Oribotics is an artwork / continuing field of research by Matthew Gardiner.
ArtBots application
About the work
Oribotics [network] premiered as a unique art and technology installation in the Atrium at Federation Square, in Melbourne Australia. As part of the Melbourne International Arts Festival, the work draws on research in biology, computing, and scientific origami.
The word Oribot means folding robot; like origami means folding paper. This is a broad definition that can include anything from; paper mechanics, deployment mechanisms for spacebound solar panels, self folding systems, to robotic origami flowers.
Oribotics [network] deals with the latter. Though its primary area of interest is self folding systems, the current field of research is not backed by a large nanotech laboratory (we want to make self folding paper, but really dont know how to create the technology yet!), instead arts funding and a love for problem solving, design, and conceptual art fuel the continuation of this field of artistic research.
Oribotics [network] is the most complex generation of oribots to date. Each bot is run by a compact computer, running a Debian Linux distribution, and the uses Micro Linear Actuators, and has a machine scored, hand folded membrane of synthetic paper as the blossom.
The [network] indicates that this work is linked to a larger network. In the Federation Square information ecology the garden of oribots was fed through software. The software harvested, and digested RSS news feeds from global and local sources. Each individual word from the feeds was eaten by the oribots.
As the word progressed through the body of the oribot, it would change the colour, and bloom cycle of the flower. The colour is dependant on database of words that are indexed by colour. The audience can alter the colour indexing via a web interface, and so affect the work in an organic way, somewhat akin to gardening, or perhaps its more like toying with the digestive chemistry of the flower.
Digestion of any electronic text is possible, for the installation at ArtBots the work will slowly read passages from seminal sci-fi texts including I-Robot by Isaac Asimov.
As an Artbot, the work is poetic, slow, with an introverted 'natural' kind of ineractivity that has slow feedback. In the context of the ArtBots show, it wont be the hyped attraction, but rather the delicate beautiful robot with a sophisticated cultural background.
Ever since I learnt of ArtBots almost 4 years ago, I wanted to show my oribots. In the past I thought, 'not yet, a few more improvements', and I've bided my time developing the work incrementally. Now, I think the time is right. I have an artists residency in Germany from October 2008, so arriving a couple of weeks prior will be good timing. I'm looking forward to ArtBots 2008, I trust you'll find my work of interest for ArtBots 2008.
Matthew Gardiner, April 2008
![Oribot [network] blossom detail](2007/photos/oribot[net]_blossom_detail.jpg)
ArtBots Application
Title of work:
Oribotics [network]
Other project members:
Ray Gardiner
Details of the Exhibit:
Title: Netbot
Tech Specs:
Click image to view pdf.
Number of blossoms: 3
The image below is a plain view of the robot installed on the door of my previous studio. It was designed to have plant like qualities, like a creeper or vine it has grown up the wall. The robot is switched off in the photo.
The pentagonal base at the bottom contains the computer, which has connecting power and a network cable. The network for this exhibition will be a mac mini, and it will have a short range wifi network, to allow mobile devices to interact via their built in web browsers.
![Oribot [network] blossom detail](2007/photos/bot-on-door.jpg)
What are the physical dimensions of the work and its operating area?
For the purpose of this show, and travel of the work being a factor, I will show a single oribot. The work needs a small wall space for exhibition. An ideal space is the size of a standard door (it could even be a glass door), 800 wide x 2000mm high, approximately. The work will protrude from the surface by about 300mm.
How is your work powered? Does it have any special power needs?
The work is 5v power supply from 240V mains. It is low power consumption.
Does your work require access to any resources (other than electrical power) that you cannot provide yourself (e.g. a sound system, video projector, net access, special lighting, compressed air, running water, etc.)?
Ideally, the work is installed on a pane of glass. I use industrial strength suction cups . In this way the work can be viewed from two sides. However a wall would suffice for mounting.
Is your work particularly loud, bright, or active, or does your work require extreme quiet, darkness, or other particular sound/light conditions?
The work is best in a quiet, dark location, the darkness need not be extreme, but low enough so that the LED lights take over as the dominant light source.
How long does it take you to set up your work, and how difficult is it to set up?
This work can be installed within 1 day, followed by 1 day of testing and tweaking.
Has the piece traveled before? Do you foresee any problems transporting the work?
The work has travelled hundreds of kilometres in a car, and I do not see any difference in transporting my bot in a pelican hardcase on a plane, or in a car. It will travel safely in its hardcase cocoon. It does not have any hazardous properties so it will be benign as an import.
How long can your piece run reliably? Can it run continuously for several hours over the course of several days? Does it need frequent maintenance?
The work has run for 1 month in a public location. There were issues related to power being switched off by the location staff (!!), network dropouts and minor issues. In general the work performs very well, our team produces industrial grade control systems for a living, and our software is rugged. During the its 1 month showing I was checking the work every few days, and mostly it was totally fine.
Is this a completed work, or is it still being designed or built?
The physical robot itself is completed, tested and working beautifully, however there will be a software upgrade, related to the server, and feeding of the science fiction texts.
If it is still in the planning stages, what is your timeline for completing the piece?
The software upgrade will be completed in July 2008.
List any elements of your work that are potentially dangerous or may cause fire/safety code problems in indoor spaces (gas engine, fire, hazardous chemicals, projectiles, etc.):
None that we are aware of.
Is there anything else you think we should know about your work?
The work embraces the beauty of the folded form in motion. Oribotics, by grant of its inherent form, embodies a kind of ying-yang of art and technology, east and west, tradition and contemporary science.
![Oribot [network] blossom detail](2007/photos/flexbot.jpg)
Documentation
Oribotics [laboratory]
This video is the best documentation of the work. The music is added to compliment the video, but the work itself is silent.
Past works
Browse the past generations of Oribotics development, and take a look inside the development phases of oribotics in the blog.
Oribotics [laboratory] 2005Oribotics.net is designed and coded by Matthew Gardiner & My Trinh Gardiner at http://www.airstrip.com.au
© 2003-2006 Matthew Gardiner All rights reserved
This site looks best when viewed in Safari/Firefox.