In-world
We're now building virtual worlds online. So fire up your avatars and join us in the Open Metaverse. We're running an Open Simulator[1] server connected to the OSgrid [2]. To visit our virtual worlds, use the Hippo OpenSim Viewer [3] or another viewer capable of connecting to OpenSim, then connect to the "osgrid" grid -- you need to sign up as a member with OSgrid before you can connect. When you've logged in to osgrid, go to the "DCA" region. We are also developing a megaregion called "YouthBeat". Its still early days; we hope to develop our regions more in the coming weeks.
"Illumination" at Palmerston Festival 2010
Laser Tag, Tagtool, and LED Throwies will be featured on Tuesday, 25th May, at Palmerston Festival 2010. The day's theme is "Illumination", thus the inclusion of our lights-based tools and work. The activities will be based at Goyder Square, Palmerston. Laser Tag will be from 6 to 10 PM and will target the large Water Tower; LED Throwies will feature in a Light Parade from 7 to 8 PM.
mervin Jarman in Darwin, April 2010
mervin Jarman -- community art activist, interactive multimedia designer, human computer interface expert -- will be in Darwin, 19th - 23nd April 2010, as part of an Australian tour organised by d/Lux/MediaArts, and funded by Australia Council for the Arts.
Australian Centre of Virtual Art Lab (ACVA Lab)
I attended ACVA Lab in Melbourne, 18-20 February 2010 (http://www.acva.net.au/acva_lab). I was one of ten participants from around Australia, representing a range of practice in virtual art. It was a great experience for me. These are what I took away from the Lab:
Our very own Tagtool
Completed building a TagTool Mini on 6 March 2010, with Adam Perfrement. Haven't done so much soldering in years. We used a plastic, tupperware-like case temporarily; it ain't pretty, but it works! The TagTool follows on from Laser Tag, and also uses tagging and projection. It is a live "digital drawing" and animation application. Visit http://www.tagtool.org.
Interactivity, Art and Design
Only a few days ago (probably on Saturday, 28 November) did the distinction between art and design become clearer to me, courtesy of Tom Igoe, in an interview with him in the book "Programming Interactivity" (O'Reilly, 2009). He was describing the distinction in relation to device interaction:
Frontline featured on Australia Council Web Site
Frontline's been featured on Australia Council's web site. It describes the project and outlines planned activities. A photo of the Laser Tag session of 28 August 2009, at Malak, was used in the article. See the article: http://www.australiacouncil.gov.au/the_arts/interdisciplinary_arts/front...
Laser Tag Demo at Malak Shops, 28 August 2009
The Frontline Laser Tag setup was demonstrated at Malak Shops on 28 August 2009, on the outside wall at the rear of the Grocery, near the entrance to the Danila Dilba Youth Drop In (off Chambers Crescent car park). The demo was organised specifically for the young people at the Danila Dilba Youth Drop In. About ten people tried out the system.
Laser Tag and LED Throwies at Darwin Fringe Festival
Laser Tagging and LED Throwies are "open source technologies" developed by the Graffiti Research Lab that will be used and developed iby Frontline, These technologies are featured in the Darwin Fringe Festival 2009, known as Fringe @ The Bank, from 12 -15 and 19-22 August, at the old Commonwealth Bank in Darwin City.
