Mediamatic is organizing a new workshop in which the participants develop prototypes for hybrid world media applications. While the internet is still thought of as a virtual space, it is quickly gaining foot in the physical world.
An Internet-of-Things is under construction, with RFID as a key technology. Unique digital identification and GPS tracking devices link digital media to places and objects. Mobile phones and urban screens allow the media to be everywhere people are.
This workshop explores the role of media makers (content creators) in the context of the increasingly intimate fusion of digital and physical space.

WORKSHOP APPROACH

The workshop is an intense process in which the participants design projects (applications, services, games, programmes, formats) that use the physical world as interface to online media: location based media, everyday objects as media interfaces, urban screens, and cultural application of RFID technology.

Every morning lectures and lessons bring in new perspectives, project presentations. Some of the topics that will be investigated in this workshop are: the cultural and social possibilities of RFID technology, internet-of-things. Using RFID in combination with other kinds of sensors. Locative media tools, car navigation systems, GPS tools, location sensitive mobile phones. Geotagging and mashups with Google Maps & Google Earth. Games in hybrid space.

Every afternoon the participants work on their own workshop projects. In 5 workshop days every participant will develop a prototype of a hybrid world media project, assisted by outstanding international trainers, lecturers and technical assistants. The workshop closes with a public presentation in which the issues are discussed and the results are shown.

WORKSHOP TOOLS

As practical research tools the participants can use the Symbolic Table 2.0 : a networked, RFID powered media player. See Symbolic Table
Nokia 3220 with NFC shell: mobile phone enabled with a RFID reader and writer, with the necessary tags to explore locative RFID projects. See Elastic Space
A collection of various RFID readers, tags, for projects that need more basic coding, and Arduino kits are also available for those who have experience with them.

TARGET GROUP

The workshop is designed for a maximum of 16 media makers, artists, designers, producers.
All participants are assisted personally in realizing their workshop projects. Participants are not required to have specific technical knowledge of new media, but experience with developing content for interactive media is recommended.

TRAINERS & LECTURERS

We are proud to announce the following trainers and lecturers:
Timo Arnall: Timo is a designer and researcher working between London and Oslo. At the Oslo School of Architecture & Design he leads a research project looking at the use of mobile technology and RFID, as well as lecturing in interaction design, physical computing, storytelling and design methodology.

Nicolas Nova: Nicolas is a researcher at Media and Design Lab (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne) working on interdisciplinary projects at the intersection of gaming platforms and spatial environments (ranging from on-line worlds to tangible interactions/ubiquitous computing)“. He also works as a consultant for video-game companies, focusing on 'user experience' analysis, usability testing and foresight research. He co-founded Simpliquity, an EPFL spin-off that offers consulting work about emerging technologies user experience and foresight. Finally, he is one of the co-organizer of the LIFT conference in Geneva.

Ava Fatah gen. Schieck: Ava is architect with years of experience in practice. She specializes in (and published about) the relations between media and architecture. She is interested in exploring the relation between new technology and architecture in particular within the historic context.

Giles Lane: Giles Lane is one of the leaders of Proboscis, an artist-led studio which combines artistic practice with commissioning, curatorial projects, design and consultancy. Proboscis works across disciplines and practices, works with associate artists, writers, curators, critics, designers, technologists, filmmakers, scientists and theorists to explore social, cultural and creative issues.

And Sascha Pohflepp: Sascha is a designer and artist presently based in Berlin. He studied at the visual communication department of UdK Berlin and at Ensad in Paris. He is a frequent contributor to we-make-money-not-art. In this workshop he will give a lecture and also assist the participants with their projects.

INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION

The price for this workshop is EUR 360,- incl. VAT. This includes lunches, technical support and equipment.
There is still one scholarships available for a participant from a newer EU country.
Registration is possible on the online workshop registration form.
Please include a short bio and an outline of your possible workshop project.