Making Sense was a research and knowledge developing project about physical-computing for artistic purpose. The project was produced at Atelier Nord and directed by Erich Berger in 2004 and 2005.
Physical computing is how to interface a computer to our world and vice versa. It is about getting “in touch” with electronic media and the possibilities of physical interaction other than the usual keyboard and mouse interfaces. “making sense” consisted of a series of workshops, lectures and the establishment of a workspace for physical computing at Atelier Nord.
Making Sense continues at Atelier Nord in 2006 under the name Interface and Society. After 2 years of a technological emphasis the projects shift towards artistic practice and concepts.
MOTIVATION
Recent developments in commercial and open source artistic software (like MAX/MSP, Nato, Jitter, SoftVNS, Pure-Data, Supercollider, Keystroke, etc.) extend the freedom for media-artists on the software side. These software environments also provide possibilities to interface physical computing devices via computer ports.
Within a series of workshops Making Sense aims to introduce basic and advanced techniques of how artists can work with sensors and effectors, how to build custom computer interfaces, and how to interface them with different software environments.
The project Making Sense aims to increase the competency of artists and practitioners around Atelier Nord. It builds upon current competency in live media processing at the nodes in PNEK and internationally, and takes it one step further on issues concerning physical computing.
ELEMENTS
Workshops, lectures and electronics workstation
Workshops
The workshops focus on practical issues of physical computing technologies within the artistic practice, and introduces software environments where artists can make use of these technologies. Project based workshops give the possibility to specifically work and develope on actual artworks.
Workshop 1: Making Sense 1 - Mobile Sensing and Acting, with Erich Berger and Martin Pi
Workshop 2: Making Sense 2 - Introduction into physical computing with Erich Berger
Workshop 3: Making Sense 3 - Monofunctions with HeHe (Heiko Hansen and Helen Evans)
Workshop 4: Making Sense 4 - Project based workshop with Erich Berger
Workshop 5: Making Sense 5 - MAX/MSP/Jitter workshop with Peter Votava
Workshop 6: Making Sense 6 - PureData workshop with Erich Berger
Workshop 7: Making Sense 7 - Intruduction into physical computing with Erich Berger
Workshop 8: Making Sense 8 - Project based workshop with Erich Berger and Peter Votava
Workshop 9: Making Sense 9 - Project based workshop with Erich Berger and Peter Votava
Lectures
A history of telerobotic art, by Erich Berger
Monofunctions, by Helen Evans and Heiko Hansen
Interface philosophy, by Erich Berger
Electronics workstation
Atelier Nords electronic workstations is a physical computing lab equipped with different sort of microcontrollers, sensors, actuators, hard and software experiment and development environments.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Project director/producer Erich Berger http://randomseed.org
Project support PNEK http://pnek.no
Projectbase Atelier Nord http://anart.no
Read blog entries on this project.