====== picnic08 ======

{{:blog:picnic08:hackerscamp01.jpg?200  }}

Since Friday I'm //hacking// almost non-stop for the [[http://picnicnetwork.org|picnic conference]] where registered conference visitors keep their online-profile on a RFID-chip (ik-tag or i-tag) which they can use to sign up for workshops, participate in games, make friends/exchange contacts, get consumption vouchers, etc. throughout the conference.

Besides being back coding for mediamatic's [[http://anymeta.nl|anyMeta]] CMS (here: Community Managemet System), I've teamed up with Luis, Sly, Thijs and Neil to build **The Breeder**: an installation where you can interact with a //virtual creature// that «lives on your RFID tag». 

Besides //feeding// the creature with input from your personal-profile and online activity, you can meet with your and other creatures for //reproduction// at a pond-like portal (beamer, pond with white sand, camera, rfid-readers) that will be exhibited during the conference staring next Wednesday. The Breeder will visualize //meta-activity// of conference-visitors in a game like environment (processing/java) where creatures can reproduce when their owners meet and recombine //genes// of their profiles.  Furthermore interaction is not limited to the pond: Users can download a screenshot/snapshot of their pet or enter a communication that their creatures stroke up.. - I'm out to walk my amoeba.

It's a very ambitious project, even more so given a 5 days timeframe from idea until deadline.. You can follow development at our project [[http://trac.mediamatic.nl/picnic/|trac/wiki]].

{{tag>news installation}}