Abstract
A new form of illiteracy is emerging, which concerns the relationship between the individual and technology. Even though familiarity with new devices is continuously increasing, the majority of those that are not intimidated by technology are nevertheless passive users. It is critical in our age to strive towards a community of active and constructive users. The discriminating factor is the ability to program a device: here, literacy is the writing of one’s intentions in a form executable by a machine. The primary goal of project RoB-ArtS (Robotic Behavioral-Arts System) is bringing to the general public a gaming platform through which to develop programming literacy. In this respect, RoB-ArtS rightfully classifies as edutainment. Inherent in the process of learning the spirit of programing is a great deal of potential for raw creativity to be expressed. Live-coding is a way to bring programming to the speed at which natural thought processes occur – in real time. It is important to bypass tedious mechanical steps such as compiling the source code and repeatedly running the executable files, so as to leave proper room for intuition, skill and creative instinct.
- Maria-Camilla Fiazza (IT) is a computer scientist with an interdisciplinary interest in embodied intelligence. Her main area of work is biomimetics; the focus, in particular, is on understanding and replicating the mechanisms through which living systems organize and process information.
- Andras Sly Szalai (HU) is a Multimedia Hacker and Prototype Ninja, who likes to connect everyday objects to computers and remote control non-everyday objects with an ordinary mobile phone. He is an Artist and Interaction Designer who likes to build crazy installations for crazy people.
- Eszter Ozsvald (HU) studied Industrial Design Engineering and Mechatronics in Hungary. She joined Kitchen Budapest media lab in 2008 and worked there for a year. Her research focuses on developing a robotic fish and on exploring the field of interactive art.
- Krisztián Gergely (HU) is studying IT, as part of his B.Sc in computer program design at ELTE Budapest. He started working with Kitchen Budapest in 2009, as a researcher and software developer. He is mainly concerned with live coding and with how to get nonspecialists to get a taste of it.
Full text (PDF) p. 386-388