Workshops

Prototyping DIY smart robots with Arduino and Machine Learning

Ivan Iovine

The workshop aims to teach participants the use of the Arduino platform in conjunction with the Ml5.js Machine Learning framework.

Each participant will be given a DIY robotic arm made of recycled wood, to which an Arduino will be interfaced. Through serial (WebSerial) communication, the Arduino will communicate with a Javascript application and the Ml5.js framework. Participants will be explained and taught the basics of Machine Learning, exploring and experimenting firsthand with pre-trained Machine Learning models for body recognition (PoseNet model), hand recognition (Handpose model), face and facial emotion recognition (FaceApi), as well as real-time object tracking (YOLO). Through the use of these Open Source technologies, workshop participants will be able to learn the basics of Arduino and Ml5.js, experimenting in a hands-on manner and creating customized human-machine interactions based on Machine Learning models.

Ivan Iovine is an interaction designer and media artist currently based in Frankfurt am Main. His artistic research focuses on the field of physical computing, physical interaction, machine learning and robotics. His works have been exhibited at “Maker Faire Europe” in Rome (2016), “JSNation Conference” in Amsterdam (2019), “Lab30” in Augsburg (2019) “Piksel Festival” in Bergen (2020) and “Die Digitale” in Düsseldorf (2021). In 2021 his work Theodore was published in the official journal proceedings of the scientific symposium “Art Machines 2: International Symposium on Machine Learning and Art”. The artwork was then exhibited in the same year at the Run Run Shaw Creative Media Centre in Hong Kong. He is head of the robotics lab at HfG Offenbach and teaches Physical Computing in the university’s art faculty.

Piksel KidZ Lab Messaging with lights in a not internet era!

Messaging with lights in a not internet era!

Saturday November 19th 10:00 to 13:00
Duration: 3 hours.
Age: 8-18 years old.
Place: KUNSTSKOLEN I BERGEN,
Marken 37 i Bergen sentrum, Bergen City

Gratis verksted for barn/unge i alderen 8-18 år for påmelding: piksel22(at)piksel(dot)no

Piksel KidZ Lab is supported by Bergen Kommune and Vestland Fylkeskommune and Fana Sparebank.

What would happen if we no longer had the internet or mobile phones? How would we send messages to each other? Drawing inspiration from insects and ancient forms of signalling using light, we will learn in this workshop how to create our own blinking firefly lanterns for wirelessly transmitting messages.

Sarah Grant (US)

Sarah Grant is an American artist and professor of new media based in Berlin at the Weise7 studio. Her teaching and art practice engages with the electromagnetic spectrum and computer networks as artistic material, social habitat, and political landscape. She holds a Bachelors of Arts in Fine Art from UC Davis and a Masters in Media Arts from New York University’s Interactive Telecommunications Program. Since 2015, she has organized the Radical Networks conference in New York and Berlin, a community event and arts festival for critical investigations and creative experiments in telecommunications.

Intro to PdParty

Dan Wilcox

This is an overview workshop PdParty, a free open-source iOS application for running Pure Data patches on Apple mobile devices using libpd. Directly inspired by Chris McCormick’s DroidParty for Android and the original RjDj by Reality Jockey, PdParty takes a step further by supporting OSC (Open Sound Control), MIDI, & MiFi game controller input as well as implementing the native Pd GUI objects for a WYSIWYG patch to mobile device experience. Various scene types are supported including compatibility modes for PdDroidParty & RjDj and both patches and abstraction libraries can be managed via a built-in web server. Unlike the rise of the single-purpose audio application, PdParty is meant to provide a platform for general purpose digital signal processing via Pure Data patches.

Dan Wilcox is an artist, engineer, musician, and performer who combines live musical performance techniques with experimental electronics and software for the exploration of new expression. He grew up in the Rocket City, and has performed in Europe, Asia, and around the US with his one man band cyborg performance project, robotcowboy.

Neural Networks in Pure Data

Alexandros Drymonitis

This workshop aims to demystify some basic concepts that pertain to neural networks, and their potential in artistic practices. Focusing on Pure Data and the brand new neuralnet object, the participants will be introduced to basic use cases of neural networks in audio (and visuals possibly), while the workshop will end with a collective brainstorming session where participants will either try for themselves, or will share their ideas on how they would like to use a neural network for their own work.

Alexandros Drymonitis is a sound and new media artist. He is a PhD candidate at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire doing research on the creation of musical works with the programming language Python. His artistic practice focuses on new techniques utilizing new media such as computer programming, AI, or even older practices, like modular synthesis.

He has collaborated with various artists from different art disciplines, plus several ensembles, either interdisciplinary or music ensembles.

He has taught the guitar at the Music School of Amsterdam and ‘Philippos Nakas’ Conservatory in Athens, and electronic music programming at ‘Musical Praxis’ Conservatory in Athens. He is currently a freelancer in the field of electronic music and multimedia programming, teaching several workshops in various venues and undertaking multimedia programming in various events.

Soft Control and body actuation

by Afroditi Psarra with the collaboration of Tingyi Jiang

The implementation of artificial intelligence and machine learning systems in all areas of technological artifacts, constantly challenges the ways in which we perceive and understand the world around us, our bodies, and our identities.

In this workshop, the participants will experiment hands-on with the idea of body control through the use of wearable technology and natural language processing, while discussing ideas around the construction of identity, and how algorithms dictate our gestures and movements. Specifically, the workshop will focus on contact improvisation with robotic actuators in an effort to explore the hybridization of human and algorithmic movement.

Participants: Dansers and anyone interested on interactivity and technologies.
Duration: 3 hours
Venue: Bergen Dansesenter
Date: 19th – 10-13h

Afroditi Psarra

Afroditi Psarra is a transdisciplinary artist and an Associate Professor of Digital Arts and Experimental Media (DXARTS) at the University of Washington. She holds a PhD in Image, Technology, and Design from the Complutense University of Madrid. Her research focuses on the art and science interaction with a critical discourse in the creation of artifacts. Her practice builds on and extends the work of Cyber and Techno-Feminism(s) and the idea of female (and feminized) bodies as matrices of information. Her work has been presented at international media art festivals such as Ars Electronica, Transmediale and CTM, Eyeo, Piksel, and WRO Biennale between others, venues like Bozar, Onassis Stegi, EMST (Greek Museum of Contemporary Art), Walker Art Center, and published at conferences like Siggraph, ISWC (International Symposium of Wearable Computers), DIS (Designing Interactive Systems), C&C (Creativity and Cognition), and EVA (Electronic Visualization and the Arts).

Open Wave-Receiver

Shortwave Collective

Building Open Wave-Receivers enables DIY communications reception, and allows anyone to freely listen to the broad spectrum of radio waves around us. All you need are a few easy-to-procure supplies and, if you want to try it, a neighborhood fence or other receptive antenna proxy.

Why a fence? Antennas are necessary for radios to receive signals, and many things can be antennas. Fences can make great, and very long, antennas! Other materials can work well too; even a tent peg can become a useful part of a radio. Open Wave-Receivers allow us to explore the relationship between different combinations of materials, antennas, and radio waves, creating a new technology literacy, a new medium for artistic expression, and a new way to explore the airwaves in our communities.

We have found making Open Wave-Receivers to be a fun adventure. The ability to use simple scraps to create variety and personalization in each radio makes this a great maker project for anyone wanting to play with radio.

Shortwave Collective is an international, feminist artist group established in May 2020, interested in the creative use of radio. We meet regularly to discuss feminist approaches to amatuer radio and the radio spectrum as artistic material, sharing resources, considering DIY approaches and inclusive structures. Members include Alyssa Moxley, Georgia Muenster, Brigitte Hart, Kate Donovan, Maria Papadomanolaki, Sally Applin, Lisa Hall, Sasha Engelmann, Franchesca Casauay, and Hannah Kemp-Welch

Creative PCB-design Workshop

Creatives, designers, painters welcome! No previous knowledge in electronics or circuit design is needed.

As a creative design / drawing workshop we want to explore how creativity can be use to make unique designs of fuctional electronic circuits. We also will discuss what means Open Hardware and why sharing detailed instructions can lead to a diversity of personal designs and improving the accessibility for DIY electronics workshops.

In this creative drawing workshop, we will learn the most basic introduction to read schematics of electronics circuits, and how to implement it as a functional PCB (Printer Circuit Board) where all the connections are drawn in copper. We will learn what are footprints of components and what are the different “layers” for preparing a PCB design for manufacturing (in China factory of DIY home etching).

This workshop also serves for re-thinking the diy-CAD methodology (do-it-yourself Children Aided Design) and applying it to the fork of the peepsy, based on the Continuity Tester by David Johnson-Davies. The peepsy circuit is based on the ATTINY85 functions as a continuity tester, the famouse “peeps” of every multimeter, that allows you to test if an electric connection is present, testing your aux cables, or debbugging other electronics. And it has a pink LED on it!

What circuit will we do?

The example circuit is based on the peepsy, by Michael Egger (a.n.y.m.a.) and it has even a practical function as a continuity tester, the most useful tool to test if a connection is present, in a cable or on a circuit. It’s the “peep” that is one of the functions of all multimeters, and usually the one we use the most! The circuit is very simple, 1 capacitor, 2 resistors, 1 LED, a buzzer to make the “beep”, a coin battery holder and an µ-controller (the Attiny85). Due to the special software on the attiny, it will “sleep” all the time, and only use a little electricity when testing, so the battery last almost forever!

All the materials will be available on site, pen and paper, colors, footprints.

https://www.hackteria.org/wiki/Diy-CAD#Workshops

Marc R. Dusseiller

Dr. Marc R. Dusseiller is a transdisciplinary scholar, lecturer for micro- and nanotechnology, cultural facilitator and artist. He performs DIY (do-it-yourself) workshops in lo-fi electronics and synths, hardware hacking for citizen science and DIY microscopy. He also loves coconuts. He was co-organizing Dock18, Room for Mediacultures, diy* festival (Zürich, Switzerland), KIBLIX 2011 (Maribor, Slovenia), workshops for artists, schools and children as the former president (2008-12) of the Swiss Mechatronic Art Society, SGMK and co-founder of the new Hackerspace collective Bitwäscherei (2020) in Zürich. He has worked as guest faculty and mentor at various schools, Srishti Institute of Art, Design and Technology (IN), UCSB (USA) and in Switzerland, FHNW, HEAD, ETHZ. In collaboration with Kapelica Gallery, he has started the BioTehna Lab in Ljubljana (2012 – 2013), an open platform for interdisciplinary and artistic research on life sciences. Currently, he is developing means to perform bio- and nanotechnology research and dissemination, Hackteria | Open Source Biological Art, in a DIY / DIWO fashion in kitchens, ateliers and in the Majority World. He was the co-organizer of the different editions of HackteriaLab 2010 – 2020 Zürich, Romainmotier, Bangalore, Yogyakarta and Klöntal, Okinawa and collaborated on the organisation of the BioFabbing Convergence, 2017, in Geneva and the Gathering for Open Science Hardware, GOSH! 2016, Geneva & 2018, in Shenzhen.

Live collaborative radio with Mezcal

August Black

Mezcal is a web app for collaborative sound and live transmission that I have been prototyping and building in collaboration with https://wavefarm.org and multiple artists (such as Anna Friz https://nicelittlestatic.com/, Betsey Biggs https://www.betseybiggs.org/, and Peter Courtemanche http://absolutevalueofnoise.ca/?now).  In this 1 hour workshop, I give an overview of the software, its design intentions and practical implementations, and then split the group up into sections to create a live experimental radio session on-site. (note: this software is not YET free software, but lives in the web as a free service for free cultural institutions such as radio libre in Medellín, Colombia https://red.radiolibre.cc/ and Sound Camp in the UK https://soundtent.org/, among others)
https://august.black/mezcal/

August Black is a hybrid practitioner of art, design and engineering. He makes experimental spatial and acoustic situations, often by building his own technological artifacts and instruments in hardware and software. His past work focused on live networked audio, mixing FM radio with user input through online software. His current interests span the fields of the philosophy of technology, software studies, techno-politics, peer-to-peer networking and AI/machine learning. In the past, he’s been a member of arts organizations such as the ORF Kunstradio and the Ars Electronica Futurelab, as well as a former member of the engineering team at Cycling ‘74, makers of Max/MSP. He has shown works at festivals and venues such as Ars Electronica Festival, Dutch Electronic Arts Festival, Wave Farm, Transmediale, Pixelache, LA Freewaves, Piksel Festival, Polar Circuit and the Tasmanian Museum of Art, among others.He earned a BFA at Syracuse University and was an NSF IGERT Fellow at UC Santa Barbara, where he completed an MS and PhD. He’s taught media and art classes at UC Santa Barbara, University of San Francisco and CU Boulder, where he serves as Assistant Professor of Critical Media Practices.

https://august.black

PERFORMING ARTS WORKSHOPS PROGRAM

Performing Arts Workshop program: electronics and free/libre technologies applied to the performing arts.

Piksels basic idea is that artists, across disciplines, should have control over their own production. Therefore, tools like free software / open hardware are seen as best suited to this. Internationally, Piksel is perhaps one of the important meeting place for players in this field.

After 20 years of existence, the Piksel Festival has shown a variety of performing arts pieces exploring creativetily interaction with sound synthesis, lights or video through pressure sensitive sensors and body movements. In collaboratin with Bergen Dansesenter, this program intends to facilitate performers, choreographers, actors, artistic directors, the integration of digital tools on their shows as a way to develop new dialogues with the audiences.

The program includes 2 workshops: Soft Control and body actuation by Afroditi Psarra with the collaboration of Tingyi Jiang, and, memoryMechanics by Karen Eide Bøen, Mads Høbye, Lise Aagaard Knudsen, Maja Fagerberg Ranten and Troels Andreasen. Both working with Artifical Intelligence trained to proccess natural language or AI as a place to play with memories.

PROGRAM

18th – 12-13h memoryMechanics by Karen Eide Bøen, Mads Høbye, Lise Aagaard Knudsen, Maja Fagerberg Ranten and Troels Andreasen @BIT Teatergarajsen, Strandgaten 205.

19th – 10-13h Soft Control and body actuation by Afroditi Psarra with the collaboration of Tingyi Jiang @Bergen Dansesenter.

All workshops are free

To participate send an email to: piksel22(at)piksel(dot)no

Soft Control and body actuation
Soft Control and body actuation
November 19, 2022 10:00 am
memoryMechanics
memoryMechanics
November 18, 2022 12:00 pm

memoryMechanics

by Karen Eide Bøen, Mads Høbye, Lise Aagaard Knudsen, Maja Fagerberg Ranten and Troels Andreasen.

memoryMechanics is an interactive sound installation that explores how we as humans embody memories.

The installation is based on an archive of memories that are collected from different people, by guiding them through sensory experiences and into physical poses that trigger embodied memories. Their recorded memories are then stored in the installation for retrieval through imitating their initial poses.

Artificial intelligence is used to record and retrieve memories from the archive. Through the installation, a synergy between human memory and computer memory appears. Artificial intelligence creates a mediated physical space in which the audience can walk around, position themselves in poses and hear the intimate stories of previous participants.

Participants: Dansers and anyone interested on interactivity and technologies.
Duration: 1 hour
Venue: BIT Teatergarasjen office (Strandgaten 205)
Date: 18th – 12-13h

memoryMechanics

memoryMechanics is a collaboration between exocollective and the duo Knudsen Bøen under the group umbrella term memoryMechanics.

exocollective is a research collaboration initiated by researchers at Roskilde University. The main agenda is to develop an experimental approach to researching the potential of new technologies and materials: Speculative explorations in interactive design, art, and technology. Maja Fagerberg Ranten, Mads Høbye, and Troels Andreasen. (https://www.exocollective.com)

Knudsen/Bøen is the collaboration between the two artists Lise Aagaard Knudsen (actor and MA in Theater & Performance Studies) and Karen Eide Bøen (dancer and choreographer). They work with body memory and exchange of memories between artists and participants, and the transformation of memory material into various artistic formats in their project called “I remember…”.

memoryMechanics was initiated as a part of “Staging the Future of Technologies vol. 2” with the following partners: Click festival, Catch, Haut and Roskilde University Center. Sponsored by Bikubenfonden & Copenhagen municipality.

Mads Hobye holds a PhD in interactive design from Medea, Malmö University and is a co-founder of illutron collaborative interactive art studio. He is conducting research into the potential of digital material exploration within art and technology. He has a keen interest in maker hacktivism and experimental electronic upcycling. He is an Associate professor at the Department of People and Technology at Roskilde University Center.

Lise Aagaard Knudsen is a performer and theatre practitioner, based in Copenhagen. In her practice she explores the archive of the body alongside a close relationship between the performer and her audience. She works internationally, mainly in Scandinavia and the UK, teaches performance theory as an external lecturer at University of Copenhagen and works a producer at the dAnish residency center HAUT.

MA in Acting from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, London, and MA in Theatre and Performance Studies from University of Copenhagen.