Orb Swarm
{{italic title}}
File:Orbswarm peterkaminsky.jpg
Orb Swarm (also known simply as SWARM) is a kinetic art work consisting of six semi-autonomous spherical robots.[http://wiki.orbswarm.com/index.php?title=Overview What is SWARM?] It was created in 2007 by a group of engineers and artists including Michael Prados, Jon Foote, Lee Sonko, and many others.{{cite web|url=http://current.com/entertainment/77328071_swarm-hits-the-sand.htm|title=Swarm Hits the Sand|date=September 22, 2007|work=TV Free Burning Man|publisher=Current TV|accessdate=2011-05-23|archive-date=2012-10-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010151457/http://current.com/entertainment/77328071_swarm-hits-the-sand.htm|url-status=dead}}
Orb Swarm was inspired by previous work in robotics and kinetic art, and seeks to emulate swarm behavior in nature and human dancing.{{cite web|url=http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/drive_to_discover&id=5584601|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110827211624/http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/drive_to_discover&id=5584601|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 27, 2011|title=Bay Area Group Building Dancing Robot|last=Hart|first=Richard|date=August 19, 2007|work=ABC7 Local News|publisher=KGO-TV|accessdate=2011-05-23}} Nearly all of the hardware and software in the project is open source, and others are encouraged to build upon the project's efforts.http://wiki.orbswarm.com/index.php?title=License Swarm License
Technology
Each orb is driven by two motors, one for drive and one for steering.{{cite web|url=http://current.com/groups/art-and-style/76404702_burning-man-swarm.htm|title=Burning Man Swarm|date=August 14, 2007|work=TV Free Burning Man|publisher=Current TV|accessdate=2011-05-23|archive-date=2010-11-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101111060008/http://current.com/groups/art-and-style/76404702_burning-man-swarm.htm|url-status=dead}} The shell is made of welded, water jet cut aluminum, and it moves by pushing against the weight of the batteries inside.[http://wiki.orbswarm.com/index.php?title=Category:Motion_System Category:Motion System] OrbSWARM For guidance and control, there is a GPS module, an IMU, dead reckoning, and a computer running Linux.
Each orb has several banks of full color LEDs and a sound system that are controlled programmatically.
Performances
Orb Swarm first appeared at Burning Man in 2007. Other performances have included Maker Faire,{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/13/science/13make.html|title=This, From That|last=Schwartz|first=John|date=May 13, 2008|work=The New York Times|accessdate=2011-05-23}} Coachella,{{cite web|url=https://www.wired.com/listening_post/2008/04/coachella-aphex/|title=Coachella: Aphex Twin, Pendulum, Aesop Rock, Les Savy Fav and More|last=Bullock|first=Dave|date=April 26, 2008|work=Wired News|publisher=Condé Nast Publications|accessdate=2011-05-23}} the California Academy of Sciences Nightlife, Robogames, and the Techkriti festival in Kanpur, India.[http://wiki.orbswarm.com/index.php?title=In_The_Media Swarm in the Media]
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://wiki.orbswarm.com/ Orb Swarm Wiki]