Spin Off

A research project by CITA.

SPIN_off is a playful environment where users draw a virtual density around them through their actions. Working with low-level intelligent systems the hoops flock rings in water continually intensifying, evaporating, merging, collating, creating, deep fields around you. Patterns appear, behaviours develop, habits form.

The interactive SPIN_off Installation is about the exploration of a reciprocal system in which the user learns to interact with an environment that in turn responds with varying levels of complexity to his/her actions. Small programs (agents) with a minimum intelligence in behaviour inhabit the virtual space, looking for changes in the usually desert digital environment. The user creates this difference by entering the space with the Hula-Hoop interface. The registered change in density attracts the agents – motivating the User to change his movement in turn – the start of an alien conversation of the individual within the swarm. A relationship emerges as the engagement between user, enhancing his skills and health, and the environment increases in complexity over time.

The project derives from research done in the field of presence in Virtual Environments within the frame of the EU supported Presencia project.

Venue
Spin Off was exhibited at Mehdals Smedia, Nov 2005.