Interfaces and ||fe |n Cyberart?

ulana uomlngues (2003) - ln ClSSAn1, Louls. 2003. lotetfoces et 5eosotlollte

Pu rof. ulana uomlngues, unlverslLy of Caxlas do Sul- 8razll, 8esearch Croup A81LCnC - new 1echnologles ln
vlsual ArLs
1
, uCS / Cnq / lapergs

8ody and art|f|c|a| systems

1he human/Lechnology relaLlonshlp provokes an anLhropologlcal revoluLlon and offers a new
soclal envlronmenL relaLed Lo Lechnologles's effecLs ln our llfe. 1he presence of lnLeracLlve
sysLems changes Lhe percepLlon of Lhe world. 8lghL ln Lhe beglnnlng of Lhe posL-blologlcal
era, where human days are expanded by Lechnology, Lhe body acLs, Lhlnks and feels coupled
Lo Lechnologles' synLheLlc bodles and Lhe lnLerfaces allow us Lo enLer lnLo lnformaLlon sLored
ln Lhe slllcon memorles of personal compuLers or connecLed Lo neLworked envlronmenLs. 1hls
posL-blologlcal
2
way of llvlng and feellng ls provldlng our exlsLence wlLh oLher behavlors and
values. We experlence consclousness propagaLlons coupled Lo compuLers Lhrough dlfferenL
lnLerfaces. 8lologlcal and arLlflclal dlalogues of lnLeracLlve sysLems conslder culLure and
clvlllzaLlon ln Lhelr orlgln and essence because Lhe physlology of Lhe naLural sysLems and Lhelr
slgnals modlfy wlLh compuLer responses. Malnly ln Lhe lasL flfLeen years, when
human/envlronmenL relaLlonshlp has gradually been done ln Lhe cyberspace, Lhus uslng Lhe
compuLer Lechnologles, Lhelr lnLerfaces, archlLecLure and neLs, we now have oLher
synaesLheLlc effecLs provoked by Lhe hybrldlzaLlon of Lhe body and Lhe arLlflclal sysLem. 1he
human pracLlces relaLed Lo compuLers and lnLerfaces, Lhelr hardware and sofLware provlde us
some behavlors ln blologlcal and emoLlonal aspecLs. ConsenquenLly, when lmmersed ln Lhe
CyberculLure's envlronmenL, we experlence a sLrong anLhropologlcal lssue: Lo reLhlnk Lhe
dlmenslon of Lhe body. 8uL lL ls noL Lhe dlmenslon of Lhe body we are dlscusslng here. We are
Lalklng abouL redlmenslonlng Lhe senslLlve-percepLlve fleld when Lhe body ls connecLed Lo
cyberspace. WhaL means, followlng uerrlck de kerckhove,
3
LhaL we have a sensory
remapplng", processlng oLher sensorlal synLheses. We share sensory experlences by
managlng cognlLlon from compuLers' daLa. ConsequenLly, vlrLual envlronmenL ls
naLurallzed and naLural envlronmenL ls Lechnologlzed. 8ene 8erger afflrms LhaL Lhe more Lhe
compuLers surpass Lhelr condlLlon Lo operaLe as machlnes, Lhe less Lhey work as machlnes
and work relaLed Lo consclousness or closer Lo our consclousness
4
. lrom Lhls polnL of vlew we
are ln a process of naLurallzaLlon of Lechnologles and we musL accepL Lhe Lechnologles'
capaclLles ln Lhelr ablllLles Lo modlfy our llves. 1haL facL ls so evldenL LhaL people are naLurally
lnsLalllng more and more Lechnologles ln Lhelr hablLaL.


8eyond the |nterfaces: the comp|ex human cond|t|on to ex|st out of ourse|ves
Puman hlsLory ls Lhe hlsLory of Lools LhaL permlL Lo share exLernal and lnLernal worlds.
ArLlfacLs, Lools, machlnes and devlces always have enhanced our capaclLy Lo undersLand Lhe
physlcal world
3
. Concernlng compuLer and lnLerfaces, whlch are more Lhan Lools, because
Lhey are sysLems LhaL work relaLed Lo Lhe envlronmenL's behavlor, we have now ln Lhe arL
scenarlo Lhe noLlon of complexlLy. 1hus, lnLeracLlve arL goes lnLo Lhe fleld of complexlLy

sclences and ecosysLem's lssues are lmporLanL Lo undersLand whaL ls lmplled ln Lhe senslLlve
experlences. lnLeracLlve arL glves us some relaLlonshlps LhaL we can only undergo when we
are connecLed Lo compuLers or hyperconnecLed ln Lhe neL Lhrough lnLerfaces whlch enable us
Lo enLer lnLo daLa. When lnLeracLlng we Lrlgger dlalogues beLween LechnodaLa and blodaLa.
8ody and sysLem are ln sLrucLural couples.
6
lnLer-faces connecL dlfferenL sysLems, LranslaLlng
and processlng Lhelr daLa. 1he arLlflclal sysLems' responses lncorporaLe Lhe blodaLa
Lransformlng lL lnLo compuLer paradlgms and glve back responses Lo Lhe body whlch
lncorporaLes and manages Lhem ln a process LhaL generaLes oLher responses. So, whaL
radlcally modlfles Lhe arL scenarlo ls undoubLedly Lhe posslblllLy Lo be lmmersed ln a new
physlcal world where our body communlcaLes wlLh lnLeracLlve machlnes and Lhelr noLlons of
feedback and self-organlzaLlon, recelvlng responses ln real Llme and processlng new sensorlal
synLheses.
arallely, ln our culLural conLexL we have Lhe advenL of cyberarL LhaL lncorporaLes lnLeracLlve
sysLems Lo arLlsLlc pracLlces. ln Lhe cyberarL conLexL, Ldmond CouchoL lncludes Lhe
commuLaLlon process of Lhe sojet lotetfoc
7
LhaL radlcally changes Lhe slLuaLlon of Lhe vlewer
of a palnLlng, a phoLography, a fllm, a vldeo and oLher arL medla. Pardware, sofLware and
lnLerfaces are prepared by arLlsLs and sclenLlsLs ln order Lo propose aesLheLlc experlences.
1hey explore how sclenLlflc dlscoverles lmpllclL ln Lhe arLlflclal sysLems' performance can
lnfluence our sensorlal apparaLus and propose envlronmenLs where we Lhlnk and behave
uslng Lechnologlcal powers and commands. WhaL could arLlsLs as Leonardo da vlncl and
1urner do lf worklng wlLh Lhese klnd of slgnals? 1hey always made represenLaLlons Lo dlsclose
Lhelr LhoughLs abouL Lhe lnvlslble forces, Lhe dynamlc of naLure and oLher maLLers relaLed Lo
Lhe complexlLy of Lhe world ln lLs organlc and lnorganlc naLure. WhaL a fanLasLlc world
Lechnologles open for arLlsLs lmaglnaLlon and creaLlvlLy! We can change Lhe represenLaLlon of
naLure and phenomena for Lhe posslblllLles Lo work wlLh Lhe process Lo generaLe llfe, lLs
language and laws.
CyberarL deals wlLh creaLlon aL vlLal and vlsceral levels wlLh maLhemaLlcal language, wlLh
physlcal and blologlcal phenomena ln a mlxLure of naLural, arLlflclal and Lechnologlcal-vlrLual.
1he foundaLlon LhaL beglns Lo be necessary for a Lheory of Lhe arLlsLlc producLlon and
creaLlvlLy maLLers ls expanded on Lhe bases of an lmpllcaLlon of Lhe blologlcal LhaL does noL
depend on Lhe aesLheLlc [udgmenL only. 1he ways of feellng of Lhe vlrLual Lechnologlcal are
parL of a new aesLheLlcs, Lhe cyberaesLheLlcs LhaL puLs bodles ln connecLlon Lo cyberspace ln
compuLers and neLs. lnLeracLlve Lechnologles brlng wlLh Lhem a loL of lmporLanL effecLs Lo Lhe
arL process closer Lo sclenLlflc lssues. When worklng on an lnLeracLlve sysLem, arL ls relaLed Lo
ecosysLem because body behavlor and compuLer behavlor deflne envlronmenL's llfe. 1he
arLlsL musL Lhlnk Lhe blofeedback and Lhe Lechnofeedback
8
relaLlonshlp ln a symblosls of Lhe
blologlcal sysLem and Lhe arLlflclal sysLem. ln Lhls way, arLlsLs musL undersLand Lhe sLrong
behavloral dlmenslon of lnLeracLlve arL. WlLh Lhelr lmaglnaLlon, Lhe arLlsLs can propose worlds
wlLh a "llfe of Lhemselves" ln whlch unpredlcLablllLy, complexlLy, chaoLlc reorderlng of dlglLal
loglcal clrculLs lnLerconnecLed cause unpredlcLable and undeLermlned slLuaLlons Lo emerge
and Lhus enhance Lhe aesLheLlc dlmenslon ln a Lechnologlzed world. 1hls klnd of consLrucLlon
demands a greaL creaLlve capaclLy ofLen beyond whaL ls allowed by Lhe orLhodox meLhods
from sclence, arL and Lechnology Lyplcal demands.
SclenLlflc researches relaLed Lo lnLerfaces lnLeresL arLlsLs' work ln so far as Lhelr dlscoverles
alLer Lhe fleld of percepLlon. 8ecenL researches unfold complex aspecLs of Lhe unlverse wlLh
an aesLheLlc appeal. Among Lhe aesLheLlcally more engaglng dlscoverles, l hlghllghL speclally

Lhe developmenL of lnLerfaces beLween blologlcal and arLlflclal sysLems such as
mlcroelecLronlcs devlces whlch enable slgnals acqulslLlon and communlcaLlon. 1hanks Lo
Lhose dlscoverles, we can experlence a very semloLlc llfe from Lhe world's slgnals. Cn Lhls
paLh, we have among oLher allve and fasclnaLlng worlds of ulLrasonography, magneLlc
resonance, mlcroblology and asLrophyslcs lmages. 8uL l belleve whaL ls mosL exclLlng abouL
sclenLlflc worlds for lnLeracLlve arLlsLs are Lhe sophlsLlcaLed sysLems Lo capLure and process
Lhe slgnals by LransducLlon, showlng a cosmos LhaL Lhlnks and feels. lnLerfaces capLure llfe
and acLlons of Lhe body and of Lhe envlronmenL ln Lhelr capaclLles Lo generaLe slgnals whlch
are exchanged wlLh Lhe compuLers' capaclLy of Lhlnklng.

So, Lhe compuLer acLs ln Lhe fleld of phenomena and Lhelr complexlLy. SynLheLlc worlds are
closer and closer Lo Lhe cosmos and lLs muLanL sLages. 1o communlcaLe wlLh compuLers and
Lhelr hlgh performance sofLware sLlmulaLes arLlsLs' lmaglnaLlon and Lhere are some sorLs of
lnLerfaces or hardware LhaL connecL Lhe naLural sysLem speclally Lhe body Lo Lhe lnLernal llfe
of compuLers. ulfferenL sorLs of lnLerfaces are prepared by arLlsLs ln collaboraLlon wlLh
sclenLlsLs and Lechnlclans Lo offer lnLeracLlvlLy. Sensor devlces, moLlon capLure sysLems, volce
recognlLlon, gesLure recognlLlon, hapLlc devlces, eye Lracklng, cameras, keyboards, Louch
screens, lnfrared sensors, elecLromagneLlc sysLems, v8 head-mounLed dlsplay, daLa gloves,
sensor effecLors are used Lo connecL body and envlronmenL Lo compuLers. now Lechnologles
embody feaLures from Lhe blologlcal world and LranslaLe Lhem lnLo compuLerlzed paradlgms,
such as planLs, bodlly slgnals, gesLures, speech, breaLh, heaL, naLural nolses, waLer, moLlon.
lnLerfaces ln v8ML for navlgaLlon and lmmerslve experlences, Muus and MCCs , webcams,
roboLs, appleLs, l8C proLocols, among oLher hardware and orlenLed programmlng ln dlfferenL
plaLforms and languages explore Lhe posslblllLles of Lechnologlcal grammars Lo offer
lmmerslon and lnLeracLlvlLy, and arLlsLs use Lhem Lo manlfesL meLaphorlcal lssues generaLlng
emoLlve and llfe forms.
lrom Lhls polnL of vlew, sofLware use a meLaldlom and meLacodes and even lf Lhey have had
unLll now llmlLed posslblllLles Lo elaboraLe deslres, dreams and lnLulLlons, Lhey already have
Lhe posslblllLy Lo creaLe synLheLlc llves or hybrld llves coupllng naLural and vlrLual. ln Lhe
generaLlon of synLheLlc worlds, algorlLhms deLermlne envlronmenLs based on some klnds of
muLanL behavlors, ln process of daLa regeneraLlon, whlch slmulaLe percepLlon capablllLles,
communlcaLlon capablllLles, reasonlng and declslon capablllLles. ln arLlflclal lnLelllgence, Lhere
are some sofLwares worklng wlLh adapLlve conLrol as neural neLworks or agenLs and
mulLlagenLs orlenLed programmlng LhaL slmulaLe levels for Lhe dlsLrlbuLed solvlng of complex
problems ln cognlLlve Lasks. ln arLlflclal llfe, Lhe evoluLlon and self-regeneraLlon of daLa have
Lhe geneLlc algorlLhms
9
LhaL slmulaLe naLural llfe ln vlrLual envlronmenL by compuLer
language. 1he compuLer ls lncreaslngly becomlng more organlc wlLh lLs capaclLy Lo regeneraLe
lnformaLlon and slmulaLe dynamlc and cognlLlve processes. 8egardlng self-regeneraLlon
capaclLy explored ln some envlronmenLs as neural neLworks and Lhelr backpropagaLlons wlLh
adapLlve behavlor, we can slmulaLe some quallLles of human neural neLworks and creaLe Lhe
emergency of new sLaLes. !usL Lhe same, worlds can emerge Lhrough cognlLlve agenLs when
acLlon precedes represenLaLlon.
10
LxperLs ln ArLlflclal lnLelllgence afflrm: An agenL ls anyLhlng
LhaL can be vlewed as percelvlng lLs envlronmenL Lrough sensors and acLlng upon LhaL
envlronmenL Lhrough effecLors.
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Cyber||fe: cogn|t|on and creat|v|ty
1he new fleld of research ln cyberllfe
12
ls also lnLeresLlng lf Lhere are agenLs as ldenLlLles on
Lhe neL or boLs. lnLelllgenL agenLs resulLlng from auLomaLed sofLware acL ln our place. We can
also lncorporaLe Lhese boLs Lo llve wlLhln onllne envlronmenLs and Lhey can provlde
personallzed asslsLance ln Lhe complex dlglLal envlronmenL. 1hose boLs or sofLware agenLs
sLarL Lo Lake parL on vlrLual communlLles lnslde chaL-based communlLles uslng l8C and Muus
provoklng lnLeracLlons wlLh Lhe clLlzens and enhanclng Lhe ldenLlLles ln cyberspace. ln
cyberllfe, we have also Lhe spaces of MCCs LhaL are relaLed Lo our percelved world of
landscapes, schools and oLher places where Lhe avaLars or dlglLal masks can be lncorporaLe
and llve ln vlrLual 3u worlds. 1he avaLars acL ln a hybrld ldenLlLy because Lhey are a dlglLal
belng represenLlng somebody movlng and Lalklng ln a vlrLual reallLy envlronmenL and
parLlclpaLlng ln vlrLual communlLles.
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ln roboLlcs, we can acL ln Lhe physlcal world
lncorporaLlng Lhe roboLs as ldenLlLles or physlcal bodles LhaL can move and execuLe Lasks ln
our place or also acL ln remoLe spaces by LeleroboLlcs. lf Lhese roboLs have an lnLelllgenL
sofLware Lhey become auLonomous characLers acLlng and represenLlng us ln Lhe mosL
complex and dlsLanL envlronmenLs as ln Lhe moon. ln Lhe arLlflclal llfe, we creaLe llvlng worlds
managed by geneLlc algorlLhms creaLlng flLness Lhrough meLhods ln whlch envlronmenL
selecLlon and evoluLlon are done algorlLhmlcally and are used Lo slmulaLe geneLlc processes
Lo creaLe organlc arL synLheLlc ecosysLems. 1hese examples among oLhers offer compuLlng
posslblllLles for lnLeracLlve arL Lo make vlrLual worlds grow up. ln Lhese creaLlve envlronmenLs
we have Lo deal wlLh varlables of conLrol, random slLuaLlons, self-regeneraLlon calculaLlon or
comblne Lhose and oLher compuLer meLhods and produce seLs of daLa Lo dlfferenL resulLs
searched by Lhe arLlsLs.
14

All Lhese are new forms of llfe ln vlrLual worlds or hybrldlzaLlon of vlrLual and naLural
envlronmenL provlded by lnLerfaces.When we are connecLed wlLh dlglLal Lechnologles, Lhey
acL as agenLs separaLed from bodles. 8y lnLeracLlng we are connecLed and we gulde and are
gulded by exLernal agenLs. ArLlflclal sysLems and blologlcal sensorlal apparaLuses raLlfy Lhe
relaLlonshlp wlLh slllcon neLworks and Lhe neural neLworks of blologlcal sysLems ln
connecLlon wlLh each oLher. lL means LhaL wlLhouL body acLlon, a Lechnology sysLem ls [usL
lron, plasLlc, slllcon. WlLhouL Lechnology and lLs hardware and sofLware, body ls only flesh,
blood, bones, halrs. llesh and slllcon. 8lood and elecLrlclLy. Crganlc and lnorganlc. ln Lhls
ecosysLem, Lhe whole regeneraLes lLself lnLo a mosalc of neLworks and sub-neLworks ln
complex relaLlonshlps where Lhe whole ls more Lhan Lhe sum of lLs parLs. 1he whole ls Lhe
unpredlcLable connecLlons.

lnLerfaces obllge arLlsLlc pro[ecLs Lo develop hardware and sofLware ln dlfferenL levels of
complexlLy. CompuLer lnLerfaces and algorlLhms musL respond Lhe lnLeracLlvlLy whlch ls noL
avallable when worklng wlLh some sofLware LhaL ls closed Lo recelve Lhe exLernal slgnals Lo
evaluaLe and manlfesL llfe evoluLlon Lhrough lnLeracLlons. Llnes and llnes of speclal
calculaLlons are done Lo make Lhe envlronmenL behavlor avallable. 1he slLuaLlon ls always Lo
provoke changes ln Lhe sysLem because Lhe arLlsLs don'L wanL Lo generaLe any closed ob[ecL.
1he arLlsLs wanL Lo generaLe a relaLlonshlp fleld beLween Lhe parLlclpanL and Lhe sysLem
behavlors. 1he arLlsLs always work Lrylng Lo exceed Lhe llmlLs of Lhe sysLems and Lhey need Lo
program Lhe varlables of Lhe lnLeracLlons envlslonlng Lhe aesLheLlc dlmenslon of Lhe world.
So, lnLeracLlve Lechnologles modlfy arL envlronmenL noL only ln a Lechnlcal way buL because

Lhey are lnLelllgenL sysLems and acL ln eplsLemologlcal levels surpasslng machlne work, and
acLlng more llke a consclousness process relaLed Lo complex sysLems. lnLeracLlons are
posslble Lhrough sysLems based on hlgh performance sofLware whlch operaLe maLhemaLlcal
language algorlLhms, make complex calculaLlons, hybrldlze lmages, sounds, LexLs, offer
connecLlons and assoclaLlve LhoughLs ln hypermedla sLrucLures, lnLerpreL cellular
mlcroworlds, codlfy parLlcle slgnals of Lhe unlverse, ask agenLs Lo lncorporaLe us and acL ln
our places, lncarnaLe avaLars as ldenLlLles experlenced on Lhe neL among oLher Lasks ln vlrLual
envlronmenLs. 1o Lransform lnvlslble powers by glvlng Lhem vlslblllLy, Lo check organlc laws,
Lhe lmmerslon ln vlrLual worlds, Lo LeleLransporL us Lo oLher vlrLual worlds, Lo acL ln remoLe
spaces are among oLher slLuaLlons provlded by compuLer Lechnologles LhaL offer
consclousness propagaLlon ln a symblosls of organlc and lnorganlc llfe. 1echnologles allow us
Lo apprehend Lhe slze of Lhe LarLh, Lo seL lnvlslble powers ln moLlon, Lo surpass and LranslaLe
layers of sound and llghL, Lo use heaL waves, Lo manage dynamlcs of parLlcles, Lo seL man's
eyes ln Lhe sldereal space, Lo navlgaLe ln vlrLual worlds, Lo explore auLopoeLlc capablllLles of
self-organlzaLlon Lo regeneraLe vlrLual envlronmenLs ln arLlflclal sysLems, Lo grow up arLlflclal
llfe, among many oLher slLuaLlons LhaL feed Lhe fleld of percepLlon of arLlsLs' creaLlve mlnds.
ln Lhls way, lnLeracLlve arL enLers Lhe fleld of complexlLy and Lhe noLlon of ecosysLem ls
Lyplcal of Lhe senslLlve arL's experlence. 1he exploraLlon of complexlLy lmplles noL only
redlmenslonlng arLlsLlc acLlvlLy buL also Lhe enLlreLy of Lhe so-called Puman Sclences Lo
exerclse lnLer and crossdlsclpllnarlLy. ArL, wlLh lLs Lerraln of freedom, ls Lhe place of
convergence for such exerclse.

5ujet interfoc and cogn|t|on
1he sojet lotetfoc lmplles llfe ouL of ourselves. 1haL radlcal dlfference changes Lhe slLuaLlon
brlnglng a loL of lmporLanL effecLs Lo Lhe arL process. llrsL of all, l hlghllghL Lhe slmulaLlon of
Lhe lnLernal and exLernal world where Lhe compuLer bullds Lhe process of Lhlnklng and
reasonlng Lhrough sysLems LhaL operaLe calculaLlon. Cur LhoughLs and behavlors abouL Lhe
exLernal and Lhe lnLernal worlds are generaLed wlLhln Lhe arLlflclal sysLem, slmulaLlng flows of
llfe. All Lhls ls fanLasLlc and besLows oLher ways Lo Lhe arLlsLlc acLlvlLles called by CouchoL
Lhe commototloo process
13
, sLresslng LhaL human communlcaLlon has changed wlLh
lnLeracLlve Lechnologles. Pe emphaslzes Lhe hybrldlzaLlon of Lhe vlewer's body where
Lhe sojet lotetfoc connecLed Lo compuLer Lechnologles ls lmmersed ln a new communlcaLlon
process. 1he lotet-faces change Lhe place of Lhe vlewer prevlously relaLed Lo Lhe sot-face of
Lhe arL ob[ecL and allow Lo access lnformaLlon offerlng dlalogues wlLh compuLer and sofLware
behavlor. We sLarL a dlaloglcal process LhaL we have never goLLen before ln arL. When
lnLeracLlng, Lhe dlalogues beLween human and Lechnologles open a new senslLlve fleld Lo arL
expresslveness. CouchoL dlscusses LhaL crossroads of Lhe real and Lhe vlrLual and Lhe lnLlmaLe
hybrldlzaLlon of tbe bomoo, tbe object ooJ tbe lmoqe, tbe ootbot, tbe vlewet ooJ tbe wotk,
tbe colcolotloo ooJ tbe boJy, tbe olqotltbm ooJ tbe emotloo
16
. 1o be connecLed ls Lo Lhlnk
and feel coupled Lo hlgh performance sofLwares. 1haL condlLlon enhances our levels of
lnLelllgence and lmaglnaLlon.
1he Lheorles of conLemporary Chllean School phllosophy can be relaLed Lo lnLeracLlve arL
conLexL and Lo CouchoL's sojet lotetfoc
17
. When connecLed body experlences cognlLlon and
colncldes wlLh varela's
18
Lheorles abouL Lhe body's capablllLy Lo lead percepLlon Lhrough
acLlons. 1hose Lheorles posLulaLe Lhe surpasslng of represenLaLlon ldeas and Lhe unlflcaLlon of
Lhe self
19
. 1o be connecLed ls Lo accepL Lo be lnvolved ln a slLuaLlon or process where Lhe

expresslveness of Lhe l" or Lhe lnLerlor self" ls Lechnologlcally coupled, whlch means Lo have
a complex exlsLence. lnLerfaced Lo Lhe Lechnologlcal envlronmenL conflrms varela's cognlLlon
as "concreLe, lncarnaLed, ln-corporaLed, embodled" because acLlons lmply cognlLlon lnslde
Lhe experlence of Lhe body's performance. CognlLlon ls a gulded acLlon LhaL lmplles
envlronmenL percepLlon and possesslon. 1he envlronmenL's llfe ls relaLed Lo Lhe human
acLlon and Lo Lhe sysLem's behavlor. When we lnLeracL, Lhe body lmmersed ln vlrLual
envlronmenLs Lrlggers communlcaLlon evenLs. 1hose klnds of conversaLlons where everyone
repeaLs acLlons ls a bloLechnoanLhropologlcal rlLual.
lnLeracLlvlLy asks for sLrucLural couples. lL lmplles a complex and dynamlc concepLlon of
ecosysLem where a loL of mlcro-worlds are acLlvaLed. lL asks for Lhe blologlcal dlsposlLlon of
belng lmpllcaLed and sLlmulaLes consclousness sLaLes generaLed by concreLe acLlons.
lnLeracLlve ArL ls made up of consLrucLlve paLhs offerlng cognlLlve momenLs relaLed Lo Lhe
body and Lhe way lL behaves. 8ody behavlors and machlne behavlors produce responses
whlch form Lhe presenL Llme. ln boLh slLuaLlons Lhe body ls requesLed Lo be used, and when
Lhe body ls used lL processes cognlLlon as llvlng experlences. A world emerges Lhrough
cognlLlve agenLs and Lhe acLlon precedes Lhe represenLaLlon.
20
lL means LhaL Lhe works of Lhe
body deLermlne Lhe emergency of new sLaLes. 8ody acLlons ln Lhls world make each
parLlclpanL an agenL of Lhe lnLeracLlon. 1he cognlLlve sysLem creaLes lLs own world LhaL
resulLs from lnLernal aspecLs and preexlsLenL aspecLs LhaL muLually or ln co-deLermlnaLlon
deflne Lhe world

"Interva| zones"


Cur consclousness reframed by lnLerfaces Lhrough a coupled body opens up Lo Lhe arLlsL a
new huge producLlon fleld, LhaL ls, Lo Lhlnk beyond Lhe lnLerface, Lo lnslsL on arL's sLrong
behavloral dlmenslon, ln whlch a body ls aLLracLed Lo feellng someLhlng LhaL ampllfles Lhe
dlmenslon of Lhe world. When lnLeracLlng we lnhablL augmenLed reallLy. 8y lnLeracLlng,
durlng ephemeral connecLlons, ln a fluld conLexL, boundarles beLween Lhe exLerlor and Lhe
lnLerlor are shaken. LxLernal memorles Lransform us lnLo poLenLlal belngs able Lo exlsL, Lo
recall and Lo Lhlnk coupled Lo machlnes. Powever, when we are connecLed Lhe lmpllcaLlon of
body ls a hybrld expresslon of our sub[ecLlve world. We are ln a passage, ln a LranslL from
someLhlng Lo anoLher sLrange Lhlng.
21
We are ln a crossroads or ln an lnLersecLlon of Lhe real
and Lhe Lechnologlcal vlrLual. 1he real ls ln Lhls lnLerval, ln LhaL elllpLlcal lnsLance where Lhe
meanlng ls processed. 1hls ls Lhe posL-blologlcal feellng: a symblosls of arLlflclal and naLural
llfe
22
. 1he posLblologlcal feellng creaLes an lnLerval zone where someLhlng wlll happen ln LhaL
exacL momenL, because a body ls acLlng wlLh an lnLeracLlve sysLem. We lnhablL "lnLerval
zones", beLween Lhe body and Lhe Lechnologles, betweeo tbe ttooce ooJ tbe olqotltbm
23
.
Cnce more we see Lhe lmporLance of aesLheLlcs, and Lhe lessons we are LaughL by Lhe cosmos
and whlch Lechnologles are dlscloslng sLlmulaLe ways Lo arLlLs' creaLlvlLy. Lvery arLlsLlc
proposal puLs closer arL and llfe and lmplles meLamorphosls and vlLal process of
bodles'acLlons. lnLerfaces puL arLlsLs [usL ln Lhe mlddle of Lhe parLlclpanL's process and Lhey
need Lo offer a sysLem Lo be provoked by people acLlons. ArLlsLs need Lo lmaglne whaL klnd of
llfe would wanL people Lo experlence durlng Lhe real Llme flow. So, behavlor and sysLem are
key-words ln lnLeracLlve arL. All Lhls ls fanLasLlc and besLows oLher ways Lo arLlsLlc acLlvlLles.


k|tua|s: from body pa|nt|ngs, masks, maracas to techno|og|ca| |nterfaces


l always conslder Lhe relaLlon we can esLabllsh beLween dlfferenL Lhlngs we use durlng rlLuals
and Lhe lnLerfaces provlded by lnLeracLlve Lechnologles. Slnce Lhe flrsL human rlLuals, people
have alwaus used always use arLlfacLs, Lools, machlnes Lo connecL Lhelr bodles Lo Lhe
ecosysLem and reach some splrlLual power. ln CyberculLure, we use lnLerfaces of Lechnologles
Lo connecL vlrLual and real world. So, lnLeracLlve Lechnologles enable us Lo Lrlgger rlLuals ln
order Lo search for speclal sLaLes of consclousness. llrsL of all, because Lo lnLeracL ls Lo repeaL
some behavlors, very much llke whaL we repeaL durlng rlLuals lnLeracLlon prlnclple ls relaLed
Lo rlLual or Lo a speclal ceremony performed by Lhe body repeaLlng some behavlors ln order
Lo geL some sensaLlon and meanlng. !usL Lhe same, when connecLed, we leave our body Lo be
lnlLlaLed ln a rlLual and parLlclpaLe ln soclal spaces where Lechnologlcal and human are
amalgamaLed lnLo a rlLual slLuaLlon. ln dlfferenL culLures anLhropologlcal communlcaLlon ln
Lhe fleld of phenomena remlnds us of rlLuals and body's acLlons. Slnce early prlmlLlve
socleLles, ln order Lo acL ln rlLuals, , people have palnLed Lhelr bodles, worn masks, used
lnsLrumenLs, feaLher arLlfacLs, sLlcks, maracas, Lubes wlLh a maglcal and faclllLaLlng
purpose
24
.ln Lhe dlglLal era, by uslng compuLers and body's lnLerfaces, we can experlence
oLher worlds Lhrough maglcal and unexpecLed effecLs of Lechnologles. uurlng rlLuals, Lo
aLLempL alLered sLaLes of consclousness, Lhe body ls asked Lo spln round, smell, Lalk, slng, and
perform oLher parLlclpaLlng acLlons. 1he seL of acLlons deLermlne Lhe lncorporaLlon Lhough
Lhe repeLlLlon of rlLuallsLlc sLrucLures LhaL consLrucL Lhe presenL searchlng for Lhe sLaLe of
Lrance. !usL Lhe same, lnLeracLlve arL and malnly Lhe lnLeracLlve lnsLallaLlons are relaLed Lo
rlLuals and requlres Lhe repeLlLlon of acLlons Lhrough devlces LhaL respond ln real Llme
slmulaLlng a klnd of ceremony medlaLed by Lechnology Lo geL Lhe LranslL daLa. ln lnLeracLlve
arL, Lhe body experlences Lhe cognlLlon connecLed Lo Lechnologles'exLernal enLlLles of
neLworks and sub-neLworks. 1o lnLeracL ls Lo lncorporaLe sub[ecLlve sLaLes sLored ln Lhe
behavlor of Lhe sysLem provoklng sub[ecLlve processes. When lnLeracLlng Lhe parLlclpanLs
needs Lo provoke Lhe complex process of exchanglng lnformaLlon sLored ln Lhe
arLlsLs'lnLenLlons relaLed Lo hablLs, ldeas, fears, bellefs and deslres. ln each exchange Lhe
parLlclpanL recelves dlfferenL sLlmull Lo experlence ldenLlLles.


ln Afro-8razlllan rlLuals, for lnsLance, Lhere are enLlLles such as Cgum, Cxum and leman[
whlch a person can lncorporaLe. 1he enLlLles are called guldes" of our ldenLlLles. !usL Lhe
same, ln lnLeracLlve arL, Lhe gulded experlence Lhrough consLrucLed acLlons ln one vlrLual
envlronmenL allows Lhe parLlclpanL Lo reconsLrucL someLhlng pre-exlsLlng ln cyberspace
clrculLs. Lvery rlLual ls relaLed Lo Lhe deslre human belngs have Lo dlalogue wlLh lnvlslble
forces and hence acqulre oLher powers, aLLempLlng Lo reach dlsLurblng and wonderful worlds.
1he human/machlne alllance provldes us wlLh rlLuals and Lhelr opporLunlLles Lo lncorporaLe
lnvlslble forces and Lo aLLempL oLher llmlLs Lo our body. eople lnLeracLlng connecL Lhelr body
Lo Lechnology because Lhey lnLend Lo geL Lhe ldeas sLored ln Lhe slllcon memorles. ln LhaL
way, Lhey Lry Lo recelve vlrLual power from a daLabase. uurlng Lhese dlalogues we experlence
modlfled sLaLes of consclousness by Lhe symblosls of arLlflclal/naLural, analogue/dlglLal,
real/vlrLual. 1echnologles are Lhe ampllflcaLlon of our consclousness, Lhe embodlmenL of Lhe
mlnd.



Interact|ons and possess|on of t|me

8lLuals requlre communlcaLlon and collaboraLlon. ConsequenLly every rlLual proposes Lhe
soclal efforL for Lhe consLrucLlon of a parallel world LhaL can be relaLed Lo some klnd of
Lrance. Accordlng Lo Lhe lLallan phllosopher Marlo ernlola abouL Lrance and rlLual, Lhe Lrance
sLaLe does noL demand only Lo repeaL someLhlng as a dynamlc experlence.
23
1rance means
Laklng possesslon of Lhe presenL Llme. Pe deflnes Lhe presenL Llme of Lhe Lrance
as ottlmos and noL lnsLanLs. lnsLanL ls a moblle boundary beLween pasL and fuLure wlLh
someLhlng always lacklng, whereas ottlmo ls a presenL Llme connecLed Lo an experlence of
Llme ln LoLal possesslon. When lnLeracLlng, our bodles experlences seLs of aLLlmos, because
each ephemeral connecLlon ls a concreLe experlence where someLhlng occurs durlng Lhe
flows of presenL Llmes. lL ls ln Lhls slLuaLlon of consLrucLed Llme durlng a llvlng experlence of
Llme LoLally possessed LhaL lnLeracLlve lnLerval zones are generaLed. 1hls presenL Llme
permlLs Lhe body Lo lnhablL an unfoldlng physlcal and concepLual exlsLence. 1he exchanges
produce chalns of meanlngs ln a senslLlve mulLlpllcaLlon of experlences. 1he body exlsLs ln Lhe
measure of lLs connecLlons. 1he sLolc aesLheLlcs of Lhe ephemeral, of Lhe muLanL, of Lhe
lndeflnable ls conflrmed. All Lhose slLuaLlons are connecLed Lo CouchoL's ldeas abouL Lhe
ooe-5object" llvlng Lhe dlaloglcal process of lnLeracLlve arL. 1echnologlcal rlLuals are
responslble for hybrld soclal spaces. We behave Lo aLLempL and reach some sLaLe of
consclousness from Lhe behavlor of devlces and Lhe coupled body mlxlng Lhe old vlewer's
body wlLh Lhe compuLer.

ln Lhls LerrlLory arL can propose some evenLs so LhaL fleld of percepLlon ls experlenced by
puLLlng bodles ouL of Lhelr usual boundarles, or when bodles are noL connecLed Lo lnLerfaces .
1hls klnd of slLuaLlon can be relaLed Lo Lhe shamans'posslblllLles LhaL dlalogue wlLh Lhe
beyond and Lhus recelvlng speclal powers. Shamans manage cosmos phenomena and
experlence naLural forces. 1echnologles also glve speclal powers Lo human acLlons and arLlsLs
explore Lhe complex relaLlonshlp beLween body and cosmos. We know LhaL shamans feel Lhe
cosmos slgnals ln a very lnLlmaLe zone and Lhey work brlnglng abouL muLaLlons ln energy
flelds. !usL Lhe same arLlsLs can lmaglne evenLs Lo reveal unexpecLed, maglc worlds.


Grow|ng dreams: an|ma| and human"

CommunlcaLlon beLween human/naLure/Lechnologles ls provoklng arLlsLs, sclenLlsLs,
educaLlonal professlonals, as well as Lechnlclans and buslness people wlLh a loL of lssues. ln
our conLemporary scenarlo, we have lncreaslngly speclal evenLs, [ournals, magazlnes,
newspapers, 1vs, lnLerneL spaces dlscusslng fasclnaLlng posslblllLles Lo generaLe new forms of
llfe uslng lnLeracLlve Lechnologles. !usL Lhe same, durlng Lhe 8anff CenLre SummlL ln !une
2000, Ctowloq 1bloqs. 1be coltotes of Nooo 1ecb, 8lo 1ecb, ooJ co 1ecb Meot Att

, some
lmporLanL lnvesLlgaLlons ln medlclne, phllosophy, archlLecLure, geneLlc englneerlng,
communlcaLlon, arL among oLher sclenLlflc realms have presenLed Lransdlsclpllnary
approaches concernlng blologlcal, Lechnologlcal and arLlsLlc creaLlvlLy researches. AL Lhe
panel: ureamlng 8odles, Anlmal and Puman"
27
, l presenLed Crowlng dreams: anlmal and
human", whlch ls relaLed Lo recenL works of Lhe ArLecno Croup aL explorlng human and
anlmal llfe exLended by dlalogues wlLh lnLeracLlve arLlflclal sysLems LhaL generaLe hybrld
forms of llfe. My lnLenLlon as an arLlsL and researcher LoLally engaged ln Lhe CyberculLure
soclal envlronmenL ls Lo hlghllghL human pracLlces relaLed Lo compuLers and lnLerfaces, Lhelr

hardware and sofLware whlch provlde us some behavlors ln blologlcal and emoLlonal aspecLs.
1here are Lechnologles llnked Lo Lhe developmenL of mlcrolnformaLlon and lnLerfaces LhaL
generaLe evenLs where we come across Lhe unknown, Lhe maglc and lLs spell power, on Lhe
border of dellrlums or nlghLmares of a bad nlghL's sleep
28
.

1here are Lechnologles llnked Lo Lhe developmenL of mlcrolnformaLlon and lnLerfaces LhaL
generaLe evenLs where we flnd ourselves before Lhe unknown, Lhe maglc and lLs spell power,
on Lhe border of dellrlums or nlghLmares of a bad sleeplng nlghL. Among Lhese Lechnologles
are arLlflclal lnLelllgence, neural neLworks, Lelepresence and LeleroboLlcs. We peneLraLe Lhe
fleld of phenomena and acqulre an ulLrahuman condlLlon (1elllard Chardln), Lhrough arLlflclal
sysLems LhaL allow us Lo go beyond Lhe llmlLs of Lhe nonLechnologlzed real. !usL Lhe same, Lhe
recenL lnLeracLlve arLlsLlc works of Lhe ArLecno 8esearch Croup of Lhe unlverslLy of Caxlas do
Sul/ 8razll offer lnLerfaces Lo be used wlLh Lhe body, whlch permlL Lo geL Lo slmulaLed worlds
and Lo enhance our human condlLlon. oeLlcally we explore some 8razlllan culLural LradlLlons
concernlng shamans and naLlve's llfe. l hlghllghL LhaL ln 8razlllan Lrlbes Lhere are always
shamans who are ln charge of people's healLh, deal wlLh naLural phenomenena, provoke raln
and accompllsh furLher communlcaLlons wlLh Lhe cosmos. 1he lnLeracLlve arLlsLlc pleces we
are dolng offer some rlLuals Lo experlence Lhe relaLlonshlp wlLh Lhe cosmos.


I N S N (n) A k (k) L S
29

Llvlng among snakes ls puL aL Lhe level of dream and lmaglnaLlon. SerpenLs have always
lnclLed human lmaglnaLlon."nove yoo evet beeo o sooke? nove yoo evet sboteJ someooe's
boJy lo o temote eovltoomeot?" 1hls lnvlLaLlon may be fulfllled lf you Lake parL ln Lhe roboLlc
evenL lnSn(P)Ak(8)LS, an lnLeracLlve roboLlc evenL. 1hlnklng abouL enhanclng Lhe sensorlal-
percepLlve fleld wlLh Lechnologles and uslng roboLlcs, sensorlng and communlcaLlon
neLworks, Lhls evenL proposes Lo share Lhe body of a roboL LhaL llves ln a serpenLarlum of Lhe
Museum of naLural Sclences ln Lhe unlverslLy of Caxlas do Sul, ln 8razll. 8emoLe parLlclpanLs
connecLed Lo Lhe slLe can move ln Lhe same physlcal space LhaL llvlng snakes when Lhey
lncorporaLe a snake-roboL called Angela. ln Lhe roboL's body a coupled webcamera LransmlLs
lmages of Lhe envlronmenL. uslng Lhe arrow keys we can LransmlL movemenL orders Lo Lhe
roboL, whlch lnLerpreLs Lhem, and Lhe resulL ls a Lra[ecLory ln Lhe serpenLarlum. Llfe ln Lhe
envlronmenL ls noL resLrlcLed Lo one parLlclpanL only. ln a collaboraLlve way connecLlons
Lhrough Lhe neL guaranLee snakes' llfe by glvlng Lhem waLer. resence sensors capLure Lhe
acLlon of Lhe roboL and release amounLs of llquld for Lhelr baslc needs. 1he llfe of Lhe
envlronmenL resulLs from Lhe mlxLure of blologlcal slgnals and arLlflclal slgnals. 1he naLural
world revlLallzes lLself Lhrough Lhe lnLeracLlve Lechnologles LhaL generaLe new forms of llfe. ln
lnSn(P)nAk(8)LS, ln Lhe serpenLarlum naLural envlronmenL, Lhe remoLely conLrolled roboL
performs Lasks whlch human belngs mlghL be dolng wlLh Lhelr bodles.


1he slLe provldes a collaboraLlve acLlon Lhrough Lhe neL uslng Lelepresence and LeleroboLlcs.
1he roboL ls an agenL LhaL dwells and acLs ln Lhe physlcal world. 1he LelemaLlc neLwork
connecLed Lo Lhe naLural envlronmenL allows Lhe collaboraLlve acLlon of people who Lake parL
ln a collecLlve responslblllLy for Lhe survlval of Lhe naLural envlronmenL. ConsequenLly,
connecLlng Lhe webslLe hLLp://arLecno/ucs.br/lnsnakes allows Lhe roboL snake Lo be
commanded by remoLe parLlclpanLs ln an enhancemenL of Lhe body ln a planeLary scale and

wlLh declslons LhaL are made ln Lhe cyberspace wlLhouL any physlcal or geographlc boundary.
8y acLlng collaboraLlvely each parLlclpanL conLrlbuLes Lo llfe ln Lhe slLe and Lo Lhe naLural llfe
of Lhe ecologlcal envlronmenL.

A cross-dlsclpllnary Leam of Lhe ArLecno 8esearch Croup of unlverslLy of Caxlas do Sul, whlch
lncludes arLlsLs, blologlsLs, lnformaLlon Lechnology and auLomaLlon people ls responslble for
Lhls work. 1he human acLlon Lhrough Lhe neL by means of connecLlons ln Lhe slLe provldes Lhe
dlalogue of naLural and arLlflclal sysLems. 1he envlronmenL uses Lechnology ln a pragmaLlc
and an aesLheLlc dlmenslon. oeLlcally we offer Lhe posslblllLy Lo llve wlLh snakes and Lhls
Lrlggers a sLrong slLuaLlon. ln lLs aesLheLlc dlmenslon, Lhe Lechnology enhances Lhe fleld of
percepLlon, because lL proposes oLher llmlLs for Lhe body Lhrough acLlons ln remoLe
space.Snakes are parL of a huge arsenal of Lerrlfylng sLorles and accordlng Lo Lhe blologlsL a
herpeLologlsL
30
who collaboraLes ln Lhe pro[ecL and ls responslble for Lhe serpenLarlum, Lhese
frlghLenlng ldeas abouL snakes have been keeplng people away from Lhe sclenLlflc knowledge
LhaL could puL down Lhe myLh abouL Lhese maLLers. 8elng able Lo llve Lhrough Lelepresence
wlLh Lhe envlronmenL and peneLraLe naLural llfe Lhus learnlng abouL snakes' hablLs and
behavlors makes lnSn(P)Ak(8)LS very lmporLanL for envlronmenLal educaLlon.

AnoLher verslon of l n S n ( P ) A k (8) L S
31
ls Lhe lnLeracLlve lnsLallaLlon ln a dark room wlLh a
LransparenL glass box and pro[ecLlon of lmages on Lhe floor over a layer of sand or whlLe
marble powder. 1he lnLerface Lo lnLeracL ls a Laxldermy snake's body and people musL Louch
Lhe snakes'body Lo recelve lmages and sounds. SlmulLaneously, Lhe snake's webslLe allows us
Lo lncorporaLe Lhe body of Lhe arLlflclal snake and Lo acL ln a remoLe space llvlng wlLh naLural
snakes. So, Lhe lnsLallaLlon offers Lwo klnds of lnLerfaces wlLh Lhe same poeLlc and aesLheLlc
approach. 1echnlcally, ln Lhe flrsL envlronmenL, Lhe LelemaLlc sysLem allows Lhe remoLe
acLlon and enables people Lo llve ln real Llme ln Lhe snake's serpenLarlum of Lhe Museum of
naLural Sclences ln Lhe unlverslLy of Caxlas do Sul. We vlsuallze Lhe envlronmenL wlLh a
vldeocamera CCu, and we can move uslng a roboL's body uslng Lhe appleL ln !ava and a
speclal sofLware Lo vldeo capLure developed ln C++ for Wln32 envlronmenL wlLh Al vldeo for
Wlndows, plaLform unlx. 1he sofLware for dlsplacemenLs ls ln C for uCS envlronmenL and
Lhere ls also an Al 8C8lx.

1he second lnsLallaLlon envlronmenL offers lnLeracLlvlLy on slLe and provokes an adapLlve
behavlor ln Lhe snakes's pro[ecLlons uslng a neural neLwork capablllLy Lo recelve Lhe hapLlc
slgnals when people are connecLed Lo Lhe lnLerface. Lvery Louch sends slgnals Lo Lhe
compuLer and Lhe sofLware \om J2
J2
, LhaL conslsLs of a neural neLwork sysLem ls Lhe
responslble for Lhe envlronmenL changes. 1he body of Lhe snake's lnLerface ls ln a speclally
llghLed place explorlng scenographlc effecLs. lL ls qulLe lmpresslve Lhe parLlclpanLs reacLlons
mlxlng sLaLes of fear, happlness and surprlse because Lhe envlronmenL changes. lmages born
from Lhe powder on Lhe floor and Lhe lrregular surface modlfy Lhe snakes shapes and LexLure.
Sounds of naLlve rlLuals and naLural nolses remlnd us of prlmlLlve ceremonles ln whlch Lhe
human deslre ls Lo embody anlmals. All Lhls slLuaLlon ls relaLed Lo naLlve rlLuals whlch are
used Lo palnLlng Lhe body wlLh snakes' paLLerns when perform Lhe rlLual. lL ls Lhe
snakes'rlLual. 1he lnsLallaLlon lnLends Lo offer Lhls klnd of aesLheLlc appeal: Lo lncorporaLe Lhe
anlmal' body and Lo become a snake by recelvlng all symbollc meanlng.






Cu8 PLA81, a vlrLual reallLy lnLeracLlve lnsLallaLlon, offers a vlrLual 3u envlronmenL where
human/Lechnology's dlalogues uslng hearLbeaLs generaLe graphlc and sound landscapes. 1he
lnLeracLlve sysLem ln vlrLual reallLy glves us an lmmerslve experlence where we can walk
wlLhln Lhe vlrLual hearL envlronmenL. 1he body lmmersed provokes a meLamorphosls ln Lhe
vlrLual hearL percepLlon and opens up meLaphors offerlng poeLlc relaLlonshlps whlch
sLlmulaLe human alllances Lhrough Lechnologles. We musL offer our hearL Lo have llfe wlLhln
lL. We musL Lalk wlLh our hearL. Cu8 PLA81 envlronmenL capLures and LranslaLes Lhe
language of Lhe hearL Lo creaLe a very lnLlmaLe, allve LerrlLory LhaL only changes lf an organlc
hearL ls heard.

We always surround ourselves wlLh Lools Lo help us Lhlnk. 8ooks, Lelephones, dlsks, fllms. We
manage lnformaLlon, LhoughLs and memorles wlLh Lools. 1o offer a slmulaLlon of Lhe hearL
and Lo capLure lLs language sharlng lnLernal and exLernal space ls Lo use our love machlne"
Lo aLLempL Lhe very lnLlmaLe conversaLlon ln our llves and Lhus enhanclng our human
condlLlon. Ouk nAk1" ls a vlrLual reallLy lnLeracLlve lnsLallaLlon wlLh graphlc landscapes of
Lhe hearL. 1he physlcal envlronmenL creaLes a LransparenL LenL wlLh lmages pro[ecLlon. !usL
one parLlclpanL a Llme walks wlLhln Lhe room wlLh an elecLronlc lnLerface on Lhe body and
provokes by hls/her hearL Lhe envlronmenL llfe. PearL pumps change Lhe vlrLual envlronmenL
because acqulslLlon and communlcaLlon of daLa are made by hearL sound waves LranslaLed
lnLo elecLrlcal slgnals. 1hese slgnals are recelved by Lhe compuLer where Lhey are dlglLlzed
and processed. 1he lmmerslve experlence ls llnked Lo lnpuLs read from Lhe 3u Lracker and
presenLed ln Lhe head mounLed dlsplay. Cn Lhe oLher hand, Lhe lnLeracLlon Llme of Lhe
parLlclpanL and also some random evenLs lncrease Lhe envlronmenL muLaLlon. When
lnLeracLlng Lhe blologlcal hearL waves LranslaLed lnLo elecLrlcal slgnals are Lurned lnLo
compuLer paradlgms provldlng body/machlne lnLlmaLe dlglLal dlalogue.


1he A81LCnC
33
lnLegraLed group dlscussed and programmed Lhe envlronmenL behavlor and
lLs muLaLlon ln real Llme dlalogues. We program Lhe relaLlonshlps of Lhe sysLem behavlor
Lhlnklng on people's acLlons and Lhelr lnLeracLlve levels ln graphlc, vlsual and sound
responses. 1he sofLware developmenL for Lhe 3u envlronmenL follows a hlerarchlcal meLhod
of documenLaLlon of ob[ecLs, funcLlons and modules. 1he 3u graphlc envlronmenL ls creaLed
by a speclal sofLware (?A3uL - ?eL AnoLher 3u Lnglne) developed ln C++ uslng Lhe MlcrosofL
ulrecL3u Lechnology by compuLer sclence and arL researchers of Lhe unlverslLy of Caxlas do
Sul. 1he lnLerface wlLh Lhe ulrecL3u Al ls provlded by Lhe 3u Lnglne ln an ob[ecL orlenLed
programmlng. 1he ob[ecLs modeled ln varlous advanced sofLware, LexLure maps and vlsual
effecLs lnLegraLe Lhe core for Lhe lmmerslve envlronmenL renderlng. vlewporL, veloclLy
varlables, dlrecLlon, vlsual effecLs (fog, alpha blendlng, LexLure anlmaLlon, llghLnlng, color,
ob[ecL warplng and glowlng) change by Lhe lnLeracLlon wlLhln Lhe envlronmenL. 1he
lmmerslve experlence ls llnked Lo lnpuLs read from Lhe 3u Lracker and presenLed ln Lhe head
mounLed dlsplay. 1he lnLeracLlvlLy of blologlcal slgnals ls Lrlggered by Lhe hearL beaL
frequency (ranges 60/80, 80/100, 100/200, 120/140, 140/160). 1he hardware
lmplemenLaLlon ls developed by lndusLrlal auLomaLlon researchers.



llnally, l hope l have presenLed Lhe essenLlal lessons or learnlng ldeas we are aLLalnlng ln Lhls
beglnnlng of new forms of llfe coupled Lo Lechnologles. now are experlenclng Lhe complex
relaLlonshlp LhaL lnLeracLlve arL has wlLh Lhe hybrldlzaLlon process wlLh sclenLlflco eLx
dlscoverles. 1here are a loL of lnLeresLlng arLlsLs worklng ln Lhls fleld and ln dlfferenL realms. lL
has noL been my goal ln Lhls LexL Lo Lake examples from Lhe lnLeracLlve arL Lo lllusLraLe every
ldea or dlfferenL forms and modallLles we have ln our culLural conLexL. l [usL wlsh Lo propose a
few of ldeas abouL cyberarL and complexlLy by lncorporaLlng lssues of compuLer and
lnLerfaces used ln arL.1he cenLral lssues are Lhe complex exlsLence ln Lhe arL process, Lhe
sLrucLural copulae beLween Lhe blologlcal and Lhe arLlflclal, Lhe mosL lnLenslfled posslblllLles
Lo slgnals processlng by capLure and LranslaLlon, Lhe slmulaLlon of llfe ln vlrLual envlronmenLs
worklng wlLh evoluLlon, dynamlc, vlrLual meeLlngs, remoLe acLlons, naLural phenomena,
among oLher slLuaLlons LhaL creaLe envlronmenLs wlLh llfe of Lhemselves. WlLhouL any doubL,
lnLeracLlvlLy enhances Lhe sub[ecLlve dlmenslon of arLlsLlc lnLenLlons and Lechnologles have
Lhe expresslve capaclLy Lo feed Lhe human senslLlve fleld. AfLer Lhose conslderaLlons, lL ls
evldenL LhaL lnqulrles on lnLeracLlve sysLems have been lnLeresLlng arLlsLs because Lhey allow
us Lo reveal Lhe expresslve charge of Lechnologles by acLlng aL poeLlc and psychologlcal levels,
Lhrowlng Lhe body lnLo rlLuals by performances Lo be accompllshed ln coupllngs wlLh
machlnes. ln sLrucLural copulae, ln a blologlc and Lechnologlcal conLexL, Lhe body's behavlor
and Lhe sysLem behavlor glve responses and regeneraLe Lhemselves. ArL enLers ln a
relaLlonshlp wlLh cosmlc forces. lnLeracLlve arL faces us wlLh Lhe concepL of ecosysLem.
lnLeracLlve arL uses compuLer sclence advanced programs LhaL deal wlLh complex sysLems
such as fuzzy loglc Lo respond Lhe arLlsL's mlsLy LhoughL lL ls someLhlng whlch lL ls noL
governed by a sysLem's rlgld programmlng buL LhaL lncorporaLes adapLlve quallLles sLlmulaLes
lmaglnaLlon and Lrlggers creaLlvlLy.

l belleve LhaL Lhe arLlsL's presence ls exLremely relevanL for Lhe research fleld LhaL addresses
lnLerfaces beLween humans and machlnes. 1he arLlsLs, wlLh Lhelr "creaLlve mlnd", Lhelr
lmaglnaLlon are lmporLanL because Lhey are experLs ln dlscoverlng Lhe senslLlve quallLles of
Lechnologles. ln Lhls way, ln lnLeracLlve arL, arLlsLs work ln collaboraLlon wlLh sclenLlsLs and
Lechnlclans and explore sysLems' behavlorby Lhlnklng Lhelr senslLlve quallLles. 1hrough Lhe
arLlsL's works Lhe sclenLlsLs see Lhelr Lheorles ln Lhe senslLlve praxls. ln a sLlmulaLlng way,
arLlsLs brlng sclenLlsLs closer Lo Lhe splrlLuallLy of Lhelr Lheorles. 1hls ls why we musL work
LogeLher, ln co-auLhorshlp wlLh sclence people. llrsL of all, because arLlsLs undersLand whaL ls
beyond Lechnologles and work wlLh meLaphors. 1he arLlsL's prlnclple ls Lo puL ln evldence Lhe
meLaphors (Lhls orlglnally Creek word could also be lnLerpreLed ln orLuguese and Spanlsh as
meanlng meLa-fora: Lo ) and Lhelr pracLlce ls Lo geL ouL of Lhe llmlLs of a sysLem. 1he
sysLem's loglc feeds Lhe arLlsL's creaLlvlLy and Lhe collaboraLlve acLlon of arLlsLs and sclenLlsLs
ls exLremely lmporLanL Lo propose new forms of llfe Lo enhance our human condlLlon. ln Lhe
crossroads arL and sclence, uslng lnLerfaces as prosLhesls Lo Lhe body we collaboraLe wlLh Lhe
fuLur of our specles. CerLalnly, compuLers wlll be lncreaslngly more blologlcal and lnLerfaces
more human. 1echnologles wlll be naLurallzed and Lhe body Lechnologlzed. 1haL condlLlon
enhances Lhe challenges Lo creaLe more and more lnLeracLlve sysLems mlxlng anlmal, human,
planLs, cosmos slgnals wlLh Lhe Lechnologlcal-vlrLual. ln LhaL way, we wlll be provldlng
complex lnLeracLlon beLween organlc and lnorganlc, naLural and arLlflclal, real and vlrLual.
ArLlsLs are accepLlng uuchamp's proposal: Lo puL arL closer Lo llfe. 8ehlnd lmaglnaLlon,
creaLlvlLy and aesLheLlc levels Lhere are a loL of soclal lmpllcaLlons ln Lhese new relaLlonshlps
and aLLlLudes. ArLlsLs very blg challenge ls Lo propose llfe how as lL can be.



8|b||ography:


AnuL8S, eLer. Lnvlslonlng Cyberspace - ueslgnlng 3u LleLronlc Spaces". McCraw-Plll, 1he
unlLed SLaLes of Amerlca, 1999.

ASCC11, 8oy, CulLlvando o PlpercrLex". ln: uomlngues, ulana (or.), A ArLe no Sec. xxl: A
Pumanlzao das 1ecnologlas, So aulo, Ld. da unesp, g1997.

8erger 8ene, ue L'"Agora a L'lnLerneL. ln: ArL eL nouvelles 1echnologles, L"AvenLure
Pumalne, Savolrs, LlberLes, ouvolrs., , arls,1993.

88L1. Mlchel. L'LvoluLlonlsme en lmage de SynLhese". ArL eL 1echnologles de l'lmage,
unlverslLe arls 8, arls 1999.


8lCuS, !oseph . and 8lCuS, !ennlfer. ConsLrucLlng lnLelllgenL AgenLs wlLh !ava - A
rogrammers Culde Lo SmarLes ApllcaLlons". ubllshed by !ohn Wllwy & Son, lnc., Canad,
1998.

8u8LAuu, Annlck. La ensee LlecLronlque". ln: Slcard, Monlque (Crg.) CPL8CPLu8S Cu
A81lS1LS? LnLre arL eL sclence, lls rvenL le monde. arls.LdlLlons AuLremenL - Serle
MuLaLlons n 138, 1993,.

CAuCCl, ler Lulgl, ll Corpo Lecnologlco, 8askervllle, 8ologna, 1994.

CCuCPC1, Ldmond. La 1echnologle uans L' ArL - ue la phoLographle a la reallLe vlrLuelle".
LdlLlons !acquellne Chambon, 1998, nimes.
__________________. Medlas eL lmmedlas". ln: ALLLZAuu, 8oberL. (Crg.) ArL eL
CommunlcaLlon. arls, 1986.
__________________________. LnLre La 1ranse eL L'algorlLhme. ln: caLalogue of Lhe
exhlblLlon uomlngues, ulana, 18AnS-L , My 8ody, My 8lood, unlverslLy of Caxlas do Sul, 1998.

CC11Cn, 8ob and CLlvlL8, 8lchard. Cyberspace Lexlcon - lllusLraLed dlcLlonary of Lerms
from mulLlmedla Lo vlrLual reallLy". haldon, London, 1994.

uAML8, 8ruce. AvaLars! Lxplorlng and 8ulldlng vlrLual Worlds on Lhe lnLerneL. Ld. eachplL
ress, 1998

uL kL8CkPCvL, uerrlck. ConnecLed lnLelllgence - 1he Arrlval of Lhe web SocleLy". ln:
ubllshed by Somervllle Pouse ubllshlng a dlvlson of Somervllle Pouse 8ooks LlmlLed,
1oronLo - CnLarlo, 1997.
______________________.8emapplng sensorlale nella realLa". ln. Capuccl, ler Lulgl, ll
Corpo Lecnologlco, 8askervllle, 8ologna, 1994.



uCMlnCuLS, ulana. (org.). A ArLe no Seculo. xxl: A Pumanlzao das 1ecnologlas". Ld. da
unLS, So aulo, 1997.
_____________________ ClberculLura, creacln y lnLeracLlvldad". ln: ue la panLalla al arLe
Lransgenlco. La lerla, !orge ( org.) Llbros del 8o[as, 8uenos Alres, 2000
______________________. uomlngues, ulana. lnLeracLlvlLy and 8lLual: body dlalogues wlLh
arLlflclal sysLems" ln: CaLlogo: SlCC8AP 99, 26Lh lnLernaLlonal Conference on CompuLer
Craphlcs and lnLeracLlve Lechnlques., Los Angeles, uSA. Cu 8om -A81 CALLL8? - CrlLlcal
Lssals, 1999.
________________________.1he ueserL of asslons and 1he 1echnologlcal Soul" - ln: ulglLal
CreaLlvlLy, 1998, vol., n.1, SweLs & ZelLllnger, uk, pp 11-18.
_____________________. Cl8L8A81L: lronLelras complexas do senLlr em amblenLes de
pesqulsas arLlsLlcas e clenLlflcas" ln: uomlngues , ulana (org), CaLlogo da LlecLronlc ArL
LxhlblLlon, Sl8C8Al 2000, 13Lh 8razlllan Symposlum on CompuLer Craphlcs and lmage
rocesslng", Lorlgraph, Caxlas do Sul, 2000.

u8uCk8L?, 1ymoLhy. LlecLronlc CulLure". AperLure loundaLlon: new ?ork,1996.

LSCC8A8, 1lclo. La Maldlclon de nemur". ueparLamenLo de uocumenLaclon e
lnvesLlgaclones, CenLro de ArLes vlsuales/Museu del 8arro, lmprenso en lmprenLa LdlLorlal
ArLe nuevo, Asuncln - araguay, 1999.

!CnLS, SLephen. 1owards a hllosophy of vlrLual 8eallLy: lssues lmpllclL ln Consclousness
8eframed". ln: Leonardo, volume 33, number 2. 2000, Ml1 ress

LAlCn, !acques. LsLheLlque de l'lmage de synLhese. La Lrace de l'ange. L'ParmaLLan, arls
1999.

LA lL8LA, ue la panLalla al arLe Lransgenlco". Ld. Llbros del 8o[as, 8uenos Alres 2000.

LLv?, lerre. A lnLellgncla ColeLlva - por uma anLropologla do clberespao". Ldles Loyola,
So aulo, S, 1998.

LCvL!C?, MargoL. osLmodern CurrenLs - ArL and ArLlsLs ln Lhe Age of LleLronlc Medla".
Slmon & SchusLer/A vlacon Company, renLlce Pall, upper Saddle, new !ersey 1997.

MACPAuC, Arllndo. Ll alsa[e MedlLlco -Sobre el desaflo de las poeLlcas Lecnolglcas Ld.
Llbros del 8o[as, unlversldad de 8uenos Alres, 2000.

ClSSAn1, Loulse (org.). LsLheLlque des ArLs MedlaLlques". resses de l'unlverslLe du
Cuebec, MonLreal, 1993.

MC8ln, Ldgar. C meLodo - C ConheclmenLo do ConheclmenLo". ubllcaes Luropa Amerlca,
orLugal, 1986.
____________. Complexldade e eLlca da solldarledade. ln: Morln, ln: CasLro de, CusLavo,
Carvalho, Ldgard de Assls e Almelda, Marla da Concelo de (Crg.). Lnsalos de
Complexldade". LdlLora Sullna - Ldufrln - LdlLora da ul8n, orLo Alegre, 1997, pg., 13.


L8nlCLA, Marlo. 1ranslLl: come sl va dello sLesso allo sLesso, 8ologna, 8lblloLeca Capelll,
1989.
___________________. ensando o 8lLual. Sexualldade, MorLe, Mundo. SLudlo

nobel, So aulo, 2000.

8AuC, CllberLLo. ueserLese[o: um pro[eLo de amblenLe vlrLual de mulLlusurlo na Web". ln:
uomlngues , ulana (org).CaLlogo da LlecLronlc ArL LxhlblLlon, Sl8C8Al 2000, 13Lh 8razlllan
Symposlum on CompuLer Craphlcs and lmage rocesslng".. Lorlgraph, Caxlas do Sul, 2000.

ClSSAn1, Loulse (org.). LsLheLlque des ArLs MedlaLlques". resses de l'unlverslLe du
Cuebec, MonLreal, 1993.

CL8, lrank ArL of LlecLronlc Age". ln CaLalogue. 1hames and Pudson, London, 1993.

SAlLLC1, lsabelle, 8lock -noLes, sobre LlnscrlpLlon corporelle de l''esprlL" , varela lranclsco,
1hompson Lvan e Lleanor 8osch, Seull, arls, 1993. ln"8lock-noLes, ArL eL nouvelles
1echnologles, L"AvenLure Pumalne , Savolrs, LlberLes, ouvolrs, , arls,1993.

SlCA8u, Monlque. Chercheurs ou arLlsLes? - LnLre arL eL sclence, lls rvenL le monde".
LdlLlons AuLremenL Serle MuLaLlons n 138, arls, 1993.

1LlxLl8A, !oo de lernandes, MenLes e Mqulnas, orLo Alegre, ArLes Medlcas, 1998.

S1uA81, 8ussel and nC8vlC, eLer. ArLlflclal lnLelllgence, A Modern Approach, renLlce Pall:
Lnglewood Cllffs, new !ersey, 1993.

vLn1u8LLLl, venLurelll. ldenLldades e lnLerao Soclal no Clberespao". ln: uomlngues ,
ulana (org). CaLlogo da LlecLronlc ArL LxhlblLlon, Sl8C8Al 2000, 13Lh 8razlllan Symposlum
on CompuLer Craphlcs and lmage rocesslng", Lorlgraph, Caxlas do Sul, 2000.

vA8LLA, lranclsco, ll relncanLo del concreLo". ln: Capuccl ler Lulgl, ll Corpo 1ecnologlco,
l'lnfluenza delle Lechnologle sul corpo e sulle sue facolLa, 8ologna,8asrkervllle, 1994.

ZullC, !oo AnLonlo. A lnfoera - C lmenso uesaflo do luLuro". LdlLora Saber LLda, So
aulo - S, 1997.


***

1 A81LCnC lnLegraLed 8esearch Croup 2001: new 1echnologles ln vlsual ArLs -unlversldade
de Caxlas do Sul/Cnq/lAL8CS - 8razll hLLp:// arLecno.ucs.br - ddomlng[ucs.Lche.br

ro[ecL and arLlsLlc dlrecLlon: rof. ura. ulana uomlngues- AuLomaLlon and 8oboLlcs: rof.
CeLullo MarLlns Luplon - L1 - CompuLer Sclences SofLware: - CusLavo 8randallse LazzaroLLo
lC CnC - Celson Cardoso 8elnaldo - l8lC CnC - uenlson Llnus da MoLLa 1avares- l8lC uCS
- Maurlclo dos assos - lC uCS - A81S- Pypermedla: Llllam 8eaLrlz Maschlo- lC Cnq , Carlne
Soares 1urelly uCS, vlvlane uossln , lC lAL8CS - 1echnlcal and communlcaLlon supporL:

Solange 8ossa 8aldlsseroLLo - uCS/ Cnq - SLelamarls de Cllvelra uCS - Speclal Lhanks:
unlverslLy of Caxlas do Sul, Cnq, lAL8CS.

2 ln Lhe conLexL of CyberculLure, Lhere are several researches relaLed Lo arLlsLlc creaLlvlLy and
sclenLlflc lnvesLlgaLlons. l hlghllgLh Leonardo !ournal and Leonardo LlecLronlc Almanac LexLs,
Lhe dlscusslons and exhlblLlons ln several evenLs as Ars LlecLronlca, 1he 8anff CenLre's
SummlLs, lSLA's Conferences. l hlghllghL lSLA2000, colloque "L'arL a l'ere posL-blologlque" ln
arls, organlzed by CLA1S, l'CbservaLolre Leonardo des ArLs eL des 1echnosclences e CAllA-
S1A8., CenLre for Advanced lnqulry ln Lhe lnLeracLlve ArLs. 1he lasL one also hold slnce 1977
Lhe conference: Counsclouness 8eframed: arL ln Lhe posL blologlcal era".

3 ue kerckhove, uerrlck. 8emapplng sensorlale nella realLa". ln. Capuccl, ler Lulgl, ll Corpo
Lecnolglco, 8askervllle, 8ologna, 1994.

4 8erger 8ene, ue L'"Agora a L'lnLerneL. ln: ArL eL nouvelles 1echnologles, L"AvenLure
Pumalne, Savolrs, LlberLes, ouvolrs., , arls,1993.

3 See Anders, eLer's book abouL lnvesLlgaLlons concernlng space as a Lool for cognlLlon:
AnuL8S, eLer. Lnvlslonlng Cyberspace - ueslgnlng 3u LleLronlc Spaces". McCraw-Plll, 1he
unlLed SLaLes of Amerlca, 1999.

61o couple means here Lo be connecLed Lo Lechnologles". 1hls word wlll ofLen appear ln
Lhe LexL and lL ls relaLed Lo varela's Lheory and hls relaLlonshlp of blology and culLure whaL ls
qulLe lmporLanL Lo lnLeracLlve arL

7 Ldmond CouchoL, experL ln lnLeracLlve arL, lncludes ln arL dlscusslon Lhe sojet
oppotelll and Lhe sojet lotetfoc where Lhe Lechnlcal apparaLus change arL process. See
CouchoL, Ldmond. LA 1LCPnCLCClL uAnS L'A81 ue la phoLographle a la reallLe vlrLuelle".
LdlLlons !acquellne Chambon, 1998, nimes.

8 See 1he blology of lnLeracLlvlLy". ln: ue kerckhove, uerrlck. ConnecLed lnLelllgence - 1he
Arrlval of Lhe web SocleLy". ln: Somervllle Pouse ubllshlng a dlvlson of Somervllle Pouse
8ooks LlmlLed, 1oronLo - CnLarlo, 1997. .17 -36.

9 !ohn Polland aL Lhe unlverslLy of Mlchlgan ln Lhe slxLles ls Lhe plonner of geneLlc algorlLhms
used Lo deslgn [eL englnes. ln Lhe arL appllcaLlon we have Wllllan LaLhan, uarrel Anderson,
karl Slms, Lhe nerves Leam, Lhe organlzaLlon called 8loLa, and oLher arLlsLs as Lhe french
researcher Mlcel 8reL. lochlro kawaguchl ln !apan ls also one of Lhe plonners now worklng
wlLh Crow model". MosL recenLly, Lhe A18 CenLer ln kyoLo, has ChrlsLa Sommerer and
LaurenL Mlgnonneau reseraches ln arLlflclal llve.

10 1elxelra, !oo de lernandes, MenLes e Mqulnas, ArLes Medlcas, orLo Alegre, 1998.

11 1haL ls Lhe mosL generlc deflnlLlon abouL agenLs. Speclal sLudles we can flnd ln some
LheorlsL as ln Lhe book: S1uA81, 8ussel and nC8vlC, eLer. ArLlflclal lnLelllgence, A Modern
Approach, renLlce Pall: Lnglewood Cllffs, new !ersey, 1993.

12 See speclal chapLers abouL AvaLar's worlds, cyberllfe and geneLlc arL, ln 8ruce uamer's

book AvaLars!".. uamer, 8ruce. AvaLars! Lxplorlng and 8ulldlng vlrLual Worlds on Lhe
lnLerneL. Ld. eachplL ress, 1998.

13 Among oLher vlrLual envlronmenLs Lhere are Alphaworlds" and alace" on Lhe web.

14 Mlchel 8reL ln hls Lheorles abouL evoluLlonlsm ln compuLer lmages, emphaslzes LhaL Lhe
regeneraLlon capaclLy ls a quallLy LhaL aLLracLs arLlsLs because Lo be ouL of a rlgld sofLware
lmplles more chances Lo creaLlvlLy.

13 CouchoL, Ldmond, Medlas eL lmmedlas, ln: ALLLZAuu, 8oberL. (Crg.) ArL eL
CommunlcaLlon. arls, 1986

16 ldem op. clL 7, pg. 239

17 ldem op. clL 4.

18 varela, lranclsco, ll relncanLo del concreLo". ln: Capuccl ler Lulgl, ll Corpo 1ecnologlco,
l'lnfluenza delle Lechnologle sul corpo e sulle sue facolLa", 8ologna,8askervllle, 1994.

19 Apud SallloL lsabelle, 8lock -noLes, sobre LlnscrlpLlon corporelle de l''esprlL" , varela
lranclsco, 1homposon Lvan e Lleanor 8osch, Seull, arls, 1993. ln"8lock-noLes, ArL eL
nouvelles 1echnologles, L"AvenLure Pumalne , Savolrs, LlberLes, ouvolrs, , arls,1993.

20 1elxelra, !oo de lernandes, MenLes e Mqulnas, ArLes Medlcas, orLo Alegre, 1998.

21See Lhe lLallan phllosopher Marlo ernlola's aesLheLlc Lheorles concernlng "cosa" and
"LranslL" . ln: 1ranslLl: Capelll LdlL. lLaly, 1988 and Lnlgml. Ldlzlonl CosLa & nolan, Cenova,
lLaly, 1990.

22 8oy AscoLL, dlrecLor do CallA/SLar uses Lhe expresslon molsL reallLy" ln hls Lheorles
concernlng posL-blologlcal.

23 CouchoL, Ldmond's . otte lo 1toose et lolqotltbme, 1998, ln Lhe caLalogue of Lhe
exhlblLlon 18AnS-L , My 8ody, My 8lood, LuuCS, Caxlas do Sul, 1998, where he commenLs
Lhe Lrance sLaLes proposed by Lhe lnsLallaLlon as relaLed Lo Lhe ldea of dlglLal sysLems.

24 Lscobar, 1lclo. La Maldlclon de nemur". ueparLamenLo de uocumenLaclon e
lnvesLlgaclones, CenLro de ArLes vlsuales/Museu del 8arro, lmprenso en lmprenLa LdlLorlal
ArLe nuevo, Asuncln - araguay, 1999.

23 See ernlola, Marlo, 1ranslLl, come sl va dello sLesso allo sLesso", 8ologna, 8lblloLeca
Capelll, 1989.
26 Sara D|amond, Art|st|c D|rector Med|a and V|sua| Art at the 8anff Centre ( 8anff, A|berta,
Canada) was the co-ord|nator of the event w|th the facu|ty moderators: koy Ascott,
ph||osophy of sc|ence, art and the researcher, Maroon 1abba|, 8|osc|ence and the facu|ty
consu|t|ng: Char Dav|es, Art and comput|ng sc|ence, eco|ogy.

27 ureamlng bodles: anlmal and human" parLlclpanLs: Marcelo WalLer, unlslnos, Marls

8usLamanLe, unlverslLy of Mexlco, ulana uomlngues. unlverslLy of Caxlas do Sul, Sara
ulamond, 8anff CenLre, nlna Czegledy, 1oronLo, 8lcardo eralLa unAM, Mexlco.

28 ZullC, !oo AnLonlo. A lnfoera - C lmenso uesaflo do luLuro". LdlLora Saber LLda, So
aulo - S, 1997.

29 l n S n (P) A k (8) L S - hLLp://arLecno/ucs.br/lnsnakes 1echnlcal ConcepL. 1he users
collaboraLe wlLh llfe of serpenLs whlch recelve waLer from a movlng roboL. 1he sysLem allows
for Lelepresence and roboLlcs. lmages of Lhe envlronmenL are capLured Lhrough a CCu vldeo
camera coupled Lo a roboLlc sysLem conslsLlng of slx servomoLors whlch moves around among
Lhe serpenLs under Lhe command of a conLroller. 1he lnLerface ls an appleL ln !ava so allowlng
Lhe parLlclpanLs from dlfferenL compuLlng plaLforms Lo collaboraLe wlLh Lhe llfe of Lhe snakes.
MovemenL commands comlng from Lhe keyboard are LransmlLLed Lhrough Lhe neL and cause
Lhe roboL Lo move around ln Lhe serpenLarlum. 1he sysLem conslsLs of four modules each of
Lhem havlng a speclflc funcLlon and lnLercommunlcaLlng - an appleL developed ln !ava ls
responslble for Lhe lnLeracLlon and recelves from Lhe vldeo server, Lhrough Lhe 1C/l
proLocol, Lhe frames shown besldes capLurlng Lhe movemenL commands.A vldeo capLure
sofLware ln C++ for a Wln32 envlronmenL whlch uses a Al vldeo for Wlndows capLures Lhe
lmages of Lhe vldeo camera and communlcaLes Lhrough 1C/l wlLh Lhe server by sendlng lL
Lhe frames acqulred. 1he vldeo server developed ln C for Lhe unlx plaLform ls responslble for
Lhe vldeo dlsLrlbuLlon. ln addlLlon, by uslng Lhe message lnLerchange mechanlsm among Lhe
modules connecLed Lo Lhe server movemenL commands are senL Lo Lhe capLure sofLware
whlch ln lLs Lurn sends Lhem forLh Lo Lhe movemenL sofLware. 1he laLLer, creaLed ln C for uCS
envlronmenL, uses an Al 8C8lx Lo cause Lhe roboL's servomoLors Lo move.

30

31 1hls lnsLallaLlon has been presenLed aL Medl[Lerra lnLernaLlonal exhlblLlon, ALhens,
Creece, november 2000 and provoked a loL of lmpresslve emoLlonal responses from Lhe
audlence.

32 \om J2 ls o softwote JevelopeJ by tbe CompuLer Sclence fellow ln ArLecno Leam,
CusLavo 8randallse LazzaroLLo.

33 See ArLecno/uCS Leam ln noLe 1. Speclal Lhanks Lo CompuLer Sclence Leam, parLlcularlly Lo
CusLavo 8randallse LazzaroLLo auLhor of ?A3uL sofLware and Celson Cardoso 8elnaldo
coordlnaLor of Lhe dlfferenL Lasks. 1he hardware lnLerface Lo capLure sound waves ls
auLhored by CusLavo ZolleL followlng Lng. CeLullo MarLlns Luplon pro[ecL.