james wellock - uni blog 07/08

Final Year Studio - Bibliography

2008-06-02T14:29:00.006Z

Below are the resources I have used for the research and development of my project that I have not yet referenced in my blog:

Books:

A.M. Cassandre
Henri Mouron - 1985

Envisioning Information
Edward Tufte- 1990

e-topia "Urban Life, Jim - but not as we know it"
William J. Mitchell - 1999

Life Style
Bruce Mau - 2004

Non-places: Introduction to an Anthropology of Supermodernity
Marc Auge - 1995

Railway: Identity, Design and Culture
Keith Lovegrove - 2005

Webpages

A Wall is a Screen
Art Deco at the Victoria and Albert Musuem
Art Deco - Wikipedia
ASCII Chart - Wikipedia
BBC Motion Gallery
Beacon
Birth of Moving Movies
Bruce Mau Design
Cassandre - Wikipedia
Cecile Babiole
Cloud
Crank the Web
Wooden Mirror
David Rokeby
Edward Tufte
Ess Sound Library - Soft Clip
Ess Sound Library - Play
e-topia review
Flip-dot Display - Wikipedia
Infosthetics
Domain Name Facts
Interfascia Interface Library
Jim Campbell
BitFall
Nick Crowe
National Railway Museum
National Media Museum
LCD Display Screen - Wikipedia
LED - Wikipedia
Letter Frequency in the English Language
London Transport Poster Collection
Lumieres
Magentic Core Memory - Wikipedia
Non-Volatile Memory
Railwayana
Virginal Trains Branding - RKCRYR
Robin Collyer
Rollsign
The Terminal's Split-flap Display Creation
Split-flap Display Screen
SPOTS
Southern Railway Posters
Time Stops at Grand Central Station
Train Travel Article
Urban Screens Manchester
VinylVideo
Rollsign
VisitorVille
Webpage Dimensions

Places

Manchester Urban Screens

National Media Museum

National Railway Museum

Final Year Studio - Development - Multiple Stepper Control

2008-06-02T13:29:00.005Z

While both the on screen part of my project and installation space is all setup I have simply ran out of time on the development for my analogue display board. Above shows each stepper motor animating, one after another and moving to a random position as each Datamotive starts to arrive. Controlled by my time function in the Processing code, the whole screen starts to animate when its arrival time falls to 60 seconds or under. Controlled by a total of 6 breadboards, 2 Arduino boards and 48 relay switches I managed to wire up all the motors that would be used to show the text of the domain address.

Each stepper motor is controlled by a group of Arduino output pins and 4 general relay switches that fire each stepper motor's 4 individual relay switches and each motor simply requires the turn on and off of their ground to animate. In theory the next step would be to build in some kind of reset mechanism so that the stepper motor can keep track of its own angle. This could then be used in conjunction with knowing the step count of each character to show specific letters and numbers. Also the stepper motors that control the arrival time would have to be wired up to a separate breadboard and programmed with a slightly slower delay for a slower more accurate animation that would countdown properly.

Final Year Studio - Development - Exhibition Environment

2008-05-16T13:53:00.001Z

Exhibition Enivronment, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

With the end of my project looming I decided to visit the space that will be used for the end of year exhibition. After consulting with Jen it became apparent that the 'ideal' design for my installation would have to be slightly comprised to fit in with the space. I have decided to create the illusion of a train station as best I can my using a PC situated on a desk along with my analogue public display board. The space will be also enhanced by using a clock, arrival time board and station sign, as well as speakers for ambient sounding. Once setup I will then evaluate whether or not the space can cater for a bench, but this I must stress will be decided upon nearer to the time.

Final Year Studio - Development - Multiple Stepper Output

2008-05-16T13:37:00.002Z

After getting one stepper motor to work the next step wire up multiple stepper motors. This involved using four control relay switches, plus four motor relay switches and one ground relay switch for each motor. The motors were alternatively driven and were animated by simply turning their ground connection 'on' and 'off.' This resulted in a very complicated circuit, that in theory when adapted will allow me to directly control each motor and dictate which letter will be shown.

Final Year Studio - Development - Review #4

2008-04-24T13:22:00.002Z

datamotives review 3, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Another good review and I felt that I am getting to narrow down my project very well. All the theory, research and development seems to be coming together. My only problem is that it is looking like I will not finish my analogue screen on time due to the problems I have had previously with the servo motors. Regardless of this I have constructed the actual housing for the screen and it was a useful tool when explaining my idea, as well as in the conclusion of my Special Study which compliments all the trials and tribulations of developing a analogue mechanical public display screen.

The aim now is to finish the main digital bit of the project, and analogue screen if I get time, as well as experimenting with different digital visual aesthetics, just to understand the alternatives of offer.

Final Year Studio - Development - Initial Stepper Motor Test

2008-04-23T13:18:00.002Z

After a while struggling with servo motors it has been decided to swap and change my design so that I can use stepper motors instead. Initial tests have proven very encouraging and show that the stepper motors are both smooth and reliable due to lack of physically moving parts inside. Due to the fact that the main area of development for my project is on the digital monitor, it is now looking as though I will not be able to finish the analogue style public display screen in time for the end of the year. This will not stop me trying in my spare time and constructing the housing for the screen, because all the trials and tribulations of development make up the body of my Special Study. So it will be useful to have the screen constructed and a stepper motor working for my conclusion where I can talk about possible implementation.

Final Year Studio - Development - Arrival/Departure Time Board Design

2008-03-23T17:33:00.001Z

arrival board, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Using the above images taken from Bradford Interchange's train station as inspiration I will create an arrival timetable board for my Datamotive idea. Displaying search terms that represent key words that I have come across during the development of my idea, it will show the arrival times of each Datamotive, dependent on the finalised formula for optimum screen representation. This will work as an extra stimulus for widening the associative bandwidth of the installation environment as well as a 'witty' hint for users to find out more about my project.

Final Year Studio - Development - Review #3

2008-03-12T15:04:00.002Z

datamotives review 3, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Just a quick report on review #3 of my studio project, Datamotives. I felt it went really well and I think I have concentrated what I was presenting more, resulting in less time spent explaining the idea and more time spent showing the various experiments I have done and first person research. The only thing to do now is make sure my elevator pitch isn't misunderstood and continue making my project!!!

Final Year Studio - Development - Servo SUPER DISASTER!!!

2008-03-12T14:31:00.002Z

Above is the final experiment I did to try and solve the 'wobbly' servo problem. In the end incrementing the servo arm, changing to Oasis foam for the screen and programming the servo by not using the code library still did not solve the problem. A possible factor is that the small servos simply don't react well to being controlled from a computer, chipping all the gears inside them. A possible solution is use a stepper motor instead that has only one gear and is animated using magnets, resulting in very little wear and tear inside the motor itself, hopefully eradicating any kind of developing wobble. The only problem with a stepper motor is that it cannot keep track of what angle it is at, this then means I would have to use some kind of marker such as a light resister and laser to tell the stepper to reset its angle to 0 for further instructions.

Final Year Studio - Research - Domain Name Facts

2008-03-11T12:56:00.004Z

As my digital screen development for my idea progresses it is becoming apparent that I will have to decide the number of characters going to be shown on my public display mechanical screen. Although according to the Length Distribution graph located on the link below states that most domain names (2006) are 11 characters long (not including the suffix (.com etc.)), I decided to go with a 10 character long screen (including suffix) so that I can then save two servo or stepper motors for the time of arrival of each URL. In the long run this will not effect the installation, because one of the main points of using two different mediums is to highlight the limitations of each, in this case the limit of not being able to vary in display depending on character length.

Link: Yalfa.com - Facts About Domain Names

Final Year Studio - Research - Grand Central Stands Still

2008-03-11T12:51:00.003Z

While researching the theme of train stations and time I came across the above video created by improveverywhere.com, which involved 200 'Improv Everywhere Agents' standing still at Grand Central Station, New York. Train users are baffled and amused as it takes a while for each user to notice that some people are not moving in conjunction with the overall crowd.

Final Year Studio - Development - Relay Switch

2008-02-28T15:04:00.002Z

relay 400, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Above is what I hope will be the component that will solve my servo wobbling problem. The image is of a relay switch that only powers the servo motor when the servo arm isn't at the angle it is supposed to be at. This then means that if the servo arm starts wobbling it stops, the instant it hits the correct angle. This in conjunction with slowly incrementing the angle of the arm and creating the screen out of Oasis foam, often used in flower arranging, has seemed to have also solved the problem and at the moment a single servo motor is working fine. Hopefully it will be a simple step to add more servo motors onto the single relay switch so it can turn all of them off as soon as they all reach their specific angles. Fingers crossed!

Final Year Studio - Development - Large Servo Test

2008-02-22T11:02:00.002Z

With the small servos struggling to cope with the momentum and weight of the acrylic screens I thought it may be a good idea to test the torque on some large servo motors. As you can see above they operate in exactly the same way as the smaller ones but without attaching anything to them they already felt slightly loose in inside. So to finally test to see if they would work with out wobbling I attached a screen to the servo arm and tested a single servo unit. Unfortunately the weight was still too much, and still vibrating occured.

In testing this though I came up with a possible solution. My theory is that if I can get a light enough semi-circle screen to attach to the servo arm and use a two way switch to turn the servo motor off once it arrives at its specified angle, I may be able to salvage a workable screen. Possible materials to experiment with for the servo screen could by polystyrene or the 'Oasis' blocks used by florists in flower arranging. Both highly durable very light materials that wouldn't put too much strain on the servo motor and its arm.

Final Year Studio - Research - Flip-dot Display System

2008-02-13T14:26:00.001Z

sent email to first, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

I also emailed First buses to ask what they do with their flip-dot display screens once they replace them with LED equivalents. Unfortunately I did not get any response from them and I am still waiting.

Final Year Studio - Research - Split-Flap Display

2008-02-13T14:23:00.001Z

screen email, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Although at the moment I am using servos motors to design my analogue screen, I am still trying to source a split-flap display to understand their availability. As I mentioned below Thomson & Craighead's Beacon project uses this display system so I emailed them, asking where they got theirs from. Unfortunately it was bespoke and made by Solaris themselves at great expense, it is also important to note that Thomson says the technology is now discontinued.

Final Year Studio - Development - Servo DISASTER!

2008-02-13T10:40:00.003Z

Above are the first initial servos that I have been experimenting with and they are now clicking, sticking and whurring as all the gears inside them are loosened. Partly a weight problem and partly an accident they have loosened inside by myself rotating the servo arms when they are not live. Also it seems the shear weight of the momentum when the arm stops has forced the gears to loosen. To solve this I am going to first try out a couple of new servos, not rotating them when they are not live and I will also tape them up when not in use to irradiate any unwanted rotation. Secondly I will code the movement of the servo arms so that they slow down progressively as they reach their instructed angle. Hopefully this will solve the problem and stop them vibrating so vigourously, like above. Their condition will be evaluated in a weeks time and a decision to then continue down the servo motor route will be made.

Final Year Studio - Development - Typeface Experimentation Poster

2008-02-11T17:37:00.001Z

datamotives typefaces visual.indd, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Above is poster I created investigating the difference in display aesthetics between various fonts, both modern and traditional. Doing this allowed me to understand why certain fonts are used in 'Non-places' and certain ones are not. For example since my project is all about using the associative bandwidth of the train station or airport terminal to express my theory, it would be wrong to use a sci-fi looking font. Instead I have opted to use simple Helvetica, because it is seen as the world wide standard when designing informative signage. This means then that people subconsciously expect this font to be used in areas of connection, thus this will be the font used on my servo screen.

Final Year Studio - Development - Datamotives Intro Poster

2008-02-11T17:32:00.001Z

dm intro poster.indd, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Above is an introductory poster I have designed to show what my project is about. As well as creating the strap line 'Using the metaphor of the train station to investigate into out interaction habits with the Internet.' This combined with the idea of a GSER or Great Search Engine Railway, I think really expresses the thinking behind my idea very well and seems in class to be working. All there is to do now is to put some components on the microchip illustration to create a more 'lifelike' board.

Final Year Studio - Development - Datamotives Screen Visual

2008-02-11T17:20:00.001Z

Untitled-3, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Above is the screen design for the on-screen part of the Datamotives project. Taking influence from both transport map design and signage graphic design, the actual mapping of the data is circular to show the elapse of time and create suspense. The user will use the application by typing in a term in the search box and clicking on the search arrow button. The application then plots the top five search results on screen using their IP addresses for position. The websites then arrive one by one with their arrival times also being shown on the servo screen. As the website arrives it is shown on the screen while a timer starts to count down, once the timer reaches zero the website departs and another one arrives. The user at any moment will be able to cancel the search buy simply typing in another term.

At this moment in time I am starting to experiment with the PHP cURL function, but it is clear to me that this application for successful integration with the servo screen will have to be produced in Processing. This may mean that the graphics will have to be simplified but where I can I will try and be true to my original screen design.

Special Study - Subject Area Plan

2008-02-05T15:59:00.001Z

After narrowing don my ideas the main focus for my Special Study will be to investigate into how the aesthetics and physicality of media used in areas of connection or 'Non-places' such as airports, railway stations and search engines, effect how inhabitants understand and use the data on offer to them.

I hope to ascertain a greater understanding of how non-places have a efficiently controlled and encouraged public interaction using various mediums through time, as well as looking into how a media's "Associative Bandwidth' is used to both inform, entertain and move people through these environments.

Subjects to look into include:
- Associative Bandwidth Theory - Bruce Mau
- Global Image Economy Theory - Bruce Mau
- Non-place Theory - Marc Auge
- Airport Terminal/Train Station Environment Design
- Split Flap Display Screens
- Flip Dot Display Screens - Magnetic Core Memory
- Rollsign Display Screens
- LED Display Screens
- LCD Display Screens
- Future Interactive Digital Screens - Jeff Han
- Future Heliodisplay Screens
- Airport Sign Graphic Design - Norm
- Map Design - Harry Beck
- Helvetica Font
- Subliminal Signal Sense Stimulation
- Cloud installation - Trioka
- Beacon installation - Thompson & Craighead

Final Year Studio - Development - 4 Servo Unit Screen

2008-01-31T16:09:00.001Z

2 unit servo close up 400, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Above I simply added an additional two servo units and activated them again by pressing specific keys on the keyboard. The servo arms twitched again so next time I will defiantly try adding resistors to the breadboard. Also I will need to develop the actual text size, spacing and font so that I can specifically show a desired character. Unfortunately due to the size of the model the text will be small but if the concept works at this size, there would be no reason why it couldn't just be scaled up in theory. One final thing to do once I am sure this style of screen will work will be to glue the semicircle to the circular servo arm using a poly melting glue such as the one you find in model kits.

Final Year Studio - Development - 2 Servo Unit Screen

2008-01-31T16:02:00.001Z

2 unit side view 400, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Above is the latest development of my analogue servo display screen. The code hasn't changed but I have managed to make brackets that support and hold the servo motor as well as attaching the blank semicircle screens to the servo arms. As you can see by the videos above I am very excited with the way the rotating screens are performing. It really gives the feeling of a 'clock work' like mechanism as well as a cool 'whizzing' noise, giving the medium a wide associative bandwidth. The only problem at the moment is a slight twitching every so often from the servo arms which I think may be down to the power rate being sent out by the Arduino output pins fluctuating. To solve this I will try putting resisters between the pins and servo motor.

Special Study - Initial Subject Area Planning

2008-01-29T10:39:00.000Z

The main focus for my Special Study will be to investigate into how the aesthetics and physicality of media used in areas of connection or 'Non-places' such as airports, railway stations and search engines, add to their identity and effect their inhabitants.

I hope to ascertain a greater understanding of how non-places portray themselves to output the correct kind of subliminal signals to their inhabitants and efficiently control and encourage public interaction, as well as looking into how media and its "Associative Bandwidth' is used to both inform, entertain and move people through these environments.

Technologies/Styles/Methods:
- Route mapping
- London underground brand identity
- Art deco transport graphic design
- Public sign graphic design
- Analogue displays systems
- Digital display systems
- Train depiction in Film
- Virgin Trains branding - 'The Return of the Train' campaign

Key People, Artists, Technologists, Specialists of Fields and Communities of Practice:
- Marc Auge - Non-Place Theory
- Bruce Mau - Associative Bandwidth & Global Image Economy
- Norm - Swiss airport graphic signage
- Cassandre - 'Romanticism' of art deco transport
- The Lumieres - Arrival of the Train La Ciotat film
- William Turner - Rain, Steam and Speed
- Harry Beck - London underground map creator
- Robin Collyer - Public space photographer
- Crowd Control Theory
- RKCR Y&R - 'The Return of the Train' campaign
- Trioka - Cloud installation
- Thompson & Craighead - Beacon installation
- Helvetica font

Process of Documentation:
Blogging
Bookmarking
Sketchbook
Photographs
Video
Overall presented in a Flash Mini Site

Final Year Studio - Research - Data Visualisation - Beacon

2008-01-28T15:20:00.001Z

Image courtesy of www.thomson-craighead.net, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Created by Thompson and Craighead this split-flap display screen uses live search activities to control what letters are shown on it. In a sense it almost acts as physical mirror to our digital activities. Although similar to part of my idea I still feel confident that by making my own analogue style rotating screen and digital search mapping tool I can further enhance what this and other projects that I have researched are trying to highlight to the audience. The increasing ease in availability of both physical and digital mediums really highlights the need for a wider understanding of a medium's associative bandwidth.

Click here for website

Final Year Studio - Research - Analogue Screens - Cloud

2008-01-28T14:52:00.000Z

Created for British Airways by Trioka this sculpture uses 4,638 flip dots to create an artistic impression by replicating the physical presence and sound of traditionally mechanical airport information systems. Each dot is able to be flipped independently, this results in a series of programs that transform this black matte 'blob' into and almost organic cell. Trioka like myself are trying to bring some 'romanticism' back into travel, they state 'The indicators, dots which can flip from one side to the other with an electric impulse, have a fantastic materiality, a physicality which more modern technologies often lack, de-materialised into the virtual,' in summery my theory that analogue screens have a much wider associative bandwidth than ther digital counterparts.

Taking eight months to produce this project I feel represents a key factor in relation to my own idea. It is the idea of physicality, the restrictions that analogue screens have over digital but which at the same instance seem to enhance the epxerience due to this restriction in flexibility. The main aim for my idea is to show this to the audience and allow them to understand the difference in sublinal signal projection between analogue and digital technology mediums.

Click here for website

Final Year Studio - Research - Data Visualisation - Similar Diversity

2008-01-28T14:51:00.001Z

Image courtesy of http://similardiversity.net/, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Produced in the multi-purpose tool VVVV and visualised using Processing this artwork investigates the similarities and differences in comparing different religions and their followings. Christianity, Islam and Judaism holy books were used to pull data from. The arcs represent character connections between each of the words, and the font size and bar charts underneath each display the amount of verbs that are mostly used with the key words in the holy texts. Various typographic visualisations of this visualisation were then produced using the most popular words, one being just above the mans head in the image.

I have included this work on my blog because I think it is an elegant use of both typography, graphic and colour to visual textual data. In its entirety the various arcs used in the visualisation give the piece an almost cathedral like persona.

Click here for website

Final Year Studio - Development - 4 Servo Motor Control Breadboard

2008-01-28T13:55:00.001Z

4 servo board blog, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Above is a the wired breadboard used to control and power the motors. The only problem is that to power the servos I must use a 9V battery. Also the servo motors rely on a very high electricity ampere rate, for example once the voltage in the battery falls to approximately 7V it becomes to weak to power the servos. As this is happening when only four servo motors are connected, the battery will not last, if at all when asked to power twelve. So to replace the battery I am going to buy a Regulated AC Adaptor to eradicate this minor problem and give me a constant current rate to the servo motors.

Final Year Studio - Development - 4 Servo Motor Control

2008-01-28T13:39:00.001Z

Once I had two servo motors working I then wired up four. These worked on exactly the same principles as before and were very reliable in reaction. The next step for my development is to create an array that then stores a collection of key inputs so that the input values can be collected in various groups and then sent to the servo motors, a key factor when I want specific website addresses shown separately and independently from each other.

Final Year Studio - Development - 2 Servo Motor Control

2008-01-28T13:27:00.001Z

Above is a video of multiple servo control in which I control both motors using the 'a,' 'b,' 'c' and 'd' keys on the keyboard. Using Processing, angle values are sent to the Arduino that then fills an angle position array up with these values. Each servo object then pulls a value from this array and outputs it to its specific servo motor. This then means that when a key is pressed servo 1 moves then on the next key press servo 2 moves and so on. Although in my final idea the servo screen will react to text charactors on the screen, it is very useful to use key presses at this stage for easy testing.

Final Year Studio - Research - BAE Systems Poster

2008-01-28T13:21:00.001Z

Image courtesy of www.rkcryr.com, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Although not advertising a public transport service this idea is very effective at bringing the idea of our understanding of associative bandwidth that we use to compare both the physical and digital world. Here a microchip style image has aeroplanes superimposed onto it creating an airport style illustration. Allowing the audience to make the connections between electronic development and mechanical advancement. It also allows the user to start comparing the physical and digital world before he or she has even seen the product or idea. This poster I think is very effective and is display method that I could adapt and enhance for use in advertising and explaining my project.

Final Year Studio - Research - Virgin Atlantic Billboard Posters

2008-01-28T13:14:00.001Z

Image courtesy of www.rkcryr.com, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

While I was searching for Virgin Trains branding literature I came across these billboard posters of Virgin's airline brand. Completely different to the train branding, image is used as the key feature in the above examples, type is simply an information feature.

Final Year Studio - Research - London Midland Trains Website

2008-01-28T13:09:00.001Z

Image courtesy of www.londonmidland.com, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Final Year Studio - Research - South West Trains Website

2008-01-28T13:08:00.001Z

Image courtesy of www.southwesttrains.co.uk, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Final Year Studio - Research - East Midland Trains Website

2008-01-28T13:07:00.001Z

Image courtesy of www.eastmidlandstrains.co.uk, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Final Year Studio - Research - Eurostar Website

2008-01-28T13:06:00.001Z

Image courtesy of www.eurostar.com, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

After briefly looking at the overall branding of Virgin Trains I am going to have a look at other train service company identities to just get some extra influence for my idea's brand.

Final Year Studio - Research - Virgin Trains Website

2008-01-28T12:56:00.001Z

Image courtesy of www.virgintrains.co.uk, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Any respectable transport company now has a dynamic website and Virgin Trains is no different. It is interesting to compare the update-able design of the website to its fixed print and film counterparts. Notice how although the main aim for the website is to inform the viewer, italicised type and slanted graphics still emphasise and advertise the speed of Virgin Trains, subliminally. It is important to take from the Virgin Trains branding that their marketing media almost act like sign posts, instructing the audience to either their website or train stations to then buy into the product they offer. This is done by using the same colours, images and typography on all of their branding media, so the audience does not misunderstand who is giving them the message.

Final Year Studio - Research - Virgin Trains TV Adverts

2008-01-28T12:47:00.001Z

Image courtesy of www.rkcryr.com, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Most recently Virgin Trains' new identity has been moved to the small screen using both real life film parodying the 'Railway Children' and stylised animations. Again italicised typography is used but slanted so that it catches the audience's unexpecting eye as well creating the sense of speed and motion.

Final Year Studio - Research - Virgin Trains Billboard Posters

2008-01-28T12:38:00.001Z

Image courtesy of www.rkcryr.com, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Above are some billboard posters again designed to emphasise the speed and efficiency of Virgin Trains.

Final Year Studio - Research - Virgin Trains Branding

2008-01-28T12:36:00.001Z

Image courtesy of www.rkcryr.com, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Since my idea uses our knowledge of the associative bandwidth of an actual train station system, it will be important to create an identity that further enhances this association and allow comparisons to occur. In the United Kingdom Virgin Trains is seen as having one of the most contemporary transport company identities and their marketing and branding created by the agency Rainy Kelly Campbell Roalfe Y&R tries to replicate and bring back the 'romanticism' of train travel.

Above are some posters that have been used over the past couple of years on various campaigns. The typography used is especially vital to showing motion and speed, key factors in public transport advertising. The posters have a feel and identity that I would like to build on for my idea.

Final Year Studio - Development - 4 Key Servo Motor Angle Control

2008-01-17T13:57:00.000Z

Above is the development of the code used in the Roboduck activity. The single servo is controlled by the user pressing either the right, left, up or down arrows on the keyboard. The Processing code checks for which key is pressed then sends out a value to the Arduino board. The Arduino board assigns this value then to the servo angle variable and outputs the instruction to the specified pin, the servo arm then moves to this angle. This is done many times a second as the Arduino board checks whether Processing is sending a value, and a key is being pressed. The next step is to us the ASCHII keychart to allow the user to use the whole keyboard to send values to the servo motor as well as creating an array that allows values to be sent to multiple servo motors. I have tried this just using two servo motors but the control seems very intermitent and unreliable. Ideally once this code is completed I will be able to transfer this program to one that then reads what letters are on screen, again sending out specific values to the servo motor for each charactor.

Final Year Studio - Development - Review #2

2007-12-20T13:40:00.001Z

review 2, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Yesterday I presented for the second review of my project and in conclusion I think it was really useful. Unfortnately I designed the presentation to be too long (too much research) and missed out both the photographs taken at the National Railway Museum and the audio file that I had sourced of a steam train arriving and departing, these I will have to show in the future maybe at the end of year presentation. Overall though I think it went quite well and really helped me to visualise my idea and narrow down the theory in which I am investigating into. For next time I need to simplfy the slogan and think about what the users will be doing while they wait for their data to arrive, this could be a addressed by having to listen out for tannoy style system that calls them back to the 'Datamotives' art space once their 'Datamotive' train as arrived.

Final Year Studio - Development - Motor and Servo Control - Robo Duck

2007-12-06T13:20:00.001Z

Above is further development in the area of motor and servo control. The idea was to, using a prefabbed 'Robo Duck' model, control its forward, backward, left and right movement using a DC motor and servo motor. The first video is an experiment to see if the duck could be controlled from the computer using mouse position to control its forward and backwards movement. The second video is then of the duck with a steering arm on it to steer it left and right. This was all controlled by the direction arrows located on the laptop's keyboard. It was a very enjoyable project and really cemented the code for using and controling various motors in to my head. The next job is to get multiple servos controlled and working to create a analogue style arrival screen for my project.

Final Year Studio - Research - Map Styles - London Underground Map 1909

2007-12-05T16:33:00.001Z

Image courtesy of The Guardian, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Above is on of the first maps issued to represent the London Underground system of railway lines that at that time were owned by various different companies. Although it simply shows what Harry Beck's later design showed, it is massively complicated by the geographical layout and change in orientation of text. From a distance it is simply indistinguishable but we do see the use of line specific colours, a key deciphering tool if you knew the system and didn't need the added text labels.

Final Year Studio - Research - Map Styles - Maps Using Artificial Perspective

2007-12-05T16:28:00.001Z

Images courtesy of The Guardian, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Final Year Studio - Research - Map Styles - Maps Using Colours

2007-12-05T16:27:00.001Z

Images courtesy of The Guardian, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Final Year Studio - Research - Mechanical Data Visualisation - Livewire

2007-12-05T15:55:00.001Z

Image courtesy of http://www.nyu.edu/, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Above is another project by Lisa Jevbratt called 'Livewire.' This mechanical data visualisation mechanism uses a dangling wire that moves depending on the number of 'packets' on the network. For example the higher the frequency of data on the network the more the wire 'wiggles.' I include this on my blog because it reminds me of the various ways in which the virtual can be visualised, a key influence to the creation of my analogue style screen that will use servos to emphasise the idea of having to wait for something to arrive.

Final Year Studio - Research - Data Mapping Visualisation - Mapping the Web Infome

2007-12-05T15:10:00.001Z

Image courtesy of http://128.111.69.4/, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

The above screen shot is from a much larger project of mapping the Internet by Lisa Jevbratt, called Mapping the Web Infome. It enables the creation of 'web crawlers,' programs that automatically access web sites and collect data from them. Above is the most interesting manifestation relating to my project as it uses the URL's IP Address to affect what graphics are been shown on screen.

Above the initial page visited by the web crawler is a simple pixel in the centre of the window. The lines that then radiate from this centre are links from that initial page. Each of the circles contain lines that are simply links from the previous page, this allows the user by clicking on the screen to navigate perspectively through the data or hoops. Interestingly the colours of the lines are determined by the link's IP Address' actual values, for example with the IP Address 200.2.10.34, Red is 200, green is 2 and blue is 10. This idea of actually using the data value itself to determine the aesthetics of the piece could be really useful in my idea, especially in showing the difference between the commonly plotted areas and the rarely plotted areas.

Final Year Studio - Research - Data Mapping Visualisation - Trip Map

2007-12-05T14:51:00.001Z

Image courtesy of http://design.yahoo.com/, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Above Michael Chang of the Yahoo Design Innovation Team has visualised all the trips planned by the users of Yahoo! Travel. It can be perceived as an expression of the travel of knowledge that is present in the real world. Interestingly as you watch the trips increase a map of the world slowly emerges.

Again though like the geographical data mapping piece below there is a massive difference visually between developed and poorer countries. It makes you wonder if citizens from developed countries only travel and communicate with each other, how will the rest of the world progress and catch up.

Click here for link

Final Year Studio - Research - Data Mapping Visualisation - Query Bursts

2007-12-05T12:56:00.001Z

Image courtesy of http://design.yahoo.com/, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Created by Aaron Koblin of the Yahoo Design Innovation Team, Query Bursts uses Jasmine Novak's data analysis of identifying the most populate search terms and geographically visualises it. It was done by creating a virtual globe then having the program do a reverse IP Address look up. These individual IP Addresses were then plotted on the globe using animated vertical particle systems.

Although I am not interested in geographically mapping data on to an actual map of the world, I found this project aesthetically interesting. The video itself first shows the gulf in Internet usage between countries of the world, for example developed countries glow yellow with activity, while poorer countries are hidden in the shadow. This is a general idea in which I am investigating, the idea that traditional lines of transportation still influence the development of the new lines of communication. Another thing that is highlighted in the piece is the way in which real world goings on, for example 'Hurricane Felix' influence the digital world by suddenly showing bursts of individuals searching within a specific geographical area.

Click here for link

Final Year Studio - Research - Railway Film Depiction

2007-11-30T15:27:00.001Z

Videos courtesy of BBC Motion Gallery

Above are various angles of depiction used in the industry of film to convey the power and speed of the railway. The top video has been taken using a long angled shot, the next one down a medium angled shot, and the one after that a low angled shot. The bottom video is that of a modern underground railway and depicts the speed and volume of people that use it to move around the city. These videos just help me to understand the strong association the railway has had with the development of aesthetic technology and the feelings it stimulates within the viewer.

Final Year Studio - Research - Bandwidth - Mechanical Scanning

2007-11-30T14:52:00.001Z

Installation courtesy of the National Media Musuem, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

In my Datamotives idea I use a digital medium to affect a analogue medium, above is the same but the other away around. Mechanical scanning allows simple images created on screen. A 'Nipkow disk' which houses a spiral of holes punched through it, each containing a single line of the image. The disc then spins and each hole is read, creating an overall image on the screen. It doesn't have the most widest of bandwidths but it a very good example of a physical object effecting a virtual object.

Final Year Studio - Research - Bandwidth

2007-11-30T14:39:00.001Z

Installation courtesy of the National Media Musuem, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

On my visit to the National Media Museum in Bradford I came across a simple installation that explained the idea of 'bandwidth' in relation to television signals. In the case of television the term bandwidth refers to how much space is available to send information using a signal. Obviously early television pioneers had very little bandwidth, but as it developed more and more became available, for example today they have enough bandwidth to reproduce high definition images. The above two images show visually the difference between high and low bandwidth. The top image as high bandwidth and in turn is very sharp. While the bottom image has a very low bandwidth, resulting in a blurry image.

Final Year Studio - Development - Servo Motor Control

2007-11-29T17:58:00.001Z

servo output board 400, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Above is a single servo experiment that allows the computer to control the speed of rotation of its arm and its start and reset position. Although on a small scale this experiment is key to the development of my project, the next step will be to set up multiple servos and then using ASCII references from the keyboard, get their arms to rotate to specified positions. This will be the core motion and coding for my analogue style screen for displaying the arrival of a website into the 'station.' This will hopefully then emphasise the massive data and associative bandwidth differences associated with digital and analogue mediums as well as adding to aspect of something 'arriving.'

Final Year Studio - Development - DC Motor Control

2007-11-29T17:49:00.001Z

alternate dc motor rotation, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Since my idea will involve using both digital and analogue mediums I have been experimenting with motors in Spencer's class. Above is a setup that powers a DC Motor and controls the direction in which it rotates, using the mouse's 'y' position on screen. This experiment was undertaken to give me a greater understanding of how to both power the motor from the breadboard and use variables to send out data to the Arduino board to control it. I need to take that knowledge now and apply it to Servo motors, a key piece of technology that will allow me to create an analogue style screen system.

Final Year Studio - Research - Data Mapping Visualisation - Site Manager

2007-11-23T17:55:00.001Z

Image courtesy of http://www.cybergeography.org/, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Above is an actual commercial data mapping application used for mappring Internet traffic for a large corporation. As you can see it uses simple lines and tag titles in conjunction with a sphere to create a simple virtual world.

Click here for wesbite

Final Year Studio - Research - Data Mapping Visualisation - Webtracer

2007-11-23T17:52:00.001Z

Image courtesy of http://www.cybergeography.org/, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Above is another application that maps the Internet in a three dimensional world, allowing the user to then navigate this world of hyperlinks and highlight various nodes to interact with.

Click here for website

Final Year Studio - Research - Data Mapping Visualisation - TouchGraph

2007-11-23T17:48:00.001Z

Image courtesy of http://www.cybergeography.org/, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

TouchGraph is an actual fully functional navigation system for searching through data visually on the Internet. TouchGraph believe that to most efficiently navigate through the vast amount of data on the Internet it is better to see the 'big picture' and how each website is connected, rather than linearly scrolling down a webpage. This shows the user how the information relates to each other, easing the use of the Internet. Using the search engine Google, the Java applet animates and grows website nodes, connecting each one up to its originator along the way. Since this is a fully functional program it is very easy to use as you originally just type into a search box to start the search. The results are hard to decipher at first due to the continuess conditioning of such linear search engines as Google itself has had on us the digital users. Once you understand it though its becomes a good alternative to usual search engines, and thanks to visual connections it seems to let you decipher the data quicker as it works very simlar to how your actual brain works.

Final Year Studio - Research - Data Mapping Visualisation - Web Forager/WebBook

2007-11-23T17:04:00.001Z

Image courtesy of http://www.cybergeography.org/, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

In my sketchbook I talked about an idea that involved digitising a book and lower down I also mentioned about creating a book of website to investigate the simlarities and differences in navigating through the physical and digital world. This is a similar idea, but digital, where each webpage is book and each whole website is an whole book shelf of various books. The main aim is to give the user a digital space not unlike the one he or she is used to in the physical world. The results in a three dimensional virtual world with a desk so the user can select and flip through various books (websites). It uses the 'framing' and 'associate bandwidth' we associate with our real world activities for navigating through information, giving the interactivity of the piece an almost 'pick up and play' feel.

Click here for website

Final Year Studio - Research - Data Mapping Visualisation - City of News

2007-11-23T16:09:00.001Z

Image courtesy of http://www.cybergeography.org/, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

A very different way of looking at the Internet was created by MIT's Media Lab. City of News is a three dimensional browsing system for navigating a digital network as you would a physical cityscape. It works very much like the VisitorVille application but has an 'iPod advert' feel to it. This piece interests me because like the real world, as you can see from the image above, you cannot see the whole structure, the three dimensional buildings obstruct the viewing of various other websites (buildings). This is a kind of real world restriction very much like the time restriction in my idea, it makes you think about how you use the Internet. For example unlike the real world when you view a website (object) thanks to the Internet Browser, the 'framing' or 'associate bandwidth' is always the same, the amount of light or time of day doesn't effect the virtual world.

Final Year Studio - Research - Data Mapping Visualisation - GeoURL

2007-11-23T15:47:00.001Z

Image courtesy of http://www.cybergeography.org/, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

GeoURL is very simple in theory. It is a tool created by Bjorn Hanson that uses your IP address where which your website is stored at to visualise the Internet on an actual world map. This then allows you to navigate the Internet not by subject appropriatness but physical location. It allows you to find URLs in proximity to a given location, directly linking the digital world with the physcial. It almost treats data as a unique object by giving it an 'home.' It is an idea closely linked to mine, but instead of the geographical aspect of where data is stored I am interested in the time in which data can be accessed in the virtual world compared to navigation of the physical, by combining the two.

Final Year Studio - Research - Data Mapping Visualisation - Cybergeography

2007-11-23T15:33:00.001Z

Image courtesy of http://www.cybergeography.org/, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Above, inspired by subway transport maps, is just one of various posted on the Cybergeography website, a research site dedicated to the mapping and graphic visualisation of new electronic environments, including the Internet. 'Cybermaps' are visual representations of data traffic and help both large corporations and individuals understand 'new digital landscapes beyond [their] computer screen.' The main aim of them is the same as maps of our realworld, to help us navigate efficiently around an environment. Producers of these tools are called 'Cyber-explorers.' They create maps that follow both geographical conventions and abstract ideals. Above are just some that I find useful to inspire both the visualisation of my idea and its development as an investigation.

Final Year Studio - Development - Etcha-Sketch

2007-11-23T15:16:00.001Z

etcha-sketch breadboard, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Above was my latest experiment inspired from my Physcial Computing sessions. To gain a greater understand of using multiple sensors, I created a digital Etcha-Sketch. Using Processing and Arduino a circuit was created where which the user could turn one of two 3 pin resistors to make a dot move up or down in the display window. The background was then not refreshed to leave the previous drawn dots on screen. As you can see it looks abit 'dotty' but practically it works!

Final Year Studio - Research - Initial Logo Inspiration

2007-11-23T15:05:00.001Z

Images courtesy of various books, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Now I seem to have a solid foundation of ideas and theory that I am investigating into, I need to start creating initial visuals for my piece. Above are just a few logos selected for their connection connotations for inspiration. The top logo depicts a company that works in the area of molecular research, and to show this uses a traditional font creating a sense of educational heritage. This along with the molecular connected red symbol using the 'i's' dot as a starting point emphasises connectivity. The second logo down creates a sense of global connectivity by simply using a sphere with the globe and its lateral lines mapped on it. This in conjunction with the distortion of the text creates a sense of purpose and harmony. The third logo really interests me as it gives a sense of physicallity by simply using three dimensional blocks, it looks almost like you could actual pick up the individual graphics. The registration grid lines then emphasise this notion and replicate an 'array' like structure, the idea of having a seperate draw for each piece of data. The bottom logo I feel shows a great aesthetic sense of motion and movement, by simply bluring an image behind the title text.

Final Year Studio - Research - Railway Romantacism - Spotting Trains Article

2007-11-23T10:52:00.000Z

Below is a link to an article that explains the charateristics of the train that still creates a great sense of 'romantacism.'. Kate Matthams talks about the differences and simlarities to automotive transport as well as the depiction of trains in films. She also comments upon the lack of 'romantacism' with trains that do not arrive of time, comparing our delapidated railway network to that of the efficient central Europian countries. She also talks the effect of the environment or 'Associatve Bandwidth' of the cabin, and likens a good carriage to them described in Agatha Christie's, 'Murder on the Orient Express.' Kate also talks of the adventure associated with taking time to get somewhere, being able to sleep and arrive at your destination in 'tip-top' shape for the beginning of the of the day.

Click here for link

Final Year Studio - Research - Internet Physicality - New Medium

2007-11-23T10:41:00.001Z

Image courtesy of http://www.nickcrowe.net/, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

One of the ideas behind my "Datamotive' idea is that of making a website unique and give it all the attributes of being a physical object. One piece of work that has done this is Nick Crowe's 'New Medium' produced in 1999. Above Crowe selected 15 websites, took screen shots, then engraved them on to 600mm x 450mm, 6mm thick glass. Here Crowe has explored all the avenues of an object being physical. Being physical, he could make it as big as he wanted, just like we can when observing an object. Also with the material being glass, it eradicates the sense of fear and untrustworthy, that sometimes a website on a monitor can portray, for example not knowing a website is totally secure when buying something. Unlike physcial actions our senses cannot be used to sense danger or risk in the virtual world. But with physicality comes restrictions in the form of the website being static, it cannot be refreshed or even navigated as it so often relies on the user moving it around a 4:3 ratio space digitally using a mouse and scollbars.

In relation to my idea, to really push the physicality idea I could create an appllication that just doesn't let you view the website straight away but actually prints the website out and posts it to you instead to use. Another simpler experiment would be that of transfering a website into a book, investigating first hand the differences in which we navigate the physical and the digital.

Final Year Studio - Research - Railway Romantacism - London & Birmingham Railway Engine House

2007-11-23T10:14:00.001Z

Image courtesy of http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/railways, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Painted in 1836 by Joseph Cooke Bourne the above painting is just one of many lithographic railway work produced as bookplates for the London and Birmingham Railway, and the Great Western Railway. Unlike Turner, Bourne painted realistic style scenes not just for aesthetic value but also for research and recording. Bourne at the time was seen as a bit of a rebel as most artists, social commentators and writers such as John Ruskin and Charles Dickens were very critical of railway development. Bourne's work was seen to show "subjects of professional study, as scenes and compositions replete with picturesque effect and artistic character." Unlike Turner's work Bourne's studies best replicate the 'mass mechanical production' feeling of the Industrial Revolution, as he often depicts the people as well as the machines buildng the railways.

Final Year Studio - Research - Railway Romantacism - Rain, Steam andSpeed - The Great Western Railway

2007-11-23T09:53:00.001Z

Image courtesy of http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/railways, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Painted by Joseph Mallord William Turner, in 1844, the above painting is seen as one of his most famous. Depicting the Great Western Railway operating in terrible weather in his 'impressionistic' approach creates a great sense of speed and purpose. A notion that even nature cannot stop man's most brilliant triumph. Being the fastest mode of transport in the 19th Century meant the train was seen as the Concorde of its age, taking people and goods places faster and more efficient than ever before. As with most technology it was used commercially first but as the century progressed, businesses became aware that there may be an industry in transporting people, and so tourist industry was born. It seems hard to invision the impact the introduction of the train had a on a world dominated by horse and cart, people must have seen them as the 'ships of the land.'

Final Year Studio - Research - Janek Schaefer - Extended Play

2007-11-22T16:45:00.001Z

extended track, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Yesterday I was fortunate enough to visit the Huddersfield Contemprary Music Festival's exhibition art pieces. One that stud out to me was Schaefer's 'Extended Play,' a tribute to the children who have had to endure times of war. A trio of retro record players, playing previously recorded instruments, play a coded score broadcasted by the BBC World Service to Polish Underground Movement in the second world war. There are three groups of three record players, each trio playing the instruments at a specific speed, thus creating a symphony and 'optimistic mass of sound.'

I was initially taken back by this artwork as it showed me the power of 'Associate Bandwidth' and the environment in which a piece is framed. For example the 'red' vibrant lighting of the gallery space really gives sense of war and times of trouble. Also even the aspect of laying out the record players in islands creates a great notion of overall collaboration between individual communities to create a greater good. My piece I feel will rely very much on the presentation and 'framing' of itself, it will be the use of both digital and analog media that will hopefully enhance the overall experience.

Final Year Studio - Research - The Lumieres - Arrival of the Train La Ciotat

2007-11-21T09:23:00.000Z

Video courtesy of http://uk.youtube.com/

Throughout the past one hundred years the medium of film has a had a close bond with the depiction of trains and railway transport and communication tehcnology. This affair started with a film in 1895 when the Lumieres, two brothers of photographic development fame , second only to Kodak, started making movie cameras. The idea originated from their father seeing a Kinetoscope in Paris and telling his sons 'You can do better." Over the years they trialed and developed machines that evetually and successfully started caputring movement, their first movie being that of workers leaving the Lumiere camera factory. With this the idea came the notion that thanks to film, memory itself was no longer elusive, changing our relationship with memories forever. For example watching an old film you may realise that today all the cast have passed on, but to you at that moment in time they are very much live, singing and dancing.

The real effect of the moving image wasn't felt until 1895 when the Lumiere's, 'Arrival of the Train La Ciotat' was shown to an unexpecting audience. Above is this short film which seems very mundane by today's standards but back then it provoked a feeling of fright as the audience jumped back out of their seats as if they were going to be run over by the train. One factor for this was the point that unlike traditional art mediums that still distanced the viewer from interacting with the piece, the moving image actually 'simulated the visual experience of mental states - images of memory, dream and fantasy.' After the introduction of the moving image our mind had to change and is still changing as with the implementaton the computer, it has to learn new ways in which to interact with aesthetic information.

Final Year Studio - Research - Screen Media - LCD Display

2007-11-18T15:17:00.001Z

Image courtesy of http://www.airport-technology.com/, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

The LCD or liquid crystal display screen is now the most common choice for new transport stations when wanting to display information fast and effectively. As these displays increasingly occupy our public spaces though we arrive at a dilemma. These screens thanks to new developments can be as large as they need to be and as mentioned below can display a vast amount of indormation in various formats. The problem though is the same in which I find with computer screens. They simply occupy a space in the environment and only manipulate the inner surface of the flat screen.

In today's world of Nintendo Wii style interaction this seems, as Mau states a cold, alien like medium for communicating information. Unlike its electro-mechaincal ancestors the data doesn't move or change the air both around and in the screen unit itself. You cannot hear the screen animating or physically pick up the data, it doesn't seem to have the same warmth and reliable feel of a Split-flap display screen. It is this factor of data interaction that worries me as the Internet takes over more of our environment, are we going to see a decrease of interaction when deciphering data and will our physcial world become like our digital, restricted to a 4:3 ratio rectangle.

Final Year Studio - Research - Screen Media - Associative Bandwidth Comparisant

2007-11-18T15:02:00.001Z

Image courtesy of Internet, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Above is an image of both a ultra modern RGB LED screen (left) and a Split-flap display screen (right). Information and aesthetically wise it is obvious that the LED display is most effective when portraying cognitive data. It can simply display more information a second than the Split-flap display could ever dream of, but when applying Mau's 'associative bandwidth' theory to the equation we start to to see a shift in effect.

First of all due to the Split-flap display's physical animation quality you are naturally more drawn to that when navigating through the vast information on offer, thanks to its 'flip-flap' sound. Its warm 'associative bandwidth' and low data 'bandwdith' transfer actually adds to this appeal. Due to our traditionally linear methods of reading information we automatically decipher this kind of data portrail by reading it as we would a book. This is where the Split-flap display is still relevant today, and due to its extra 'associative bandwidth' it gives you the sense that you can touch, smell and hear the invdividually unique blocks of data manipulating and rising to the surface of the screen. This is simply not the case with LED screen as you are often left feeling cold, as the display seems to lack the environmental presence of its ancestor.

Final Year Studio - Research - Screen Media - LED Display

2007-11-18T14:42:00.001Z

Image courtesy of www.computronics.biz, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

After the changable screen introduction of the Flip-dot display system the next natural step was to evolve this on and off mechanical thinking into the digital relm, the LED or light-emitting diode display allowed this. Now the most commonly used display technology on buses, trains and in transport stations, its changable but easy to to read factors has made it a highly common communication medium. Also relatively cheap compared to LCD display screens, it works simply by aluminating specific LEDs that occupy a grid around the screen, creating a series of characters and symbols.

Although this display lacks in actual mechanical animation, its 'associative bandwidth' is still increased due to the other implications we associate with it. LED screens remind us of old calculators and stadium score boards, mediums that can only cope a with a miniscule of data each second. It is this attribute that is very interesting, because when hooked up to a network this type of display can be probably one of the most effective at communicating any kind of literal information quickly and effieciently. The only 'bandwidth' restriction occurs when this medium is used to display images and animation, due to the size of LEDs a 'pixelated' style effect occurs where the image is compressed and restricted in its asethetic qualities.

Final Year Studio - Research - Screen Media - Rollsign Display

2007-11-18T14:24:00.001Z

Image courtesy of www.hanoverdisplays.com and http://en.wikipedia.org/, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

The traditional Rollsign display is seen as the father of the Split-flap and Flip-dot display systems. Using the simple motor movement of rotation, a long sheet of material is rolled and attached to a top and bottom roller. The mechanism then simply turns, by either a manual or motorised mechanism, changing the graphic shown in the window or screen.

Used on early buses and tube trains this kind of display has a nostalgic, metropolis feel. This is due to the fact that to change what the screen displays you have to physically change the graphic meaning its 'bandwidth' for communicating varied information is very low. It still though has a physical animation, not I don't think has a effective or as striking as the previous two displays but still high on 'associative bandwidth,' and adding to the interactive experience.

Final Year Studio - Research - Screen Media - Flip-dot Display

2007-11-16T16:04:00.001Z

Image courtesy of www.hanoverdisplays.com and http://en.wikipedia.org/, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Probably the most common display used by the older transport sector which occupies both bus roofs and rural train stations. Also known as a Flip-disc display, they consist of a grid of small metal discs that are black on one side and yellow on the other. A microcontoller is used to flip the dots and inturn form characters and symbols. It is often compared to the similar 'core memory' process where both x and y axis wires are charged with a current, creating a magenetic field where they cross, which interacts with a small magnet on the discs edge. The desired discs are then flipped by using just a enough force to flip each one. This will take a couple of seconds to do the whole screen but it is said that the sound of the flip which occurs is 'quite distinctive.'

This type of display may be of use to me, as due to the analogue flipping nature of the screen refresh, it still makes a natural sound. This I think will still create higher 'associative bandwidth' than a simple LCD monitor. Hopefully this LED looking electro-mechanical medium will have the desired effect on the audience by portraying the high bandwidth procedure of navigating the Internet through a linear action low data bandwidth medium. It is this restriction to the instant visual access of the Internet that I am interested in controlling making the user aware of.

Final Year Studio - Research - Screen Media - Split-flap Display

2007-11-16T14:38:00.001Z

Image courtesy of The Terminal and www.hanoverdisplays.com and http://en.wikipedia.org/, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

The Split-flap display screen would be the preferred analogue output media for my idea, but as I am finding it is really hard to get hold of one, never mind a small portable version. But as I have said below it may be that I will have to make my own, and to do this it would be beneficial to look at the various electro-mechanical display media on offer today.

As the diagram above shows each charactor position has a collection of flaps, which are printed with various letters and symbols. Often found in airports and train stations they are sometimes known as 'Solari boards.' The advantage of this medium is that it is highly legible from any distance or angle, but has a narrow 'bandwidth' in the amount of information it can display due the restriction of having to have every charactor or word, that will be ever used, there in a position on the board.

It is this narrowing of the 'assocaitve' and information 'bandwidth' the display portrays in comparisant to todays high definition LCD screens that interests me. The 'flap' sound of the characters rotating, as shown in the title sequence of the film 'The Terminal,' creates a great sense of pattern and action. It feels a more reliable and warmer medium than a high information 'bandwidth' LCD display screen, due to its 'physicallity.'

Final Year Studio - Research - Split Flap Display Email

2007-11-14T14:23:00.001Z

split flap display email, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Above are some screen grabs of emails sent to the Research Department at the National Railway Museum in York. I asked whether they would know where I could aquire a 'Split Flap' Display Screen often used in train stations. Unfortunately they were unsure but told me to Goolge 'railwayana'. This gave me some interesting results of auction websites for railway station signs and memoribelia. I still couldn't find what I wanted, so it is looking as though I am going to have to make my own analogue textual display, which will also be useful as my idea progresses and I will be able to customize the mediums effect. A good thing to do will be to visit the National Media Museum in Bradford to understand the differences and similarities associated with analogue and digital display media.

Click here for NRM website

Final Year Studio - Development - Review #1

2007-11-14T13:54:00.001Z

presentation review 1, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Yesterday I was asked to present a presentation that summerised both the research and ideas that I have done during the past couple of weeks of my investigation. Subjects I highlighted were 'Associaitve Bandwidth' theory, Initial Research, Initial Ideas, Research and Development. I explained my idea for the 'Datamotives' project and gained valuable feedback.

One interesting feedback idea was to investigate into other means in which I can show the travel and arrival of something. This doesn't just have to be by visual means but also maybe audio. This could take the form of a train sound increasing in volume until you hear it pull up outside the room. It could also be instead of visually mapping transportation of a website, I could use a tanoy system. Not unlike the ones in real train stations that recite when each train (website) is arriving. This could be really effective if done in away that replicates the broken up language used by public space information systems.

Another point brought up was the expect of making the visual mapping of each route, more interesting and 'life like.' To do this I could use various IP Addresses that the data travels through to show websites traveling through busy intersection points in the network. Another idea could be to use more than one computer and have websites travel around a small 'model intranet.' Doing this would emphasise my idea of having just one version of each website that can only be viewed on one computer at a time, almost treating the digital data as a physcially unique object.

Finally a more traditional area to look in to will be the simlarities and differences associated with our perception of what William J. Mitchell calls today's 'informatization' period and the pasts 'industrialisation' era. This idea could be influencial for how my idea will visually communicate itself and it may be worth researching deeper into the branding of old railway organisations and the art/romance surrounding traditional traveling means.

Final Year Studio - Research - Yonge St. Willowdale #4

2007-11-14T13:32:00.001Z

Image courtesy of http://www.ccca.ca/, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

The above image was initial inspiration to me, that partnered the theory of a media's 'Associative Bandwidth.' It is just one of a series of images taken by the photographer Robin Collyer. Here he takes a photograph of a visually busy high street and retouches the image to take out all the logos and text, just leaving the naked medium behind. It is really effective at revealing the various layers in which our world is visually made up and makes he viewer understand and identify the various media styles that make up the 'Global Image Economy' that surrounds them.

Click here for website

Final Year Studio - London Undeground Map

2007-11-07T10:54:00.000Z

Image courtesy of www.tfl.gov.uk/tube

Final Year Studio - Development - Associative Bandwith

2007-11-05T17:25:00.000Z

One of the core areas of my investigation into information interaction is that of a medium's 'Associative Bandwidth' or subliminal signal. Below is a quotation taken form Bruce Mau's 'Lifestyle' on the idea of 'Associtive Bandwidth' as one of the 'Twelve Strategies' of design.

'Describe print-based media in the terminology of new media and what becomes apparent is the extent to which “bandwidth” is carried by the non-text-based qualities of an object. The tactility, colour, material, smell, history, image and portability of an object produce what we call associative bandwidth or subliminal signal. All of these qualities inflect the meaning of an object. They make it speak of intelligence, consideration, contemporaneity, criticality, accessibility, or generosity. Although we may not focus ina cognitive sense on these qualities, the channel remains open. The real effect and power of the work emerge in the tension between our cognitive and associative engagement. Perhaps tthe most challenging constraint facing online design application, and the reason so much of it seems anemic or imporverished, is simpl the extremely narow bandwidth - effectivly stripped of all that subliminal signal.'

It is this idea of the difference between analog and digital interaction that I wish to investigate and in turn create a project that challanges the attributes that we normal associate with physical and digital interaction. Inter-twinning them to gain a greater understand of hwo we perceive the different styles of data interaction in our world today and the effect these have on how we store and access information biologically.

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Final Year Studio - Research - Data Visualisation - Crank the Web

2007-11-05T17:18:00.001Z

Image courtesy of http://www.coin-operated.com/, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

As my idea involves the idea of 'bandwidth' digitally, physically and metaphorically, I need to look at work that has challanged the transfer speed and in turn restriction of information. One such project is 'Crank the Web' created by Coin Operated. It allows the user to browse the Internet but makes them physically 'crank' the bandwidth and data speed at which the webpage is received. As shown above users type in a URL on the screen, hit the 'Enter' key and the Internet window opens. The wepage they require then travels through a buffer before displaying on the screen, byte by byte. The user turns the crank to increase the data speed and bandwidth which is also displayed on the screen, making text, images and sounds appear at various rates depending on the speed of the crank.

This project directly attacks the role of the user and the Internets promise of instant information. It combines the mechanical 'romanticism' of analog interaction with todays common 'click' digital telecommunication technology. This in a sense widens the 'Associative Bandwidth' of the medium as the user gets to touch, feel and control the information itself, much like a sculptor does. It is a very 'witty' project and potrays a 'real world' feel which I hope to replicate in my final peice.

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Final Year Studio - Development - Sensor Interaction

2007-11-02T13:50:00.001Z

vinyl scratch breadboard, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

As my idea is in its early development stage, I am thinking of using different means of data input and output. One alternative way to input data into the computer is to use sensors. There are two types of sensors, 3 pin resistors that the user can turn to widen the gap between the wire and thus narrow the current. The second are 2 pin sensors, such as light resistors (shown on the circuit above) and 'whisker resistors.' Both widen and narrow the current passing through them depending on a physical variable. All sensors work by sending data in the form of intergers to the Arduino board that is then processed using a previously installed program to send strings of numbers to a application such as Processing. Processing can use this data to then control onscreen and offscreen activities.

These alternative input methods will hopefully enhance my final dea and open up the 'associative bandwidth' of the medium being used, allowing the user to interact with my work through sensitivity rather than 'cold' buttons.

Final Year Studio - Research - Data Visualisation - Matchboxes

2007-11-02T11:04:00.001Z

Image courtesy of http://www.processing.org/, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

The above project is enitiled Matcheboxes but I cannot seem to gain any more information on the project. I have included it because of the way the program is animated. The blocks rotate and move around the text locations very naturally, but they have to travel along designated straight routes when entering and exiting the screen. This creates a great sense of the shapes being restricted from wondering, very much like a train is to the traintrack.

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Final Year Studio - Research - Data Visualisation - Rhizone Navigation

2007-11-02T10:56:00.001Z

Image courtesy of http://www.metaportaldermedienpolemik.net/, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

This project is programmed in Processing and is a develpoment project for building data and visualising real-time realated information. In this case it is visualising a massive family tree in three dimension. It starts with director Bjarnason at the bottom and navigates upwards through various generations of his family. It features more than 3300 people and displays the relationships between each individual.

I have included this project as unlike the previous peices of art, the visualisation of data looks very analog and doesn't look cold and computer like. This helps to widen the effect on the viewer and in turn the 'associative bandwidth' of the medium. I also like the choice of colour, the red on the black in conjunction with the white gives a real sense of space and time, but also a grave feeling of natural death.

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Final Year Studio - Research - Data Visualisation - Valance

2007-10-31T14:13:00.001Z

Image courtesy of http://www.processing.org/, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

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Above is a snap shot taken from the simplfied web version of Valance created by Ben Fry in Processing. The original was done using C++, Perl and OpenGL code. All the versions are investigations into the structure and relationships located with very large sets of information. The information can come from any medium as long as the text is digitally available and allows the user to navigate around it in a 3D space. As the program progresses words link and partner each other as the overall shape morphs and twists.

This project is very intriguing as it directly targets how we read, communicate and use vast amounts of text. An idea that is not too far away from my own. Also interstingly as the digital program conitinues to grow in the 3D space it almost starts to become creature and organic like in animation.

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Final Year Studio - Research - Data Visualisation - Brownian Motion 2D

2007-10-31T13:49:00.001Z

Image courtesy of http://processing.onato.com/, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Above again is a Processing application that doesn't map data but I just like the aesthetic style. Created by Stephen Williams the program simply plots random scribbly lines that blur over time. It is very simple but by scribbling and bluring, makes the cold crisp digital pixels almost look natural. You can imagine the lines being abstract visualisations of rivers, valleys and mountain tops.

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Final Year Studio - Research - Data Visualisation - Deconstruct 2D 3D

2007-10-31T13:41:00.001Z

Image courtesy of http://www.wblut.com/, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Above is a snap shot image from a little Processing application that investigates into the idea of two and three dimensional space. First of all as you randomly click the 2D image the initial plotting points change, but still radiate from the centre. Then as you press the direction keys the graphic starts spinning on various axis and the nodes start carving the now 3D space up using lines.

It doesn't actually map any kind of data, but I just thought it was a beautiful way of plotting points in 3D space. As it spins it almost takes on a planet like character and the nodes spinning around the centre create an orbital sense of being.

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Final Year Studio - Research - Data Visualisation - VisitorVille

2007-10-31T12:28:00.003Z

Animation courtesy of www.visitorville.com

VisitorVille allows the user to view their internet traffic in physical enivronments such as buildings and even entire cities. It opens up the 'associative bandwidth' in regards to perceiving internet activities, a good example is the animation above. Here users of the internet using various search engines are being visualised, not by an abstract styled graph showing how many people clicked 'Search' and how many clicked 'Back' to the results page, but an actually 'hub' of communication transfer for the physical world, a bus station. This program uses the 'subliminal signals' of real life situations and environments to display information to the user, in this case the users definition of when an area is 'busy' or 'crowded.' This way of displaying information has a universal, un-lingual attribute, the only problem is that it requires the users past experiences of enivronments to decipher the information correctly. This could be a problem as an individual living in a rural area will have a different perception of an environment being 'busy' than, say, a city dweller.

This specific work is a key influence to my project as it directly attacks the 'associative bandwidth' of the Internet and how we perceive the medium. It is important to note that the above animation is from the 2D version of the program and there is also a true to life 3D edition, widening the 'associative bandwidth' even more. I hope now to look at more conceptual styled data visualisation, hopefully 3D as well as 2D to develop me idea further.

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Final Year Studio - Research - Art Deco - Cassandre

2007-10-28T18:52:00.001Z

Image courtesy of www.allposters.com, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Inspired by Cubism and Surrealism, Cassandre was a graphic designer that actually designed adverts for a cabinetmaker displaying at the 1925 Paris Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes and through the period of Art Deco became one of the most influectial graphic designers of the 20th Century.

By setting up his own advertising agency in the 1930's called Alliance Graphique he set standards for designing adverts that could be seen from fast moving vehicles as well as adverts for fast moving vehicles. Using forced perspective, gradients and custom designed fonts in his train, plane and ship posters he and his agency created memorable images that have influenced how design is both taught and implicated today.

Above is just one of his most famous posters 'Nord Express' and this along with other similar works will help me in, invisioning how to 'romantisize' digital information communication. This will hopefully allow me to give warmth to the medium of screen interaction and widen the 'Associative Bandwidth' associated with it. It will also be beneficial to look at the connections between analog to digital, and visa versa, information interaction.

Final Year Studio - Research - Art Deco

2007-10-28T17:54:00.001Z

Images courtesy of various websites, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Although this specific art movement happened in the 1920's and 30's it wasn't until 1966 that the term 'Art Deco' was coined. It took most of its initial influence from the 1925 Paris Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes. An exhibition that unlike ones before it let the decorative arts in such areas as architecture, interior design and industry take centre stage. It emphaisised the modern and in some cases excluded types of art that depicted previous art movements.

It involved such art movements as Avant-Guarde, Cubism and Bauhaus but wasn't part of the Modernist movement as it was purely created for decorative and aesthetic reasons, a key factor maybe why it was so influencial to commmercial design for new mechanical and material industries. Its effect was so strong that even the Amercians who were not represented at the exhibition developed their own style, known as 'Streamlining.' This was design using clean lines and strong curves, and is most notibile in the production of mass produced items such as cars, architecture and furniture.

This movement is going to be a key graphical influence to my project as it was the first time that aesthetics were thought about as manipulation tools for depicting and easying the understanding of visual information. Even the American notion of 'Streamlining' attaches itself to the idea that strong lines and shapes can effect how we perceive coplex information, widening the 'Associative Bandwidth' of a medium.

Final Year Studio - Research - London Underground Posters

2007-10-28T17:30:00.001Z

Images courtesy of http://www.ltmcollection.org/, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Interested in the concept of depicting and in the sense of 'branding' information I decided to have a look at early 20th Century posters designed to advertise the tube transport system. Art Deco and Avant Guarde in style they clearly define the notion of 'conncections' and 'romantasize' the idea of communication and transportation. They do this by using powerful shapes and perspective in conjunction with the 'roundel' logo to depict a modern safe way of travelling around the capital.

This 'romantisizing' concept interests me as the designers and marketing people of the time were trying to give humanity and warmth to a very cold industrial subject. This is not too far in comparisent to the problem Bruce Mau calls the 'Associative Bandwidth' of the Internet and the notion of it being a cold detached medium for communciation and information transfer. This is a core theory to my project and I hope to develop a digital interactive system that combats this 'coldness' but brings to light the sacrafice we have to make for it.

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Final Year Studio - Research - Travel Time Tube Map

2007-10-28T17:08:00.001Z

Image courtesy of http://www.tom-carden.co.uk/

An interesting new take on the London Undeground map is Tom Carden's processing application that allows the user to interact with the map and select a station. As he or she does this the map animates, expands and contracts depending on how long it takes to get to each from station to station. To emphasise this Carden displays the tube map in a geographical layout and uses shaded zones to depict every ten minutes of travel. This results in a very effective way of displaying time using shapes and animation.

This to me is intruiging as it like Harry Becks original uses the most up to date technology to depict visually the different journey times and works much more effectivily than simply showing a table of destinations and times. It will be important as I progress through the project that I keep looking for new ways for depicting previously static text based information effectivily in the digital medium, to influence my own ideas.

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Final Year Studio - Research - London Underground Map

2007-10-24T18:35:00.001Z

Images courtesy of http://www.ltm.gov.uk and http://homepage.ntlworld.com, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

One of the most influential peices of information mapping graphic design of the Art Deco movement was draughtsman Harry Beck's 1933 design for the London Underground system. After over a quarter of a century of trying to map an ever expanding tube system around the city of London, the amount of information needed to be shown had simply got too much for the orginal maps (bottom image) geographically proportioned layout. Becks solution was to disregard the geographical scaling in favour of a technique more associated with electrical wiring diagrams. He did this by opening up the centre of the map where most stations were situated and closed up the outer dispersed stations. This in conjunction with straight simple lines created a map that was easy to use (middle image) and over time instantly recognisable (top image).

The map over the years has been deveoloped in various states but still is added to, using Becks rules and guidelines, although he went out of favour with London Transport and was made redundent from the project early on. In generel the London Underground is seen as one fo the first 'corporate identities' and created the Art Deco style font, Gill Sans, for easy and quick reading.

With the maps fusion of Cubism, science and colour it is more like a circuit diagram than a map and even though it was designed without any interest in aesthetic beauty it is now seen as a design classic and hangs in the New York Art Gallery. Using 'ticks' for stations and 'blobs' for intersecting points, transport systems all over the world now use a similar style of design for displaying their networks.

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Final Year Studio - Initial Idea - Datamotives

2007-10-24T17:22:00.000Z

In conclusion 'Datamotives' will be an investigation into how we consume and interact with information, focusing on tangible methods of visualising this transfer. This will involve looking into the notion of 'bandwidth' from a digital, physical and metaphorical angle. The development of this idea will first be digitally based but will also utalise alternative and retro video/mechnical mediums for displaying informaion usually associated with higher 'bandwidth' display screens.

So to develop my idea further I intend to look into various examples of how artists have visualised the aspect of searching for data as well as looking into traditional maps that have revolutionised how we perceive information. I am also interested in looking into the Art Deco movement and it's romantic take on the age of mechanical communciation mediums such as the train and plane, in the early 20th Century.

Final Year Studio - Initial Idea - Datamotives Installation Environment

2007-10-24T17:20:00.001Z

modified slip-flap display, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

This idea will have two parts, the first being an interface like below, the second being an environment that emphasises the idea of waiting for information and communication. For the greatest effect I will try and model the interface's surrounding on a train station waiting room, hopefully connecting some kind of analog display such as a 'Split Flap' screen to show the arrival times of each website (Datamotive). It will be these kind of attentions to detail that will add to the overall 'Associative Bandwidth' of the piece and hopefully make it more successful at challenging the audiences notion of information interaction and bandwidth.

Final Year Studio - Initial Idea - Datamotives Browser Screen

2007-10-24T17:09:00.001Z

window visual 3, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Finally as the website (Datamotive) enters the station it opens the page in a browser, but only allows the user to surf it for a limited time only. Again emphasising the traditional attributes and problems of accessing information traditionally. There will be a departure counter in the bottom right of the window and once the website and departed the user must wait for it then to arrive again after all the other results have passed by.

Final Year Studio - Initial Idea - Datamotives Mapping Screen

2007-10-24T17:04:00.001Z

window visual 2, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

The next screen will then search for whatever the user has inserted. Routes expanding from the centre of the display (station) will grow to various points on the screen and plot a website at each one. This website will not let the user click and access themstraight away though as a normal search engine would. The user must wait for the website to travel down the route and arrive at the station. This will directly target our societies obsession with instant access to information and mobility. Instead the user will have to plan when and where they are to gain access to the specific informaiton they require.

Final Year Studio - Initial Idea - Datamotives Introduction Screen

2007-10-24T16:54:00.001Z

window visual 1, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Datamotives is an idea that attacks the present day idea of access of instant information. Using either Processing or Flash in conjunction with PHP it will act as an 'alternative search engine' application. Firstly the user will be beckoned to type in what they want to search for by the above screen.

Final Year Studio - Research - David Rozin - Wooden Mirror

2007-10-18T13:03:00.000Z

Video courtesy of omoiden at YouTube

This specific peice of work created by artist David Rozin was first displayed in 1999. Consisting of 830 wooden squares and servo motors, control electronics, video camera, computer and wooden frame, this peice stands at a size of 67" by 80". It works by using a video camera to capture an image, which is then compressed into 830 pixels. The computer than reads the values of these pixels and rotates each peice of wood to a certain angle and because of the spot light, shade. This creates a distinct but graduated image very close in relation to a grayscale low resolution version of the video. Also being wood it explores the line between digital and physcial by using a warm organic material such as wood to mimic like cold digital pixels. Rozin also developed this mirror technique and created the Trash, Shiny Balls, Circles and Peg Mirrors in the same light.

This peice is very useful to look at in relation to the idea in my sketchbook called, 'Mixels' (Mirrored Pixels). Here mirrored squares will move and react to room activity, constructing and breaking up a projected image depending on how the audience view the peice. The aim would be to change the audiences perception of what they know of as a screen and encompass them within the pixels them selves. This would change the enivronment they populate and its 'associative bandwidth.'

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Final Year Studio - Research - Julius Popp - Bit.Fall

2007-10-18T11:15:00.000Z

Video courtesy of chezzorilla at YouTube

The specific peice above was created by German artist Julius Popp and uses water droplets as a medium to then project information onto. Comprising of 128 nozzles, this curtain of conintuous water droplets uses maganetic valves controlled by a computer to display both text and graphics randomly selected from the archive of the Internet.

Although simple in execution this peice of artwork poses a very good question to our perception of objects and information. For centuries information in books wasn't perminent, the books could be damaged or just decay, paper without certain measures could not last forever. Popp with the temporal espect of the water droplets here shows us that. Words displayed by the peice are only viewable for a second, unlike our new digital mediums such as the Internet where information can occupy cyberspace, if untouched, forever, even when your computer or everybody elses has gone to scrapyard. This then poses a question of selection, just think in thousands of years time, future civilisations will not have to dig holes to see how we live but simply logon to an historical archive of past webpages.

All our triumphs and tradegies as a species can and will be criticised so that lessons will be learnt and mistakes avoided. For exmple as a western world the shear access to horrific images of the second world war as made us have the longest period in histroy where there hasn't been a war of some kind in europe.