Oribotics [laboratory]
Oribotics [laboratory] continues Matt Gardiner's exploration of robotic origami, which focuses on the natural beauty found in the mechanical motion of folded forms. Oribotics [expanded] is a live network of oribotic flowers, where the viewer can interact, relax and consider the growing relationship between biology and technology.
Oribotics is a hybrid field that embraces folding and technology. As origami means fold/ing paper, the term Oribot, means fold/ing robot. At present the research is engaged with works that have lifelike qualities, plants and in particular flowers.
The 2005 generation of oribotic flowers respond to changing light levels, and can be networked with light from data projectors to reflect the status of weather from cities around the world.
Users interact with the work by sending simple text commands as SMS messages using their mobile phone. As commands flow into the oribots ecosystem, the network makes lighting and soundscape shifts in relation to the new command and the live weather data.
The motion of the oribot blossoming is swift, uncanny, beautiful, durable, and suggestive of the nature of pure oribotics to come.