Telegarden
Encyclopedia
The TeleGarden was a telerobotic
community garden for the Internet. Starting in the mid-1990s, it allowed users to view, plant and take care of a small garden, using an Adept-1
industrial
robotic arm
controlled online.
The project began at the University of Southern California
with project directors Ken Goldberg
of University of Southern California, and Joseph Santarromana, a University of California, Irvine
artist at the time known for his video installations. They envisioned it as an art installation challenging the notion of the Internet and "consider[ing] the 'post-nomadic
' community, where survival favors those who work together."
Project members included George A. Bekey
, Steven Gentner, Rosemary Morris, Carl Sutter, Jeff Wiegley, and Erich Berger.
The Telegarden went online in June 1995. During its first year, it attracted over 9000 members. In September 1996, the Telegarden was moved to the Ars Electronica Center
in Austria where it was originally planned to be on display for one year, though it ended up remaining active until .
This new media art raised questions of the legitimacy of the internet. How are users to know that the garden actually exists, or that any of their motions matter? Goldberg stresses that, "media technology generally facilities the suspension of disbelief
."
. People became protective of plants, even territorial.
Telerobotics
Telerobotics is the area of robotics concerned with the control of robots from a distance, chiefly using wireless connections , "tethered" connections, or the Internet...
community garden for the Internet. Starting in the mid-1990s, it allowed users to view, plant and take care of a small garden, using an Adept-1
Adept Technology
Adept Technology, Inc. is a multinational corporation with headquarters in Pleasanton, California . The company focuses on industrial automation and robotics, including software and vision guidance. Adept has offices throughout the United States as well as in Dortmund, Germany, Paris, France, and...
industrial
Industrial robot
An industrial robot is defined by ISO as an automatically controlled, reprogrammable, multipurpose manipulator programmable in three or more axes...
robotic arm
Robotic arm
A mechanical arm is a robotic, usually programmable, with similar functions to a human arm. The links of such a manipulator are connected by joints allowing either rotational motion or translational displacement. The links of the manipulator can be considered to form a kinematic chain...
controlled online.
The project began at the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
with project directors Ken Goldberg
Ken Goldberg
Kenneth Y. Goldberg is a Professor of Industrial Engineering and OperationsResearch , with a joint appointment in Electrical Engineering and...
of University of Southern California, and Joseph Santarromana, a University of California, Irvine
University of California, Irvine
The University of California, Irvine , founded in 1965, is one of the ten campuses of the University of California, located in Irvine, California, USA...
artist at the time known for his video installations. They envisioned it as an art installation challenging the notion of the Internet and "consider[ing] the 'post-nomadic
Nomadic pastoralism
Nomadic pastoralism is a form of agriculture where livestock are herded in order to find fresh pastures on which to graze following an irregular pattern of movement - in contrast with transhumance where seasonal pastures are fix. The herded livestock may include cattle, yaks, sheep, goats,...
' community, where survival favors those who work together."
Project members included George A. Bekey
George A. Bekey
George A. Bekey is a renowned American roboticist and the Professor Emeritus of Computer Science, Electrical Engineering and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Southern California. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and a Fellow in various professional societies...
, Steven Gentner, Rosemary Morris, Carl Sutter, Jeff Wiegley, and Erich Berger.
The Telegarden went online in June 1995. During its first year, it attracted over 9000 members. In September 1996, the Telegarden was moved to the Ars Electronica Center
Ars Electronica Center
The Ars Electronica Center is a center for electronic arts run by Ars Electronica situated in Linz, Austria, at the northern side of the Danube opposite the city hall of Linz. It has been built on the right side of the Nibelungenbrücke....
in Austria where it was originally planned to be on display for one year, though it ended up remaining active until .
Concept
The concept behind the Telegarden was inspired by the internet. It is a fusion between old technology (agriculture) and new technology (the internet). The notion of a physical garden that is operated by users online was appealing to Goldberg because "it was the most absurd".This new media art raised questions of the legitimacy of the internet. How are users to know that the garden actually exists, or that any of their motions matter? Goldberg stresses that, "media technology generally facilities the suspension of disbelief
Suspension of disbelief
Suspension of disbelief or "willing suspension of disbelief" is a formula for justifying the use of fantastic or non-realistic elements in literary works of fiction...
."
Users
In its nine years of existence the installation had 10,000 members, and 100,000 people visited the physical exhibit. The user interactivity created a miniature social networkSocial network
A social network is a social structure made up of individuals called "nodes", which are tied by one or more specific types of interdependency, such as friendship, kinship, common interest, financial exchange, dislike, sexual relationships, or relationships of beliefs, knowledge or prestige.Social...
. People became protective of plants, even territorial.
External links
- Telegarden homepage from Ken Goldberg
- Ken Goldberg's UC Berkeley homepage
- Telegarden Review from the IEEE
- Introduction to Telegarden by Ars Electronic (Linz, Austria)
- Photo Collage and Description from "Database of Virtual Art" (virtualart.at)
- "Telematic Connections," Curated Piece on the Development of Telepresence from the Walker Art CenterWalker Art CenterThe Walker Art Center is a contemporary art center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. The Walker is considered one of the nation's "big five" museums for modern art along with the Museum of Modern Art, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim Museum and the Hirshhorn...
- "A Performance Space without Geographical Boundaries" (1977) from ecafe.com
- Muntadas's "File Room" (1994)