Levelhead is a conceptual game that requires players to utilise their spatial memory. The player controls a man who is seemingly trapped inside a cube. By manouvering this cube the player must lead the man through seperate rooms in 120 seconds or less. The video for Levelhead is astounding and I find the concept very clever indeed, especially the real interaction between the player, cube and computer screen.
Funky Forest is a brilliant interactive display built by Theodore Watson and Emily Gobeille. The forest is an ‘interactive ecosystem’ where children can create trees and then are required to divert a water flow in order to keep them alive. I’ve really been digging interactive installations recently and this one is just amazing, it’s a great concept and the visuals are stunning.
The Flying Carpet looks like it could be the ultimate play mat for young and old alike. Just looking at it takes me back to my childhood, creating hills and flat sections for my racing car track.
Passage is a beautiful conceptual game created by Jason Rohrer. The game, which takes about five minutes to play, makes the player reflect on the passage of time and the passage of a lifetime. It’s a wonderful experience and a really creative use of video games as art.
vvvv is a multipurpose real-time video mixing (VJ) tool that can interact with audio and be used for large scale applications. It kind of reminds me of things people are doing with processing at the moment, although perhaps on a larger scale. You have to check out the galeria to see some of the amazing images vvvv is capable of. (Image above by zeroinfluence)
New York City Waterfalls is an art initiative by Danish atist Olafur Eliasson to beautify the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City. The work will be on display from mid-July to mid-October 2008.
Jessica Nebel has some nice looking product design in her portfolio. Above is the rocking cube, whose seat is cleverly moulded as if it has been punched out of a single shape. Also very cool, is the pixel it poster, which allows you to create your own poster design by opening flaps on the poster itself.
Semapedia’s goal is ‘to connect the virtual and physical world by bringing the right information from the internet to the relevant place in physical space.’ This is an incredible idea, which in theory could provide you with information about where you are, wherever you are, whenever!
This is acheived by using mobile (cell) phone readable barcodes whcih then connect your phone to wikipedia and download the information. Whilst this is a great idea, what I think would be even cooler is if you were able to also get user recommendations for local bars, coffee houses restaurants etc.
Brodie Bruce: You know how when someone lays with their back to you and you lay behind them really close and you throw one arm over them?
T.S. Quint: It’s called spooning.
Brodie Bruce: But you gotta put the other arm somewhere. You can either lay on it or just shove it in between your bodies. The only other option is to stretch it above your head. But sometimes my arm pops out of the socket when I’m sleeping like that. So, I was constantly searching for someplace to keep my arm while still laying close to her.
If only Brodie Bruce (of Mallrats) had discovered the Love Mattress. Made up of individual foam strips you’ll never be searching for a place to put your other arm! (Above quote is an excerpt from the movie Mallrats by Kevin Smith)
For all you geeks, hackers, engineers or just general gadget lovers out there, Bug Labs have created (more like assembled the parts of) what could be the ultimate gadget. Featuring a series of connectable ‘electronic modules’ and a programmable Linux core, you can build whatever type of gadget you want. According to their website, digital cameras, telephones and gps systems are well within the capabilities of their devices and with motion sensors and touch screens available who knows what’s possible.
