Calling Robot Birds
October 15, 2010
More on my love of robots.
This is a particularly fine example from my mates Neil and Ant which was recently exhibited at the V&A in London.
In city life, we are constantly surrounded by mobile phones that endlessly bleat for attention.
This installation takes these familiar, often stressful and annoying devices, and creates an alternate reality in which they pique people's curiosity, and make them want to use their phones in a playful manner.
It's about taking the worst of modern life - disposable unwanted phones and unwanted noises - and turning them into something beautiful.
The robot birds are made up mostly of mobiles phones and some Arduino boards.
You can call them, and they can call each other, triggering certain bird behavior.