ROBOVOX and PUBLIC AVATAR at Robots&Avatars

ROBOVOX AT FACT LIVERPOOL

Announcing an exclusive hosting of RoboVox, an interactive public installation in the form of a humanoid robot, at Fact, UK’s leading media art center exhibition space. Mini RoboVox will be exhibited, accompanied with sound ambience and graphic prints at the venue.

WHAT IS ROBOVOX

- an interactive public monument, with the purpose of serving as people's voice,

- a sound installation in public squares, with especially-for-the-occasion designed surround sound by sound artists involved,

- a live music event with a/v created by artists for Robovox,

THE PURPOSE OF ROBOVOX

The purpose of RoboVox is to serve as a tool for an individual, who's voice usually gets lost in the sounds of the mass, the society. An individual can send a text message using his mobile phone to the dedicated RoboVox's number. Upon receiving the SMS RoboVox says out loud the statement, the protest, the declaration of love, or whatever the message may read, thus lending its voice to the anonymous individual. Send SMS to 07593959917 during the exhibition period.

ROBOVOX WEBSITE: www.robovox.co.uk

PUBLIC AVATAR AT FACT

The author Martin Bricelj has set the public of Liverpool a challenge, to get involved in the UK premiere of his Public Avatar project. He needs two people, or as he calls them, "human test subjects" to take the form of the Public Avatar on 16th and 17th March. The "avatars" will be hooked up to GPS and AV visual systems and set loose around the city of Liverpool under the control of the Liverpool public who will be sending out simple instructions.

WHAT IS PUBLIC AVATAR?

Public Avatar is a project documenting the relationship between virtual reality and our perceptions of self and society. This installation will allow a global audience to explore real-world locations remotely, and to interact with objects and people in those locations through real-time control of a human test subject. As digital and physical worlds collide, the boundaries between self and other, reality and simulation are constantly challenged and redefined.

WHAT IS AN AVATAR?

The term Avatar, meaning a virtual representation of a user, dates as far back as the Ultima series of computer games (1985), and became popularized by Neal Stephenson in his cyberpunk novel Snow Crash (1992). It was also in this novel that the term Metaverse (for a 3D virtual-reality version of the Internet) was born. Public Avatar seeks to turn the virtual back into everyday reality, replacing polygons and pixels with a human being in a real-world location, albeit under computer control.

HOW DO I PLAY?

Public Avatar will be available online on Friday 16th March from 4 - 6 PM & Saturday 17th March from 2 - 4 PM, when two test subjects will take the form of “human test subjects”. The "avatars" will be hooked up to GPS and AV visual systems and set loose around the city of Liverpool under the control of the Liverpool public who will be sending out simple instructions. During this event, users will be able to login at www.public-avatar.com. Each logged in user will be placed in a queue and wait for his turn, when he/ she will be able to give simple instructions (such as ‘Turn’+’Left’, ‘SAY’+’hello’ etc.) to the avatar for a limited time period. Users will be able to see and hear what Public Avatar sees and hears via live video stream. You will be able to control Public Avatar- a human agent in real space via web page www.public-avatar.com You will be able to move Public Avatar, talk, visit your friends, test the local food, visit parties, movies, bars, meet the locals and much more! Discover Liverpool! Thousands of users from accross the globe will participate in this action! Travel to Liverpool virtually!

Register at www.public-avatar.com

EXHIBITION OPENING TIME

March 16 to May 27, 2012 at FACT Liverpool, Ropewalks City Area, Gallery 1, Gallery 2, Media Lounge. Gallery is open Weekdays and Sunday: 12pm - 6pm, Saturday: 11am - 6pm

ABOUT FACT

FACT (Foundation for Art and Creative Technology) is the UK's leading media arts centre, based in Liverpool. It was founded in 1988. It houses three galleries, a café, bar and four cinema screens, run by Picturehouse and showing the best in independent and mainstream film. FACT also runs its own film programmes, focusing on classic and art house. It is located in the bohemian part of the Liverpool, called Ropewalks.

More at: www.fact.co.uk

ABOUT ROBOTS & AVATARS EXHIBITION:

Co-produced in the UK by body>data>space (London) and FACT (Liverpool), in collaboration with the National Theatre (London). European co-organisers are KIBLA (Maribor/Slovenia) and AltArt (Cluj Napoca/Romania). With the support of the Culture Programme of the European Union, this project was conceived by lead producer body>data>space in association with NESTA.

More at: www.robotsandavatars.net