robotcowboy: cabled madness | tech

robotcowboy technology

robotcowboy is a performance project consisting of a wearable computer system and various peripheral devices which enable a single performer to become a mobile, technological “one-man band” free to roam the stage, the street, and the world. It is both an homage to the “one-man band” tradition and an exploration into a post-digital renewal of embodiment and physical instrumentality in electronic musical instruments. The system is built with low-cost in mind and utilizes readily-available hardware and free, open source software in order to make the concept feasible to the everyday computer performer who wishes to step out from behind his screen. It is hoped that the concept of a wearable music computer can one day become as ubiquitous as that of laptop musician in a return to the fragility and excitement of live music.

hardware

robotcowboy hardware

software

robotcowboy software

musical interfaces

robotcowboy musical interfaces

peripherals

robotcowboy peripherals

masks

robotcowboy masks

academic progress log

January – March 2008 Consoles Afire Tour

A 2 month tour of the United States and a practical stress test for the system.

Consoles Afire Tour 08

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October 2007 STEIM Residency

My proposal for a 2 week artistic residency was accepted at STEIM, the Studio for Electro Instrumental Music in Amsterdam, NL. I developed mode advanced Pure Data patches and experimented with integrating my digital guitar and live audio generation.

STEIM Residency Report

My STEIM Project Blog post

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July 2007 Digital Art Weeks

I was accepted to perform at the Digital Art Weeks 2007 festival in Zurich and published a poster on the performance. However, I was not able to present the particular performance outlined in said poster as my partner, Oscar, was having trouble with his Swedish VISA.

Experiments in Energy: 3 Technological Ritual Acts , performance poster (pdf)

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June 2007 Finished Thesis

robotcowboy thesis 2007

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May 2007 Mobile Music Workshop

I was accepted to present my project through both a demo and a paper at the 4th international Mobile Music Workshop in Amsterdam.

robotcowboy MMW paper (pdf)

As part of the aftermath from the MMW in Amsterdam, there is a blurb about the robotcowboy unit on we-make-money-not-art and I have some pics.

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March 2007 Progress Report

I have a new video outlining the current progress of my thesis project: the robotcowboy unit. unit is a mobile performance system based around a wearable computer which allows me to perform computer-based music without being tied down by the computer on stage. I can play inside, outside, here, there, and everywhere.

Coming from an active rock and roll background, this is my response to the laptop performance aesthetic.

robot : synthetic tones | cowboy : wander the digirange

Thesis Project Progress Overview (pdf)

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January 2007 Project Proposal

Thesis Proposal (pdf)