would like to offer, please get in touch with us and we can put you in contact with the project.
Pervasive Media commissions
October 23, 2007
Posted by Clare in: Innovation | Ideas | Add a commentiShed has announced Media Sandbox, a new commissioning scheme to support South West companies/organisations to research emerging possibilities in digital media.
Media Sandbox, is looking to make six catalytic investments in innovative Research and Development pilots which exploit opportunities in digital media presented by pervasive computing/wireless technologies. The scheme is an entirely unique opportunity for SMEs to collaboratively create radical new products and processes – pushing forward understanding and potential usage of next generation digital media.
For more details, and to register for the launch event, visit www.mediasandbox.co.uk
Media Sandbox is managed by iShed working with South West Screen and Futurelab with support from South West Regional Development Agency and Watershed.
Dorkbot returns
October 17, 2007
Posted by Clare in: Events | Ideas | Technology | Add a commentDorkbot returned after the summer break last night, with a new focus on workshop-led presentations.
First up was Null Hypothesis who gave a whistle stop tour of some new (and slightly left field) science and technology, including Motorola’s air freshener dispensing phone handset and the dressing room mirror that sends MMS pictures of you trying on clothes to a friend for an honest opinion.
Null Hypothesis was set up by three Bristol university PhD students to poke fun at the world of science and technology and challenge the myths often created by inaccurate scientific reporting. Originally set up as a journal, a meeting with Dragon’s Den encouraged them to set up a website and they now have global reach, a column in The Daily Telegraph and are writing a book. Read more unlikely science at the site.
Next up was John Honniball on Microcontrollers. Offering an overview of the many things microcontrollers enable you to make (from synthesizers to robots), dorkbotters were invited to design and programme a new pattern for John's LED wand. View photos.
Sharing Knowledge
October 12, 2007
Posted by Clare in: Ideas | Evaluation | Add a commentOver the last few weeks we have been talking to Ed Mitchell about the structure of Pervasive Media Sandbox and how we can help facilitate a collaborative community which will support participants and help them to create the most value from their involvement. Ed is a Bristol-based 'professional community advisor and multi-domain ‘facilitator’' which means he helps groups of people exchange knowledge between themselves.
He has also recently been involved in writing and publishing the second KnowledgeBoard community book, looking at hands-on methods and techniques for knowledge co-creation and sharing within collaborative settings. A free book of ideas, tips and tricks about how to share and co-create knowledge between people, it was written by the KnowledgeBoard community members based on their actual experiences.
Read more and download the book at Ed's site.
