Exhibition

Zeitgenosse

http://danielsauter.com/zeitgenosse

Description

Zeitgenosse is an emerging species of the autonomous kind—a 'comrade of time'. It carries the signifier of state and status proudly and faithfully in a pathetic balancing act—confounded like Sisyphus until the end of time. The vehicle is a semi-autonomous balancing robot carrying a 18ft flag pole and a flag, built on the ketai sensor and location classes. The vehicle is controlled by an Arduino micro controller (the patellar reflex or knee-jerk for balancing) and an Android phone (the brain for detecting mobile phones in vicinity, steering and following a GPS path). Both devices work in tandem to balance gravity and vehicle intentions. Wind and passers-by temporarily adopt the vehicle until it is abandoned, returning back to its dedicated spot.