Stories Unfolding
Language and Artificial Intelligence
For my initial primary research I took a variety of videos of myself walking around Norwich at different camera angles to capture the sounds and imagery of the city. When seen at a limited viewing angle it captures different perspectives around the ambience of the imagery.
I am interested in finding out different forms of real language and artificial language/intelligence within Norwich.
The purpose of this and the drive behind it was to find new ways which technology and humans interact through unseen and unheard of visual and verbal language which is all real and grounded within the location.
I deconstructed the primary research material that I have used from creating my films and images, opened the image files under the text edit program on the MAC. This allows me to get a natural formation of the visual imagery represented through text within the image its self.
This is the code behind parts of my video recording within the city centre. I have not designed it to look this way, this was a natural representation of the imagery displayed through the written language of that the computer has percieved it.
The gaps in space to me represent parts buildings built up through architecture. This was a really interesting method of connecting what artificial inteligence and humans can understand.
The next three images have been designed by me. I used the type generated from the video and overlayed that on top of visual imagery to give a sense of duration.
The addition of colour on top of the black on white type makes the images much more vibrant and introduces more themes around paths and location corisponding to the colour.
In my first presentation of my collected research I made a basic stage within a game engine called Unity that the player could navigate and move objects around in a first person perspective.
When responding to feedback people used words like "fun, interactive, interesting, journey and different" to describe the experience.
To get more reference around language as a platform of communication I tried to get things that humans generally use as forms of communication. The post stamps came from all over the world but were collected and sold within the Norwich market.
Bernice Abbots; Documenting Science Photography within a book was really interesting because it was showing a woman during the 1950's maintaining an IBM computer.
It was interesting to me how complicated yet natural the process seemed to be because the character here is sitting on an old wooden stool whilst wiring the system as if it was a form of carpentry.
The description of the scene is classed as a "laboratory" which in todays consumer standards would be a sophisticated factory. The difference between language here shows how far this technology has actually evolved over time in just over 60 years.
In direct comparison to Abbots photography, I found this article from the Economist to be an intriguing comparison because it is showing how modern technology and artificial intelligence is not only being used to teach children mathematical and contemporary subjects but is now also being used to teach them about the past as well through architechture and design within a game.
I captured images of public computer interfaces which humans interact with everyday within Norwich.
I found the type on the display to be quite interesting though in the way it comunicates to people showing information presented in a formality.
Specific information like "Page 1 of 1". Miliseconds in the timespan is something the human language would not consider.
It might seem pretty boring on the surface but ATMs and ticket machines have a very intricate layout on the designs of them.
The small box on the bottom left representing the code within the image and the labels around it describing the input method to the user through the english language and universal icons.
Initial setup for my formal review.
I have been focused on researching and creating images that are within the social cityscape in Norwich. The setup of my interactive game environment should reflect this so having it displayed on a TV with open speakers and direct communication I think was key.
It was great to see reactions from people on the game.
As a socially engaging piece of work it was interesting so see that people picked up and entered the experience.
At this stage I am focused on bringing more of a narrative structure into the environment with objects representing place.
Images located inside of the buildings next to the type show the visual language of the word and image that I have recorded within the interactive environment.
I used lights in the corners of the environment to help the players navigate from one side to another.
Version 3.0 builds up from my research and feedback on the build that I have made for review. 3.0 includes mostly objects and scenes which represent narrative between the code and images.
Final Exhibition setup.
Norwich 2.0 was shown within a public and open space for people to interact, discuss and engage with each other.
100 Word description
I decided to call the game Norwich 2.0 because in the title its self represents words and numbers which is the core story component of the project.
People who have played different prototype versions of the game up to its current form, I noticed developed muscle memory from their previous experience with the control and navigation of the game.
This showed to me that the game was complex enough to show an extended form of interaction within displaying images but is also easy to pick up and understand which was a major goal for me when starting to create the experience.
I have been using an audio editing program called audacity to filter my recordings to get the most content out of them.
The visual representation behind the sound in waves is an interesting contrast to the code when represented as a language which we can understand in a non word format.
I added some sign posts with maps of the area which has been represented through the code to illustrate a more focused location within the space.
V&A. Mapping the Imagination:
Journeys
"Maps are invitations to travel. As well as constituting a record of a place, maps are designed as aids or guides for those undertaking journeys".