Ken GoldbergKen Goldberg

A Distant Meeting of Technology and Nature

A Distant Meeting of Technology and Nature

BackgroundBackground Born in Ibadan,

Nigeria in 1961 Raised in Bethlehem,

PA 1982- Junior year of

College abroad at Edinburgh University in Scotland

1984- Dual Degrees from Univ. of PA BSE in Electrical

Engineering BS in Economics

Born in Ibadan, Nigeria in 1961

Raised in Bethlehem, PA

1982- Junior year of College abroad at Edinburgh University in Scotland

1984- Dual Degrees from Univ. of PA BSE in Electrical

Engineering BS in Economics

Background, continuedBackground, continued 1986- Visiting research in

Robotics at the Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa.

1990- MS, PhD in Computer Science from Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA Dissertation: Stochastic

Plans for Robotic Manipulation

2002-Present, University of California at Berkeley. Professor. Industrial Engineering and Operations Research, with joint appointment in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

1986- Visiting research in Robotics at the Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa.

1990- MS, PhD in Computer Science from Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA Dissertation: Stochastic

Plans for Robotic Manipulation

2002-Present, University of California at Berkeley. Professor. Industrial Engineering and Operations Research, with joint appointment in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

TelepistemologyTelepistemology

Telepistemology- the study of knowledge acquired at a distance.

Ken Goldberg coined the term in 1996. Although his work can vary greatly, this

seems to be the overtone to most of his projects.

Another primary theme of his art is also the interaction of technology and nature.

Telepistemology- the study of knowledge acquired at a distance.

Ken Goldberg coined the term in 1996. Although his work can vary greatly, this

seems to be the overtone to most of his projects.

Another primary theme of his art is also the interaction of technology and nature.

Mercury Project, 1994-1995Mercury Project, 1994-1995

Mercury VideoMercury Video

A robotic arm positioned over a sand box at USC blows short bursts of air into the sand to uncover buried ‘artifacts’.

A robotic arm positioned over a sand box at USC blows short bursts of air into the sand to uncover buried ‘artifacts’.

QuickTime™ and aCinepak decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Mercury ProjectMercury Project

Based on Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne

First-ever instance where public users of the World Wide Web could directly manipulate a physical space.

Users were only allowed 5 minutes to find whatever objects they could.

The project received over 2 million hits.

Based on Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne

First-ever instance where public users of the World Wide Web could directly manipulate a physical space.

Users were only allowed 5 minutes to find whatever objects they could.

The project received over 2 million hits.

Telegarden, 1995-2004Telegarden, 1995-2004

TelegardenTelegarden

A robotic arm, controlled by Web users, plants and waters seedlings also allowing the participants to monitor the growth of their plants.

A robotic arm, controlled by Web users, plants and waters seedlings also allowing the participants to monitor the growth of their plants.

TelegardenTelegarden

``The Telegarden creates a physical garden as an environment to stage social interaction and community in virtual space. The Telegarden is a metaphor for the care and feeding of the delicate social ecology of the net.'' -- Randall Packer, San Jose Museum of Art, April 1998.

``The Telegarden creates a physical garden as an environment to stage social interaction and community in virtual space. The Telegarden is a metaphor for the care and feeding of the delicate social ecology of the net.'' -- Randall Packer, San Jose Museum of Art, April 1998.

TelegardenTelegarden

``...For the experienced gardener, the TeleGarden offers a search for the soul of gardening. Sowing a single, unseen and untouched seed thousands of miles away might seem mechanical, but it engenders a Zen-like appreciation for the fundamental act of growing. Though drained of sensory cues, planting that distant seed still stirs anticipation, protectiveness, and nurturing. The unmistakable vibration of the garden pulses and pulls, even through a modem.'' -- Warren Schultz, Garden Design, Dec/January 1996.

``...For the experienced gardener, the TeleGarden offers a search for the soul of gardening. Sowing a single, unseen and untouched seed thousands of miles away might seem mechanical, but it engenders a Zen-like appreciation for the fundamental act of growing. Though drained of sensory cues, planting that distant seed still stirs anticipation, protectiveness, and nurturing. The unmistakable vibration of the garden pulses and pulls, even through a modem.'' -- Warren Schultz, Garden Design, Dec/January 1996.

Dislocation of Intimacy, 1998Dislocation of Intimacy, 1998

Dislocation of IntimacyDislocation of Intimacy

A black box made of steel, measuring 38”x48”x58” is sealed and coated in black powder.

The contents are only accessible through the internet. Users select a combination of 5 lights either being on

or off, select “view interior” and then receive a self-created, surreal, shadow image.

A black box made of steel, measuring 38”x48”x58” is sealed and coated in black powder.

The contents are only accessible through the internet. Users select a combination of 5 lights either being on

or off, select “view interior” and then receive a self-created, surreal, shadow image.

Dislocation of IntimacyDislocation of Intimacy

Although the work does not speak to ‘nature’ directly, it nonetheless uses natural material for its subject matter.

Although the work does not speak to ‘nature’ directly, it nonetheless uses natural material for its subject matter.

Dislocation of IntimacyDislocation of Intimacy

Inspired by Marchel Duchamp’s Ball of Twine (With Hidden Noise), 1916

Inspired by Marchel Duchamp’s Ball of Twine (With Hidden Noise), 1916

Mori, 1999 -Mori, 1999 -

MoriMori

Live experience of the tectonic forces of the Earth. Viewers hear and see the movements of the Hayward

Fault translated and then transmitted via the Internet.

Live experience of the tectonic forces of the Earth. Viewers hear and see the movements of the Hayward

Fault translated and then transmitted via the Internet.

MoriMori

Mori-Live Mori-Live

Infiltrate, 2003Infiltrate, 2003

InfiltrateInfiltrate

A Fish tank holds 6 fat koi fish: 1 gold and 5 white A projection on a wall shows the real-time positions

and movements of the 5 white fish from the perspective of the gold one, generated digitally.

Utilizes 3 digital video cameras equipped with specialized, custom motion tracking software.

A Fish tank holds 6 fat koi fish: 1 gold and 5 white A projection on a wall shows the real-time positions

and movements of the 5 white fish from the perspective of the gold one, generated digitally.

Utilizes 3 digital video cameras equipped with specialized, custom motion tracking software.

Infiltrate VideoInfiltrate Video

QuickTime™ and aYUV420 codec decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Ballet Mori, 2006Ballet Mori, 2006

QuickTime™ and aH.264 decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

ACONE, NSF Search for the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker, 2005

ACONE, NSF Search for the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker, 2005

Ivory-Billed Woodpecker is believed to be extinct since the 1940s.

The ACONE system involves two high resolution cameras (3 MP) and a sophisticated video tracking system.

The computers involved can discard video where no birds are present and allow researchers to only sift through frames that do record birds passing by.

Ivory-Billed Woodpecker is believed to be extinct since the 1940s.

The ACONE system involves two high resolution cameras (3 MP) and a sophisticated video tracking system.

The computers involved can discard video where no birds are present and allow researchers to only sift through frames that do record birds passing by.

ConclusionConclusion Ken’s knowledge and

expertise in robotics seems to be an obvious catalyst to his pursuit of the study of telepistemology.

Although creation through technology is the dominant method of his art, his subjects and materials are often very much of the natural world.

Ken’s knowledge and expertise in robotics seems to be an obvious catalyst to his pursuit of the study of telepistemology.

Although creation through technology is the dominant method of his art, his subjects and materials are often very much of the natural world.