The Maze Solving Algorithm

Maze Solving Algorithm from Andrew Parnell on Vimeo.

The Maze Solving Algorithm is a bit more geographically limited than RPS, mostly because you need to be in a walled city (or can otherwise define some bounds that act as a maze wall.) Still, if you CAN use it, the results are wonderful.

In Siena I went from Porta Tufi to Porta Ramano which Google tells me should take about 21 minutes walking, but using the algorithm took closer to an hour. Let me tell you: it was a well spent hour. (Though, I couldn't help but feel frustrated when I realized 30 minutes in that I'd effectively moved one block.)

RPS

After dinner last night I went through and gave RPS a proper trial. It worked BEAUTIFULLY! I'm actually a bit let down that I didn't start doing this earlier in the trip, because I saw areas of town I'd never seen before, and it was amazing.

A little modification to the rules stated last time for doing RPS with a standard ipod. Loading only 3 images (one of each arrow) will actually just repeat in the same random order every time. So instead of loading 3, load 10-15 copies of each image. This seems to work.

Algorithm

I'm in Siena, a medieval walled city. This place is exactly like the kind of mazes you find on children's placements at diners all over the US. (Maybe internationally too... I haven't ordered a kids meal here...) With this fact in mind it made sense to me to try and "solve" Siena using maze solving algorithms.

Maze Solving Algorithm

Now, I'm finding that when I say the word algorithm, people around me seem to just tune out. So let me clarify really quick. By algorithm I don't mean a large convoluted series of equations. I mean a very simple, specific, and strict set of rules. With Siena those rules are as follows:

1) Choose two gates, one to start at and one to finish at.
2) Choose a hand, left or right.
3) Keep that hand on a wall at all times. [Note: you don't actually have to walk touching a wall...that would be silly...but your path must be determined by the ability to do so. IE, if you choose your right hand, every time you can make a right turn, you must.]
4) Treat all gates that are not your final destination as though they are closed, with a wall bridging them.

Because you are starting and ending along city wall, you are guaranteed to get to your destination. It won't be the most direct route, but that's kind of the point.

Along the same lines, but with a less clear destination, is my second method - RPS.


RPS - Random Positioning System

RPS does not guarantee that you will get anywhere, and it is almost guaranteed that you will become lost within the city. After I get back to the states RPS will become an actual ipod touch / iphone app, available for download and applicable to any city. For the time being though I'm accomplishing the same effect with a regular ipod and the following rules.

1) Load an ipod with 3 images, a left arrow, a right arrow, and a forward arrow. Put them in a playlist. Enable shuffle.
2) As you walk, at every interesection, restart the playlist. This will select a new image at random.
3) Follow the arrows.
[NOTE: This WILL get you lost. Pay attention to the route it takes you on so you can back track if necessary.]

Historic Background
Like most things, the basic ideas behind these methods of navigation are not entirely new. And it seems fitting that in the process of prepping for this piece I stumbled across Psychogeography (by stumbled I mean I wound up in its territory and was alerted of this fact by my professor Colin Ives)

In 1955 by Guy Debord defined Psychogeography as "the study of the precise laws and specific effects of the geographical environment, consciously organized or not, on the emotions and behavior of individuals." Guy Debord and the Situationalists used a map of London to explore the German countryside, using a restricted system to approach a nearlly unrestricted geography.

Using a map of Siena clearly wouldn't introduce any new experience to exploring the city, so instead I'm applying rules of mechanical exploration to a human system.

Tortillas...

Does any one else think it's odd that since I've been in Italy only one of the three (well, four now) posts I've made has had anything to do with Italy?

Yeah, me neither. Here's a post about tortillas.



I started making my own tortillas a few months ago, while I was in that "lets empty the fridge" stage of getting ready to move. When I'd mention this to people people would look at me like I was a mad man. Apparently I'm not alone in that respect. [No Recipes] just posted an article about making tortillas, and it's great.

My own method involves less prep time...but maybe I should chill that dough. *shrug* I'm impatient, what can I say.

Anyway, go read the article and learn to make your own tortillas. Why's everyone act like this is hard?

Continue Time

Sander Mulder, the studio that brought you Woofers (you know...those speakers installed in the necks of cast dog bodies...) just made 21 (20 for release, one artists proof) of the most amazing clock I've seen in a while. Continue Time is a 3 handed clock with exposed gears where the 3 hands each pivot on the tip of the previous unit. This is seriously beautiful.





....droooooool.

[via Make]

Oh Brad...

Brad Pitt did an article for this month's Wired. Sooo good.



[Via NOTCOT.org]

Green Platform

Hey Kids! (This is going to be rushed...and for that I am sorry.)

I'm in Siena, Italy doing a study abroad for the month of July. It's been pretty much amazing, in spite of my speaking ~15 words of the language. (...I started at 4...so... 15 is an improvement? Ci?)

Anyway, I don't really have internet access here. Not when I'm at my apartment anyway. But when I was in Florance Friday night, our hostel had wifi. Which was amazing, because it just so happened that We Make Money Not Art had posted this. We're talking serious stars aligning here.

So of course, I (along with two of the other artists I'm here with) went! It was this cool combo between art exhibit and science fair, which resulted in a really amazing experience.

Here's a sampling of images for you. The first 3 are my own images, the last two though are taken from the Green Platform website because I apparently was too enthralled by the piece to photo it well. All images are linked to the artist's page on the Green Platform site.


Nicola Toffolini

Nicola Toffolini just made it to my list of artists I think are super cool™ because of this piece, Volumi mutevoli a regime di crescita disturbato, which puts so many degrees of seperation between plant grown and natural sunlight its just breathtaking. (Three degrees are in the photo, realistically there are probably even more levels. But in the gallery it's spotlights powering solar panels powering red and blue grow lights.)


Dave Hullfish Bailey

There's something almost whimsical about Dave Hullfish Bailey's combination of text on planks and 360 degree photos of the library in Slab City, California.


Christiane Löhr

These structures are only ~3 inches tall, and made of grass stalks. I'll say no more.



Nikola Uzunovski

Nikola Uzunovski: congratulations, you've also made it onto the list of artists I think are super cool™. Artificial suns in the arctic circle? Beautiful. But the way you present it in the gallery? Even better. ...is there any way I can get a copy of that video?



So yeah... best 4 euro I've spent on this trip thus far. Click the links on those photos. I'm really not doing any of these pieces justice.

CIAO!