Telegarden
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The TeleGarden is a community garden that allows users to plant and look after seeds through the internet. The garden is set in a remote location operated by a robotic arm. An online user-interface allows members to perform various gardening activities. The concept was originally developed at the University of Southern California. Upon its inception, co-directors Ken Goldberg and Joseph Santarromanna envisioned the art installation challenging the notion of the internet.[1]
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[edit] Concept
The concept behind the Telegarden was inspired by the internet. It is a fusion between old technology(agriculture) and new technology(the internet). The notion of a physical garden that is operated by users online was appealing to Goldberg because it was the most absurd."
This new media art raised questions of the legitimacy of the internet. How are users to know that the garden actually exists, or that any of their motions matter? Goldberg stresses that, "media technology generally facilities the suspension of disbelief."[2]
[edit] Users
The installation debuted in 1995 and was on exhibit until 2004. In the 9 years, the installation had 10,000 members, and 100,000 people visited the physical exhibit. The user interactivity created a miniature social network. People became protective of plants, even territorial.[3]
[edit] External links
- Ken Goldberg's UC Berkeley homepage
- The Official Telegarden Archive page
- Ken Tribe Wiki
- Telegarden Review
