Institute for Applied Autonomy

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The Institute for Applied Autonomy is an anonymous activist group which focuses on dissemination of knowledge, autonomy, and methods of self-determination through artistic expression and application of military-like technology to the topics of criminal mischief, decentralized systems and individual autonomy. They are relative to the group Critical Art Ensemble. Many of their projects are technological in nature.

From the IAA website: "The Institute for Applied Autonomy (IAA) was founded in 1998 as a technological research and development organization dedicated to the cause of individual and collective self-determination. Our mission is to study the forces and structures which affect self-determination and to provide technologies which extend the autonomy of human activists."

In 2000, the IAA was awarded a prize at the Prix Ars Electronica and used the robotic GraffitiWriter to spraypaint the web address of an Austrian activist group across the stage during the lived televised event.

During the 2004 US presidential campaign, thousands of street protesters used the IAA TXTmob system to send cellphone txt message announcements to each other regarding police blockades, medical attention and meeting points.

"Studies have shown that in nearly 100% of the cases, a given agent of the public will willing participate in high profile acts of vandalism, given the opportunity to do so via mediated tele-robotic technology." - IAA research division

[edit] External link

• Applied Autonomy — official website