Dia de los Muertes in Second Life

Postcard from Penelope in Second Life

The Smithsonian Museum Latino is about to launch their Second Life presence. This will coincide with the Day of the Dead, a Mexican day honoring the ancestors. Astrodime is sponsoring a collaboration between Lesley University, and the Smithsonian Latino Center as part of our Scientific American/La America Cientifica year long project. This has also come out because of the hard work from the Critical Pedagogy committees and Diversity committees at Lesley University. AstroDime member sam smiley will be visiting the real world Smithsonian Museum Latino this week in D.C.

You can get to the Smithsonian Latino Project by going to: http://latino.si.edu/education/LVM.htm

Or you can join virtually by going to
http://latino.si.edu/education/LVMDayoftheDeadFestival.htm

Smithsonian Latino 2nd Life

To take part in the festival virtually, participants must have an avatar in
Second Life and can
join by going to:
http://latino.si.edu/education/LVMDayoftheDeadFestival.htm.
Dia de los Muertos is celebrated in Latin America, particularly Mexico and
Central America, and in Latino communities in the United States to honor deceased family and friends through altars called “ofrendas” and by decorating cemeteries and individual tombstones. Offerings traditionally
include sugar skulls, marigolds, “pan de muertos” (a special Day of the Day
bread) and the material goods the deceased enjoyed while alive.
“With the growing number of Latinos in the United States, including people
of Latin American descent, it is no surprise that this holiday, traditionally celebrated Nov. 1 and 2, has become so popular
in the United States,” said Melissa Carrillo, director of New Media and
Technology at the Smithsonian Latino Center. “Illustrating this important aspect of Latino culture in a broad platform such as Second
Life will allow users from across the world an opportunity to participate in
and see firsthand, spiritual customs that have been passed on from ancient Mesoamerica.”
Highlights include a community altar in the virtual museum’s “Placita” (town
square) and a companion community altar in Virtual Native Lands, a partner site in Second Life focused on highlighting Native American culture and practices. Virtual museum resources include Smithsonian
Latino collections, a user’s guide, glossary, lesson plans and resource
links for educators. Teaching tools for teachers about key elements of the observance include the Spanish arrival, customs and
beliefs, traditional dancing and the importance of the return of spirits.

Astrodime at Maker Faire Rhode Island

Astrodime at Maker Faire Rhode Island

Sept 30 2009 by Amanda

This is a recap of Astrodime’s experience at the Maker Faire festival in Providence, RI. The website for the festival is at http://makerfaireri.com/.

On Saturday, September 19 the Astrodime Transit Authority demonstrated our tin can telecommunications system at the Maker Faire Rhode Island festival. The technicians of Astrodime, including sam, Julia, Lisa, and Amanda worked directly with adults and young children in using the AstroCan communications systems. Many adults were eager to prove to their children that the tin can system worked just as well as their iPHONES.

Set in the heart of the Financial District in Providence, Astrodime’s exhibition consisted of 2 videos displaying the most current INtransit journal “Can You Hear Me Now?” and “Secret Decoder”. Also on display were the hand-crafted iCANs, tin can phones, and wire tapping devices. Between 2pm and 10pm locals and out of towners experimented with our iCAN, tin can party line, and tin can phone wiretapping. Throughout the day, over 200 people tested the tin can communication device, and sam experimented with our wiretapping capabilities.

Maker Faire is the foremost event for grassroots American innovation. Being the first Maker Faire festival in Providence, this event attracted over 50 makers, inventors, and artists to showcase their most recent inventions. One of the highlights of the day was the disco bicycle party, designed by the custom frame bike-makers Circle A Cycles; another rare gadgeteer was Tellart, and they installed an interactive mixed reality pong game that people could play by wearing helmuts with IR LED’s attached. As Maker Faire continued into the late evening, the Providence River was set on fire as the themed “Celebration of Life” Waterfire festival took place!

Sam and Julia on the iPHONES

Astrodime using the Party Line

Astrodime technology

The iCAN and the iPhone

On Saturday, March 21, the intrepid AstroDames did a Happening Event on Newbury Street in Boston, Massachusetts, going up Boylston Street, and ending at the Apple Store. Our research objective was to find out what initial consumer response would be to the iCAN.

Julia testing the iCAN and text messaging for a customer

We met at the Tealuxe (AKA our Green Room) on Newbury Street. We put on our vests and starting walking down the street.
We had some compliments on our system from a woman on Newbury Street. We also almost bumped into several shoppers, clad in black, talking on their cell phones. When Maryann and Julia had their iCANs, we noted that they were having the problems of crowd avoidance while talking on the iCAN.

We headed up Boyston with Bebe and the trusty AstroBike (TM) carrying our equipment and refreshments. The gentleman to the right and between the pillars asked us if he could try the iCAN (TM). we gave it to him, and he said into the phone “Can you hear me now?”. Our studies show that lots of people are compelled to say “Can you hear me now?” when talking into a tin can.

Maryann and Julia couldn’t resist trying out our new “talk time” option.

Unlimited minutes with the AstroDime Plan

We finally parked ourselves in front of the Apple Store, where much to my surprise, lots of tourists were already taking pictures. (kindof like going to the Hard Rock Cafe).

oooo ahhh - sound of trumpets

Maryann and Julia were still using their AstroDime talk minutes.

Julia and Maryann testing the iCANs in front of a giant iPhone

Bebe suggested we test out our new text messaging feature, which we expect to add on to the after-Beta version. Preliminary feedback has been pretty good..although some of the messages get stuck en route. But that’s why they call it Beta, right?

Security came out from the Apple Store..a tall gentlemen who told us that since Apple owns the ENTIRE sidewalk, we had to move on. As we disputed this, a guy pulling out of a parking space in front of the store offered us his parking spot (he still had an hour left). We moved the 4 of us and the bike into the spot, only to be yelled at by people in cars who wanted the spot. (NOTE: we still had 1 hour of time!)

Not wanting to be run over, we moved out of the parking spot next to the bike parking, still across from the Apple store. We were getting cold and decided to pack up. AS we were preparing to leave, a woman who introduced herself as the “Bitch of Boylston Street” told us we had every right to be on that part of the sidewalk, and if the security personel came out again, SHE would call the police on our behalf.

We thanked her, but by now we were REALLY cold and needed to get coffee or something. Maybe we’ll take her up on her offer next time!

-sam smiley

iCan Featured in Citywide Section of Boston Globe

Sam and Gina’s presentation of the iCan was featured in an article by Katherine McInerney on December 21, 2008.  Only available in the actual paper was a photo of the audience’s engaged and beaming faces as they learned about the new possibilities for communication with ATA’s latest product offering- priceless! Check out complete article here.

Glitch and Secret Decoder Ring Nov 23!

On Saturday November 22 at 8pm, AstroDime Transit Authority will be screening INtransit V.4 “What the [ glitch ] ?!” and INtransit V.3 “Secret Decoder Ring” in the lobby of Brickbottom Artist building. The screening will be free and open to the public. You will also have a chance to see and use the new iCAN and give customer feedback.

The location is in Somerville, Massachusetts. The best way to get here from the T is the Lechmere Green Line stop, walk up McGrath Highway to the right, and then after you go over the bridge, (you will see Brickbottom to your right) there will be some stairs. They will take you to the building. There is also parking available. Here’s more directions, and check out the open studios Nov 22-23 as well!

Brickbottom Artists Association

Tin Can Telecommunications at NubLabs

Nublabs is ..how do you explain it? an art, science, education and pranks collective that hosts twice monthly talks at various venues around Boston.

Their web site is http://www.nublabs.com and their blog is at http://www.nubtalks.wordpress.com/

AstroDime will be presenting on Tin Can Telecommunications, followed by a talk by nublabbers on Prank Science. Check it out!

Time: 7-10pm
Date: Sunday 11.9.08
Location: Tapeo on Newbury Street

Got Glitch? 8pm Nov 1 in Lowell

INtransit V.4: Got Glitch? release party followed with performances by Id M Theftable + Birdorgan

Id M Theftable – voice and objects
+
Birdorgan:
Marc Bisson – tabletop guitar and objects
deiX – vocals
Mike Fun – analog synth
Mike Dailey – drums
Walter Wright – analog synth and video

Video in a suitcase

Here are some pictures from AstroDime’s installation on Oct 17-19. Basically, Bebe, sam and Ali projected video in a suitcase, put Queen Victoria’s and President Buchanan’s voices in tin cans, and hung the vests.

The gallery space was pretty interesting.

Video in a suitcase

President Buchanan in a can

AstroDime and Bumpkin island exhibit october 17-19!

Studio Soto is hosting a Bumpkin Island exhibit for this weekend’s open studios at Fort Point Channel in Boston. Included in that is an installation by AstroDime. It chronicles our land mass tin can telephone connection between Bumpkin Island and Sunset Point in Hull, a reenactment which commemorates the Transatlantic cable of 1858. Check it all out!

The reception at Studio Soto is from 6-8PM on Sunday October 19. Location is listed below.

Studio Soto
http://studiosoto.jot.com/WikiHome

Fort Point Open Studios:
http://www.fortpointarts.org/cgi-bin/FPAC?s=open_studios

•Where: 35 Channel Center St, (corner; Thompson Design Group)

•When: Friday October 17 – Sunday Oct. 19; hours Fri – 4-7pm;

Sat, and Sun: 11am-6pm.

Reception: Sunday October 19, 6-8pm

AstroDime at Rock and Roll Yard Sale

Mary Ann, Sam, and Gina went to the Rock and Roll Yard Sale in Union Square, Somerville on Sept. 6. It mostly had mostly vinyl, but a few people bought DVD’s. It was really fun and the evening ended with a screening in which an awesome music group called Devil Music Ensemble created a live soundtrack performance to “Red Heroine”, a silent martial arts film from China 1929.

Selling AstroDime videos and T-Gina comix