Projects 2014 > Fans on Foot > Journal
The aim of any connected object is, ultimately, to have an effect on a person or group of people. Rather than treat a connected object as part of a system that acts on people - it's sometimes helpful to consider the system as a whole - people and all. (This is likely to remain true until such time as we have created an AI which has a form of consciousness comparable to our own - at which point there are a number of things that will need rethinking.)
If people are part of the system - then the most powerful sensors and processing power in the system is in the senses and minds of the people concerned. Brains and eyes can do some remarkable image recognition - far above anything we've got in silicon yet.
For example - in Fans on Foot we aim to create an internet connected object which connects fans to real world aspects of their fandom. By displaying (wearing) this object; it will act as a sign (perhaps secret) to other fans in the know. If the another fan has a similar object, then they can connect with each other.
Or, we could create a phone app and send out a pin badge to everyone who downloads the app. Functionally, this is entirely equivalent to the previous example - only this time the connection is made though the eyes and brains of the people and the internet connection of their phones.
The interesting question is - why do many people consider this as a form of cheating?
Posted by Tarim