Pukekura Park Demonstration/Environment and Sustainability GPS Tours

Concept demonstration for Walking Tools, an open source platform for GPS enabled mobiles

Published on 01/15/2009

The Walking Tools APIs and Applications* seek to leverage GPS capable mobile phones for both basic locative practices (such as geo-annotation, drawing and narrative) in addition to telematic geo-spatial performances and other experimental practices. The Walking Tools platform consists of three general types of software: JavaMe code for execution on clients (mobile phones), server software to enable interaction and coordination between handsets, and production software that allows non-programmers to compose and deploy some general features of the Walking Tools platform. The general agenda for the platform is to help artists and others leverage relatively open mobile phones that contain GPS antennas and expose JSR 179, the Java Location API. The Walking Tools API aims to provide software widgets (children of the Displayable class in JavaMe) for use with GPS applications for such phones, targeted to a wide range of users (both programmers and non-programmers) that helps mobiles to be repurposed as a mobile locative platform for art making.

The “Pukekura Park Demonstration/Environment and Sustainability Tours” project will present state of the nascent platform. Walking Tools currently includes 35 JavaMe classes and interfaces, fewer server-side classes, and proof of concept applications for deploying particular features of the Walking Tools JavaMe code by adding user provided content. For the Scanz Residency, Brett Stalbaum will lead a demonstration project that will include working with three students from the 60 Springs; Education for Sustainability project in order to produce content for the platform. Expected outcomes are:

Experimental, mobile, GPS guided tours of Environment and Sustainability issues related to Pukekura Park
Software for the the public to download and enjoy: the guided, mobile tours of Pukekura Park able to run on their own mobile phones (Perhaps supported by Kete?)
An art gallery/white cube style installation demonstrating content of the tours
A symposium presentation on the project

Brett Stalbaum (http://www.paintersflat.net)
Lecturer with Security of Employment
Coordinator of the Interdisciplinary Computing in the Arts Major
Department of Visual Arts
University of California San Diego
stalbaum [from the domain] ucsd.edu

* Other artists associated with development of the nascent Walking Tools Platform include Steve Durie (http://www.posthypnotic.com/), Cicero Silva (http://www.cicerosilva.com/) and Geri Wittig (http://www.geriwittig.com/)

Talk to the author/s about Pukekura Park Demonstration/Environment and Sustainability GPS Tours

Ian Clothier said

Hi Brett,

I have just spoken to Robin Pascoe of Geosystems, and your northern hemisphere units should work no problems here. There may be specific issues such as accuracy (5-15meters for basic units). He would like to know the brand and model of the units you intend bringing, and is keen to meet and assist, even with demo models from their range if necessary.

Regarding tree canopy (Pukekura Park has many trees) this boils down to such factors as the density of branches (pine leads to multi-pathing) and whether the foliage is wet or dry. I figure though, you probably already know this. We may need to focus on clear areas of Pukekura Park.

I’ll put the three of us in touch via email.

Ian

Posted at 01/19/2009 11:46

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Brett Stalbaum

Brett Stalbaum is a full time faculty member in the Department of Visual Arts at the University of California, San Diego, where he coordinates the Interdisciplinary Computing in the Arts Major. He is a founding member of Electronic Disturbance Theater, C5 and paintersflat.net. Current research involves generative locative algorithms, the development of mobile software platforms for walking, and their applications in art, activism and education. He lives with his partner Paula Poole in an unincorporated area of Eastern San Diego County, USA.

Web Sites

http://www.paintersflat.net

Brett Stalbaum's Stories

Intercreate.org is a project based research centre which consists of an international network of people interested in interdisciplinary creativity. Project foci include interdisciplinary projects, education initiatives and residencies. Intercreate is a not-for-profit trust that is registered with the Charities Commmission of New Zealand.

About SCANZ
Solar Circuit Aotearoa New Zealand (SCANZ) is New Zealand’s premier art and technology event and involves a symposium, artist residency, and public exhibition. It occurs every two years, and has typically involved a mix of Aotearoa New Zealand and international artists, producers, theorists and curators many of whom are leading practitioners. Held in New Plymouth, SCANZ 2011 will be the third event.

SCANZ 2011: Eco sapiens
A symposium followed by a residency is to be held late January to early February 2011 in New Plymouth, Aotearoa New Zealand. It seeks to bring a range of knowledge groups together to investigate the cultural roots of climate change and seek out poetically pragmatic approaches to encouraging the cultural and behavioural shifts required. Initial expressions of interest are due 21 November, 2009. Please see here for more details.

SCANZ 2009 international participants included Nina Czegledy, Brett Stalbaum, Sally Jane Norman, Jacques Sirot, Sarah Cook, Andrew Gryf Paterson, Dan Torop, Melinda Rackham and Dominic Smith of The Polytechnic. Participants based in New Zealand included Lisa Reihana, Stella Brennan, Sean Kerr, Rachel Rakena, Natalie Robertson, Danny Butt, Herman Pi’ikea Clarke, Alex Monteith, Naomi Lamb, Caro McCaw, Jon Bywater, Julian Priest (UK/NZ) and many others.

Occurring along side the 2009 residency was a two day symposium (February 7 and 8), presentation evening & exhibition (opened February 7), and curatorial workshop.

Intercreate.org gratefully acknowledges the support and partnerships of:

Creative New Zealand

Govett-Brewster Art Gallery

Puke Ariki

Shell New Zealand
Sustainability Fund, 60 Springs

Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki (WITT)

TSB Community Trust

and...
Phosphor Essence Ltd.