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ARTiVIS Artist in Residency with SINAIS project at MITI/UMA

The ARTiVIS project is participating in an Artist in Residency program at the University of Madeira in close collaboration with the SINAIS eco feedback project team.

We will share ongoing developments in our research work that could be of interest to the SINAIS project, namely the design of a networked open hardware forest surveillance kit, and Play With Fire, a public interactive installation that engages participants with live video of forests and generative real-time graphics overlays.

The proposed goals of this Artist in Residency program are:


  • Scout Laurissilva sites, and test the potential for setting up an ARTiVIS surveillance kit on site for storing data and providing a live feed of the landscape to be used in further developments.

  • Bridge Play with Fire with SINAIS by setting up a version of the installation at a public venue in Madeira . This setup would allow us to design and carry out user experience evaluation with the support of the SINAIS team

  • Collaborate with the SINAIS team in order to share insights and data from our work and receive valuable feedback from them. This would lead to brainstorming the concept and design of a public installation for SINAIS eco feedback.

  • Generate publications, submissions for art venues and disseminations of results. We propose that these tasks be completed over a period of six months comprising two residency periods at Madeira and a research and development period in the mainland.


Here is the video that documents part 1 of the Artist in Residency program »

[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/42145883 w=524&h=295]

The first residency period occurred in the week from 23 to 29 of January and involved:


  • Contacting local Laurissilva forest spots, scouting places to install test equipment.

  • Setting up a version of the Play With Fire installation for testing at the Tecnopolo.

  • Meeting with SINAIS group to present ARTiVIS and Play With Fire.

  • Evaluating the installation design in collaboration with HCI experts from SINAIS.

  • Brainstorming with the SINAIS team about their eco-feedback public installation.

  • Working on location testing the Laurissilva forest setup and Play With Fire installation, preparing for the upcoming exhibition at Pavilhão do Conhecimento.

  • Documenting and planning development objectives for the July residency period.


We had a great time in Madeira with the SINAIS team and we are already working on improving Play With Fire and testing the components for the DIY forest surveillance kit for the second residency period around July.

Meanwhile, here are some photos and the link for the residency full flickr set »

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