Danchuk Y.S, Perevalov D.S.EACA (Ekaterinburg Academy

Modern Art), Ekaterinburg

TELEPRESENSE PROJECTS IN OPEN SPACES

Abstract

The paper is devoted to the analysis of the projects, related to the telepresense art. This field of the arts deals with virtual movement and presence of the human in the physically distant spaces. In the paper we give analysis of the technical scheme of the several projects European program "Connecting Cities". Based on this, we build classification of the structure, used equipment and technical features of the projects. Finally, we give conclusion about general and distinct features of the considered projects.

Keywords: telepresense, public art, Connecting Cities project, interactive billboard.

Direction of art telepresence (telepresense art) is a part of interactive digital art. It aims to study the effect of human transport to remote locations in real-time [1]. telepresence differs from virtual reality [2] is that the transfer is carried out not in the illusory, non-existent space, but physically existing place. In this virtual displacement is usually bilateral - a person perceives a remote location by the senses and is also able to work on a remote space one way or another.

Possibility of telepresence is provided by technical means of telecommunications, robotics, computers and other devices [1]. Availability of video surveillance systems, interactive billboards and interactive light illumination of buildings has opened the possibility for the creation of public art telepresence projects [3], when not a single viewer, and several viewers simultaneously from different cities, can participate in the communication from the public street space.

In this paper we study the technical features of public art telepresence projects on the example of several projects of the European program Connecting Cities (Engl. "Connecting Cities", 2013-2015) [3,4]. This program was aimed at the realization of art projects using urban screens infrastructure as a means of artistic and social bonding cities.

Our selection of projects for the study was conditioned, first of all, the desire to see projects that would diversify and, in a sense, suddenly opened the topic of telepresence using the latest technologies.

1. Draft Trans Europe Slow (Eng. "Trans-European slowdown")Sergio Galan (Galan Sergio), 2013, Madrid.

In that project viewer must sit on the street in front of the shop screen. The screen shows the image of a city street. Before you shop there a stand with pedals. Pedal, depending on the speed of rotation, the image changes as if the viewer goes on a bicycle. The viewer seems that he actually travels to the places of the city, at the same time, showing places that are not popular for tourists.

Sergio Galán project "Trans-European slowdown" © SergioGalan, Trans Europe Slow

The aim of the project is to show the city in an unusual, new key, which is not usually seen when exploring the city in accordance with the tourist guides.

Technically, the project is close to the idea of virtual tours, but forces the viewer to take actions to control the movement, which creates the effect of kinesthetic movement. In this project, the viewer does not affect the space and sees a ready-made recording of travel on a real bike, but it is a spectacular example of creating a sense of telepresence.

2. Project Saving Face (Eng. "Writing the face"),Karen Lancel (Karen Lantsel), Hermen Maat (Maat Hermia), 2012-2016, Venice / Amsterdam / Istanbul / Beijing / Stockholm / Berlin.

In this project, the viewer comes to the small screen with a camera. Camera snimaetfotografiyu face, after which the viewer must "stroking" the person, that is led by the fingers in the face. In the place where he had spent the hand of his face mixed with the previously recorded pictures of persons, and the result is shown on the big screen, not far away from the installation.

Project Karen Lantsel and Hermia Maat "Writing the face" © Karen Lancel, Hermen Maat, Saving Face, the Connecting Cities

Event at Bauhaus Dessau, photo: RutheZuntz

This process combines physical "realism" - we feel when we touch our face - and interact with the virtual identity. Each person appears on the screen as a digital "person. It constantly appears and disappears in the process of merging with others.

3. Draft Occupy the Screen (Eng. "Covering screen"),Paul Sermon (Sermon, Paul), Charlotte Gould (Gould Charlotte), 2014 United Kingdom.

In this project, the audience facing the big screen, on the ground in front of which spanned a special blue coating. Viewers removed camera fixed at the screen, while the blue color is replaced by another coating pattern, depending on the actions of viewers. As a result, the screen they see themselves placed in the virtual space, and the image is combined with a similar picture of people from out of town, facing a similar installation.

Project Paul Sermon and Charlotte Gould "Covering screen"

© Paul Sermon, Charlotte Gould, Occupy the Screen

Thus, this project connects in a single virtual space of the screen more remote groups of people who see near and remote participants on this screen, and move in physical space area with that in mind.

4. Dance.AR project (Eng. "The Dance. Augmented Reality"),Sander Veenhof (Sender Vinhof) 2013, The Netherlands.

The project may be a few people involved, having a smartphone connected to the Internet and installed applications «Dance.AR».

«Dance.AR» - is a mobile application that gives the user the virtual movements (gestures) that it should be repeated, and also contains the instructions for the implementation of these movements (as arrows).

Project Sendero Vinhofa"Dance. Augmented Reality "© Sander Veenhof, Dance.AR

As a result, many participants at the same time using the application, is produced by the dance movements of 33, which is performed in real time by different people in different cities around the world.

5. Draft Binoculars to ... Binoculars from ... (Eng. "Binoculars Binoculars in ... from ...»), Varvara Guljajeva (Barbara Gulyaev), Mar Canet Sola (March Kenneth Sola)2013 Estonia.

This installation, which is able to interconnect several cities in an unusual way. Man is coming to the booth, looking into the camera, and virtually moved to another city.

Project Gulyayeva Barbara and Kenneth Sola March "Binoculars Binoculars in ... from ...» © VarvaraGuljajeva, MarCanetSola, Binoculars

to ... Binoculars from ...

Such moving to another place is not one-sided: when a man looking through binoculars, his eyes are captured by the camera and displayed on a large screen in the place that you see. That is, the people of the place saw a giant eye looking at them.

6. Scotoma project (Eng. "Scotoma")Jana Voigtmann (Jan Voigman), Alexander Voigt (Alexander voiti) 2015, Germany.

The term scotoma is a blind area in the field of view [5], and to some extent explains the essence of the project. In the project, ands an projection translucent screen, behind which are two lights - controlled moving spotlights. The viewer (call it "observer") offers a glimpse into a special booth to get a view of surveillance cameras located on this screen. Looking back, he discovers that, firstly, he looks at himself, and, secondly, to his eyes, with the camera begin to manage projectors. So, where to look "observer" to the spotlight beams to some extent preventing him from seeing the place at which he is looking.

Project Yana Voigman and Alexander voiti "scotoma" © Jana Voigtmann, Alexander Voigt, Scotoma

Thus, other spectators, overseen by "observer", see his face on the big screen and the place to which he is looking. And due to the fact that the booth is located in the camera's field of visibility, it creates a situation of a closed loop, which allows "observer" to see himself, watching himself.

conclusionIn order to characterize the similarities and differences are described

projects, we have identified three features:1) Issuance of the image on the big screen.2) Availability fotobudki.3) The presence of additional elements.The results are summarized in the following table:

Signs of projects reviewed

Issuance of the image on the

big screen

Availability fotobudki camera

The presence of additional elements

TransEuropeSlow + bicycle pedalSaving Face + +Occupy the Screen + blue surface, shooting

cameraDance.AR interaction via a mobile

device, the addition of the image from the device

camera.

Binoculars to ... Binoculars from ...

+ +

Scotoma + + two spotlights

The table shows that a common feature of all the projects is the result of the issuance of the work on the big screen or on a mobile device. In addition, all the above projects other thanTrans Europe Slow, working with cameras built into fotobudki, billboards or mobile devices. Thus, all the above designs are based on visual communication.

Of course, among the outstanding projects of the program Connecting Cities and other projects telepresense, there are works based on the use of other types of communication, such as sound, and which is used to interactively camcorder, and other sensors, such as a microphone and motion sensors [3]. At the same time, one can assume that the dominant technological trend telepresense public projects is the use of it is visual communication.

Literature

1. Eduardo Kac, "Telepresence: A New Communicative Experience", Epipháneia, N. 2, March 1997, Salerno, Italy, pp. 53-55.

2. Jerald J., The VR Book: Human-Centered Design for Virtual Reality - London: Morgan & Claypool Publishers, 2015 - 550 pages.

3. Pop S., Toft T., Calvillo N., Wright M., What Urban Media Art Can Do: Why When Where and How? - Stuttgart: AveditionGmbh, Csi, 2016 - 450 pp.

4. Web page of the project Connecting Cities. [Electronic resource]. -http://connectingcities.net/ (Reference date: 31.01.2017).

5. The definition of "scotoma" in Wikipedia. [Electronic resource]. -http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Скотома (Reference date: 31.01.2017).