Portland artist turns a dark, scary street into an interactive 'Robot Alley'

(FEBRUARY 24, 2023) Robert Fortney is an artist who lives in North Portland. There is a fence between his backyard studio and a dark alley. In the past, he often heard strange and suspicious noises from the alley. He found materials for drugs and stolen things. 

Fortney had an idea to make the alley safer. He started with a motion light. That is a light that turns on when a sensor detects movement.

Ten years ago, he bought a three-foot Stormtrooper action figure. A Stormtrooper is a soldier from the Star Wars movies. He put the Stormtrooper on the fence to watch over the alley. 

Today, the Stormtrooper has a lot of company. Fortney has added other Star Wars robots and characters to the fence. Some "speak" and interact with visitors.  There are also special lights, a fog machine, and a green laser. A bubble window near the ground allows Fortney's dogs to see through the fence. Some pieces of technology can spray visitors with water or sing a song.

 People call it "Robot Alley".

Fortney enjoys the creativity. However, it increases safety, too. The robots have cameras, microphones, motion sensors, and even facial recognition. The technology helps Fortney watch what happens in the alley. Here is a link to one of the webcams: http://www.plastorm.com/webcam.html

“It’s a constant entertainment,” Fortney said. “It’s a constant receptacle for my creativity.”

To visit Robot Alley, go to the alley between Borthwick and Kerby Avenues, near North Skidmore Street. The technology is interactive from 10AM to 10PM daily.