Museum of Science and Industry

The event coincides with the 60 anniversary of the birth of ‘Baby’, the world’s first computer, and includes high profile speakers from the technology world such as musician Martyn Ware of 80s bands Heaven 17 and Human League.

Katz Kiely organiser of b.TWEEN 08, a national forum for creative technology and digital media professionals said that future technology is likely to be designed to be ‘emotionally intelligent’ and able to adapt to our surroundings and our brainwaves. Built in chips in wallpaper or on clothes could carry details of our preferences, such as colour, music or visitor information, so that work and home environments, shops or visitor attractions could provide an experience tailored for each individual.

Katz Kiely said: ”Emotionally responsive technology is already out there and I think we are likely to find that technology will become more and more invisible and able to adapt to our needs. You can expect to see responsive clothes that contain your personal digital information which will help to create the environment which you need for that day. There might be wallpaper that senses how you’re feeling and plays music which responds to your emotions at the time.”

Martyn Ware has created a ‘soundscape’ with fellow musician Vince Clark of Erasure. The installation corresponds to ID tags worn by delegates and plays tunes to reflect the connections made by different people at the technology event.

Martyn Ware said: “The soundscape responds and changes every time two delegates form a connection with their tag. In the future I think technology will ultimately be able to link us more successfully with people, as it will help to let two people know whether they have something in common with each other, and may also help us to adapt better to our environment. I have already worked with music which is sensitive to brainwaves and helps to change according to our mood, for example. I think this could also apply to the appearance of our clothes and cars, which would allow us to blend in or stand out from our environment.”

b.TWEEN 08, which runs from 18-20 June, includes several high profile speakers from the digital world such as Martyn Ware, 17 year-old jellyellie, who took the media by storm with her website on 'bluejacking', and Kaiser Kuo, a heavy metal musician and digital marketeer from China. 

The event includes digital art installations, with ‘Acquaintance in Space’, a soundscape installation created by Martyn Ware and Vince Clark. Other interactive artworks include, ‘Speakolascope’, by Stuart Smith, Breaking News, by Kasia Molga, Story Cubes by Giles lane, and ‘Timelines’.

b.TWEEN 08 attracts over 300 digital media professionals from across Britain and showcases some of the latest technology.

For more information on b.Tween 08 please go to www.btween.co.uk.

For more information on the 60th Anniversary of the Baby Computer see further information at www.mosi.org.uk or visit the museum for free demonstrations (every tuesday 12pm-2pm).

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