Jealous Guy
Interactive robotic object, Valand, Gothenburg (2010)
"Jealous guy" is a kinetic, robotic object. It consists of a sensor, three motors, a microcontroller and a rubber coating. It is a dysfunctional machine, a trembling blob positioned on a red, shiny pedestal. The object trembles randomly within its own pattern of movement. It reacts with a different, not really controlable pattern of movement when somebody gets close to it.
The object's shape is amorphous, organic or "abstract". It changes shape according to the movements produced by the servo motors. The object is positioned on a very low pedestal (16 x 80 x 80 cm). The pedestal is painted with a bright red lacquer. The object itself is made of cerulean blue coloured rubber, which looks a bit dusty or dirty in contrast to the red semi-glossy lacquer.
"Jealous guy" is a kinetic and robotic object which consists of three servo motors, an Arduino micro controller, an IR-sensor, a rubber coating and a pedestal. The kinetic body, the rubber coating which contains all the technical parts besides the sensor, is constantly moving according to randomly produced patterns of movement. These movements are to be described as shivers in three directions randomly interrupted by slower and longer movements and pauses. This pattern is replaced by another pattern when a visitor is approaching the object. That pattern is also randomly conducted, but has faster and more energetic moves, as well as moments of total stand still, but even small tremblings.
The sensor is mounted on the pedestal and the object is connected to the sensors signal wire and current through a small hole in the pedestal. The object is lying covering the hole, so the hole is most of the time not seen at all. When a visitor approaches the object it reacts with movements which differs from its "default" state. It tells the visitor that his or her approach affects the pattern of movement. The sensor range is quite narrow, around 80 cm. It means that a grown up person must bend slightly to affect the movements. As the visitor gets even closer the movements changes in different patterns, so he or she might kneel down to explore the different ranges. When very close (< 5 cm) the object comes to a stand still for a short period of time.
The movements are randomly produced but within certain parameters. The code is somewhat dysfunctional. There is too much information going in, making the code to stall now and then. It makes the movements more organic. So it is not possible for the visitor to control the movements other than partly. This is an important aspect of the experience on the part of the visitor. All movements within the range of the sensor are actually a result from the relation between the visitor and the object, it is then and there, for the moment to be.