Saturday, May 14, 2011

Digital Village in Exile

As you (hopefully) have noticed, Digital Village has been off the air for several weeks. This post is to help explain what is going on, and what is happening with Digital Village Radio.

First, station management has assured us that Digital Village is not going away! In fact KPFK has asked us to expand our format to include more elements and voices. We've spent our time off the air developing some of these new features and topics. The plan is to return to the air after the Spring Fund Drive, though it may be at a different day and/or time. Be sure to check back here periodically to get the latest Digital Village news.

To the best of our knowledge, Digital Village Radio is the longest running radio program focused on the social and cultural impact of computers, the Internet, and technology in general. When we began in 1995, many questioned whether we would have enough to talk about. Nobody does that any more. In fact, there is now so much to talk about that Ric and Doran can no longer do it alone. Which brings us to our first big announcement.

The Digital Village Radio call for volunteers!

We are looking for a number of people who are interested and willing to work with us in producing the weekly Digital Village broadcast and its online content.

We need people with good organizational skills, who can work on a deadline to help produce the show and its individual segments. We are looking for people active in the community who can work on the air and behind the scenes to help create the most cutting-edge program about digital culture in the country.

Some will work on the air, conducting interviews and producing segments. Others will work behind the scenes, gathering info, scheduling guests, and generally helping produce the weekly program as well as other online events and features. Technical skill in radio production or with online media is a plus, but not required.

The most important requirement is commitment. We really need people who are willing to stay with the project as it develops. Quitting after a couple weeks will do more harm than if a person didn’t sign up in the first place. That said, we understand that this is something of an unknown we’re asking volunteers to sign up for. It’s just that we ask that you consider whether you are willing to commit to at least 3 months. If not, this probably isn’t for you.

What we don’t need are people who just want to be radio stars, or have a specific agenda to push, regardless of how noble it may be. We need people who can take direction and be part of a team which covers a wide range of topics. And while we are absolutely looking for people who can help come up with fantastic ideas for the show, we also need people willing to do whatever work is needed to produce the program. If your interest is only to be in front of the microphone, then again, this probably isn’t for you.

So, if you haven’t been scared away yet and are still interested and willing to make the commitment, send your resume and cover letter to KPFK’s Volunteer Coordinator Jessica Woods at volunteer@kpfk.org. Please do it quickly so we have time to evaluate the candidates and get the team assembled before we go back on the air this Summer. With your help, we’ll bring Digital Village to the next level.

Thanks!

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Epic Step's WikiLeaks Billboard


Epic Step's WikiLeaks Billboard
Originally uploaded by ~db~

It's on the corner of Highland Ave and Santa Monica Blvd in Hollywood.
Here's an NPR story about how this came to be.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Don't Worry, We're Still Here!

Digital Village was pre-empted during the recent KPFK pledge drive*, and will be off for Christmas and New Year's Day. But we'll be back on Jan. 8 with another great show!

Don't forget, you can always follow us on Twitter.

*The good news is that the pledge drive was a great success and puts KPFK is a good place to go forward with its plans for expanded programming, and projects such as the new solar canopy.

Monday, September 06, 2010

Real-Time 3D Scanning


Real-Time 3D Scanning
Originally uploaded by ~db~

Structured (ie. striped) light is projected on a person and a 3D image is rendered in real-time. As the person moves, so does the rendered images (that's Ric in this photo) with each section showing a different way to represent what is seen.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

In the Line of Sight


In the Line of Sight
Originally uploaded by ~db~

From the artists' description:

"In the Line of Sight uses 100 computer-controlled tactical flashlights to project low-resolution video footage of suspicious human motion. Each flashlight shines a light spot on the wall. All flashlights combined create a ten by ten matrix representation of the source footage, featured on a video monitor in an adjacent part of the gallery."

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Meet the Snake


Meet the Snake
Originally uploaded by ~db~

Officially named ADB, it is a tactile robot, reacting to touch. Normally still, if one of its modules is touched, the other modules immediately twist, seeking to be touched as well. This results in something akin to petting an animal in order to keep it still. Differing the pressure of the caress creates different responses. Even though it is designed to not look like an animal, it is difficult to resist the urge to treat it as one. Lots of "Awww, isn't it cute?" type of remarks. It was one of several pieces which explored emotive or social devices.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Interactive Zoetrope


Interactive Zoetrope
Originally uploaded by ~db~

This zoetrope was developed by Disney Pixar. The left and right faces are controlled by microphones. With music playing in the background, participants could sing or talk and the respective face would change dynamically and independently of the other.