CoMob and CoMob Net

So after looking into CoMob further, there are two available GPS based apps for the iphone. The first is the original CoMob application which uses the locative information of the iPhone to determine the users location, and the info is sent to a specified server and recorded. The second application CoMob Net is more of a visual based system that uses the same GPS tracking as the first but displays the users location on top of Google Maps, rather than a co-ordinates based visual.

Comob is a digital arts project that explores the potential for collaborative mapping with GPS technology. Comob was developed as a research tool to explore social and spatial relationships between people in motion.

This shows the CoMob net and CoMob Apps in action (respectively)

Slight Change of Plan...

So after speaking to Mike about my proposed idea of using GPS tracking to create a 4D based film. He suggested that instead of using the data to create a fictional representation why not use the GPS data and represent it for real. This got me thinking about how I could represent it well. I then came across the idea of using the tracking data to create an artistic representation, which will use the GPS tracks to create a visual form of navigation.

Mike brought up Geocaching in response to this idea. Geocaching is basically an activity in which participants use GPS to locate caches in different locations. A lot like orienteering but using technology rather than maps. This lead to me thinking about how I could use this idea of GPS tracking technology mixed with geocaching to create a real time representation by actually involving people to participate in a geocaching project that would result in there GPS tracking locations forming real time representations of time and space.

Mike advised me to contact Chris Speed, formerly the head of i-Dat as he is involved in a GPS tracking application that could provide me with the data I need to accomplish this idea.

4D Project Proposal

The idea I have for the 4D project is that I have decided to use the technology of GPS in order to create a narrative using real collected data. I will create a film based upon the recordings of a GPS tracking app on an iPhone and to link it directly to Google maps so I can view and record my exact movements. The idea is to record my movement and navigation through a 12 hour daily time period for 2 weeks. This recorded data will be inputted into Google maps in order to have an accurate account of my movement. Once the data is collated of my movements I plan to use this to create a video based film to represent my findings.

The film is to be based upon the idea of time travel and being able to re-live moments and events that have already occurred, in this instance it will be selected data from the GPS recordings to show my navigation through time and space based upon where I have already been. The film will begin with a first person perspective shot that is to be based on present day navigation or a journey I would typically make, e.g. my walk to campus on a Monday morning. From this shot I will pull out my iPhone and overlay an animated graphic to give the illusion of entering a time machine list (Think Apple Time Machine) The view of first person shot will drop and reveal videos of myself in a 3rd person overlaid upon the current 1^st person shot and every navigation I may have made in that area within the two weeks at that exact time. So basically the shot will show me at the current time in every location that is in the camera shot with a time and date annotated graphics above each one of me. (Opening scene of Stranger than fiction-esq)

Within the first person shot not only will the viewer see every ‘me’ at that time and location but also the times and dates displayed of the recorded data, that will then go into a series of chosen times and dates and jump to a first person shot of me navigating at that exact time at my exact location as recorded previously by tracking. Similar to how you would choose a time and date to restore in Apples ‘Time Machine’ tool. I will post a storyboard and graphic layout shortly to aid this proposal and to give a better illustrated description of what will take place.

4D Project Ideas

After a few sessions with Mike delivering numerous examples of time based media and the way in which time and spacial awareness can be expressed, I came up with a few different ideas based on using real time data and how that can be represented in a visual form. I did think about expanding upon a project from the first year in which we tracked navigation through an area using discoverable bluetooth devices, but after some thought I felt that there would be a more fresh idea in particular with better technology available some 2 years on.

In the dome session, GPS tracking was mentioned and how it can be recorded within Googlemaps and google earth to show the movement and navigation of a person via the use of a GPS system such as an in car Sat Nav or GPS enabled smart phone. It turns out that a free iphone app is available for this very task. From this I then set about thinking of a way that I can represent the tracking of something or someone and how to visually show this. After thinking of a number of ideas that have pretty much already been done before and aren't particularly interesting I stumbled upon another technology that I think would work with the GPS tracking idea very well, in the form of a film.