Robotics III:
Final Project
Overview:
The final project for Robotics III will focus on Text Parsing. It will be a subset for my larger thesis, which currently is looking at ways to engage and enhance the experiences one has within a social networking environment by creating a physical actuation. The result of the project will be to create an artifact which can be transmitted onto or represented by physical object within city.
For this project, I will use the social networking environment of Facebook.
Within Facebook, each user is allowed to establish a representation of themselves through texts and images. Each of these user profile page has very unique qualities. Some are flooded with information, while others are very minimal. For the remainder of the semester, I will analyze a set number of users in my network and scan through their ‘favorite quotes’ section. Favorite quotes are snippets of text taken from another individual which has some sort humorous, serious and emotional attachments to them. These are often references from a well know figure in society.
The main premise behind this project looks at specific information which is stored on an individual profile’s page and think of creative ways in which this data can engage offline users. I look at this project as text which manifests itself into a form that can engage a stranger who might not be connected to the network.
Looking at a user’s profile, categories such as a persons ‘favorite quotes’ is a symbolic representation of that person. One can infer quite a bit about each individual and differentiate between personality types, races and political affiliation by reading a person’s quote. For example, let us take a quote from Andy Warhol.
"They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself." Andy Warhol (1928 - 1987)
This simple sentence if place within a users page, reflects a great deal about who that individual might be and what their interest are. This individual might posses an individualistic personality. He or she might enjoy the arts more than others. This individual might even look at ways to break away from the norms of society through artistic pursuits. Additionally, by simply reading someone’s favorite quotes on the profile page can evoke a number of different emotional reactions as well. It can be nostalgic for a moment by returning us to a time we remembered. It can cause, for a temporary moment, a feeling of wanting to change our ways. It might even inspire the reader. These snippets tell larger tales.
Technical Specification:
The technical specifications of the project involves accessing Facebook user ids and capturing the ‘favorites quotes’ tag. Each user on Facebook has a unique id. With this id most of the information a user has can be accessed. For the duration of the semester, I will archive the quotes gather and perform specific actions which includes pulling out words that may have deeper meanings, keywords which are occurs between different user quotes and, even entire snippets. The snippets will then be transfer or process onto a screen or numerous screens position within the space of the city. hello