Robot University is an interventionist installation about our relationship with robots, experienced on large touch-screens, projectors, and motion-sensing Kinects. The project was commissioned as Australia’s first Digital Writing Residency at The Cube, QUT, funded by the Australia Council for the Arts and Queensland University of Technology (QUT). The Cube is a $230 million Science and Technology center. It was launched on 25th Feb 2014. The development blog and short documentary (see below) gives insights into this unique residency opportunity.
The project, “Robot University,” aims to transform negative attitudes towards robots. Western entertainment often paints robots as killing machines bent on our demise. It’s important that we consider the cultural impact of robots and how we interact with them now, so that we can better prepare ourselves for our ever-growing community of robots…a new species we’ve created.
Timeline: Residency ran from mid-July to mid-December, 2013. The project launched to the public on Feb 25th, 2014.
Team
Christy Dena – writer, designer, producer, director
Adam Single – programmer
Jacek Tuschewski – sound designer
Paul Stapelberg – 3d modeller, animator
Simon Boxer – visual artist
Oscar Guillen – user interface artist
Lubi Thomas – senior curator, The Cube
Rachael Parsons – project manager, The Cube
Press
- if:book Australia – “My Robot’s Jam” – Simon Groth and Emily Craven, 17 Feb, 2014.
- QUT Media, ‘Radio plus App equals cutting-edge storytelling‘ – Amanda Horswill, 3 Dec 2013
- QUT News, ‘They’re almost here – robots are coming for robotronica‘ – Niki Widdowson, 12 Aug 2013
- ABC Radio National – Future Tense, ‘Robots: Their rights and legal status‘ – Antony Funnell, 11 Aug 2013
- Australia Council for the Arts, ‘Christy Dena’s residency will make you rethink robots,’ July 10th, 2013.
- Artery, ‘Christy Dena’s digital writing residency will make you rethink robots‘ – Elliott Bledsoe, 10 July 2013 [reposted on ElliottBledsoe.com]
- Buziaulane, ‘Robot Ethics‘ – Jak Boumans, 9 June 2013
- Arts Hub, ‘Christy Dena takes up Australia’s First Digital Writing Residency‘ – Paul Isber, 6 June 2013
- Screenplay (The Age, Sydney Morning Herald, Brisbane Times, etc), ‘Tuesday Newsday: Digging up the turkeys of the past, and solving problems of the future‘ – James Dominguez, 5 June 2013
- The Australian, ‘Writers’ grant goes to digital writer‘ – Bridget Cormack, 3 June 2013 (Print scan)
- QUT, ‘Digital writing residency explores robot ethics‘ – Kate Haggman, 3 June 2013
