w.Communities

Dynamo Project Space

Since 2012 I have a continues collaboration with Dynamo Project Space organising a series of Seminars and Workshop for the public. The thematic, focus on Interactive Media introducing an open source software and hardware syllabus for their design projects. A significant number of projects appeared through this educational procedure. These projects were exhibited at Dynamo's space in Thessaloniki, like Interfaces Exhibition.

Arachne: Stavros Apotsos, Nassos Rossikopoulos-Pappas, Stella Rossikopoulou-Pappa
“Arachne” is an interactive weaving system which consists of a DIY loom connected with a computer. According to the ancient Greek mythology, goddess Athena, protector of wisdom and the arts, gave people the knowledge of weaving. “Arachne”, a young girl who prided herself that she can weave better than the goddess, was punished for her arrogance and disrespect by Athena, who transformed her into a spider and cursed her to continually weave her web. The weaver “Arachne”, which in Greek means “spider”, gave her name to our loom. “Arachne” is controlled by a computer, through “arduino”, which is connected with 16 motors that pull the warp. The software which is developed in “processing” analyze any image and gives commands for weaving. During the exhibition, the user is able to take a picture of him, which is analyzed in 16x23 black and white pixels. Then the weaving begins. We believe, that the idea of a DIY loom that works with open source software, can easily be used by anyone under an experimental as well as an educational process.

Body instrument for 2, Dimitra Billia

Two of you.

One ties the belt.

The other ties his/her hands and legs.

Move towards and away from each other.

Your bodies’ movement creates sound.

Play around. Listen.

Play music together.

A spatio-sonic installation for two visitors. 

Αn interactive music instrument that is played with the whole body.

cCalendar, Antonis Lourantos
A calendar for all years ... without end ... The calendar is consisted by 35 led. Every day that passes is lit in sequence one after another led indicating the corresponding date.The date is visible also in complete darkness as it recognises the lack of light and energized. The tip of the day is exposed on the lcd display using the touch sensor.

Miracleworker, Melina Karanika, Tania Tsampazi
‘Miracleworker’ is an interactive installation with burlesque kitsch elements that simulates an exaggerated ‘miracle’. The ‘enhanced’ use of the interactive means itself, together with the exuberant installation refer to the human urge for hopping for a miracle, which whenever occurs it is not even disputed. Each participant triggers a sequence of small miracles; simulating the mechanized fortune-teller dolls found in carnivals where by inserting a coin you could learn your future.

TweetO'phone, Rania Totsika
Human beings create a new relationship with their daily life, a new way of action and translation of their own reality.  The contemporary man is connected with his "multiple personalities" that he has created in order to develop his socialisation. So, he grasps any opportunity offered by the Social Media, to communicate everything that happens in his life, important or not. Information about his studies, his eating habits, his relationship status, his favorite places. The "tweet o' phone" is an apparatus communicating the messages that are posted through twitter Paul, vocalises the web news, introduces himself as a contemporary broadcaster that comes to communicate the latest news.

Soultrap, Nestoras Filiousis, Erianna Vaina, Aliki Vaina, Sofoklis Kontakis, Stamos Economou, Giota Koulali
Soul Trap is an interactive art project based on the visual communication of the viewer and the installation. Upon entering a confined dark space, the visitor encounters a rather eerie setting with his reflection trapped in a glass cube, mirroring his actions. While leaving, he realizes that he has left a part of him behind; his reflection remaining there, as if the soul has been trapped inside the cube. “Within a rational world each intangible thing seems distant and utopian. So the souls of men; they live trapped in fictitious cells, constructed by an architect called Mind ”.

Sensorial Apparatus, Marios Papanikolaou, Peni Michailidou
The installation was presented as part of the Diploma Project “Sensorial Apparatus” which was presented in September of 2013 at the Architecture Faculty of AUTH. Through the study of the neuronal system and the way the nerve fibers function, an exploration of three sensorial systems is selected: haptic, visual and auditory system. The neuronal, muscular and skeletal system is approached in analogy to the mechanical behavior of a specific materiality. The installation senses the ever changing from the viewers field of stimulation. The embodied sensors perceive light and sound intensities as well as movement variations of the human bodies. The data that is imported, is mapped and translated based on a programmed behavior, so as to activate the corresponding actuators. An almost breathing object that transforms according to the “in situ” presence of bodies.

Nevronas, Giorgos Giatas, Giorgos Dimitriou
The facility uses a simple cylindrical structure consisting of several strips, as a reference to human nerves. In the digital world, the representation consider this form as a free grid with multiple control points, thus allowing processing / transformation in real time taking advantage of the new technology leap motion. In the real world this is translated into the ability to control the shape of the user's hands from two outermost points, using the Arduino board and four servo mechanisms regulating variables such as distance, turning, speed.