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Robotic vines illustrate chaos theory and the Butterfly Effect
We've seen capacitive-touch-enabled plants before, but the robotic vines and leaves of Branching Systems are something altogether different. And, perhaps craziest of all, they respond to your presence. The leaves react to your inputs, and then nearby leaves react to those reactions and so on. Creator's Project writes that your movements are the "catalysts that trigger the swift-paced and divergent" motions from artist Robert Wolfe's installation. You see, the idea is to illustrate chaos theory and the Butterfly Effect: small changes that can have massive impacts on others. Want to peep it for yourself and inspect the vines for any robotic insects? The exhibit is on display in Santa Fe, New Mexico as part of this year's Currents New Media Festival and you can check out a video tour just below.
Santa Fe WiFi foe strikes again: sues neighbor for using wireless devices, lives in a car
No, this isn't him, because the real Arthur Firstenberg (with or without a cat) would probably need more than an aluminum helmet to cure his "electromagnetic sensitivity," symptoms of which allegedly include stomach pains and memory loss. In fact, this man -- an active member of the anti-wireless group in Sante Fe -- has taken one step further by suing his bewildered neighbor 25 feet away for refusing to switch off her wireless devices, which he claims has forced him to stay at friends' or live in a car. We'd say just chill out, find some place in the middle of an African desert, and then fly out. Oh, wait. [Photo courtesy of Wally Glenn]
Santa Fe group allergic to RF wants WiFi banned
We've been hearing for years of that certain elusive breed of human that is extra-sensitive to certain radio frequencies and electromagnetic fields, so it was only a time before those wire-tethered folks took shot across our wireless-loving bow. According to a local NBC news affiliate, Sante Fe resident Arthur Firstenberg (not pictured right) has organized a group of electro-sensitive citizens to rally against WiFi and cellphone use in public space, claiming it violates the Americans with Disabilities Act. No doubt it is indeed a sticky situation, but we're pretty sure Firstenberg and co are going to have to do a little better than claiming to "get chest pain and it doesn't go away right away" if they really expect an entire city (or country) to cease using wireless communications. [Via Fark]
Keepin' it real fake, part XXXVII: China car makers strike again
This isn't your daddy's China. After CMEC almost succeeded in building a total rip-off of a Smart Car (Autoblog china post)and then shipping it into Smart's own home turf (now CMEC claims it was unaware of how well it was duping Smart), Haunghai Automobile has managed do a fair bit of infringing on Hyundai's Santa Fe (pictured left) with its new SUV look-alike (right). The best part is the two cars recently shared a show floor at the Beijing Auto Show, where most industry insiders agreed that pretty much the whole front of the car is a replica of the Santa Fe. Oddly enough, the rest of the car apparently apes another Korean SUV: the Kia Sorento, but it's Hyundai Motor that is currently threatening legal action over the design theft. Apparently the Korean car giant will wait to see how its Santa Fe sales in China are effected by Haunghai's "homage" before it lays down a lawsuit -- though we can't believe its odds are good at doing anything but keeping this thing from being exported anywhere else; this is China we're talking about here. Update:check autoblog china's post in Beijing Auto Show 2006:Qisheng CUV.
