About
Automata Streetcar is an interactive, digital-media art project that uses historic streetcars as a metaphor to explore ideas about connection, communication, and community. The project is inspired by the four historic streetcar systems that once operated in British Columba - in Victoria, Vancouver, North Vancouver, and in particular the small, remote mountain community of Nelson.
As mechanical devices, streetcars may be interpreted as a type of automata: self-guided, interactive mechanisms that respond to a sequence of predetermined instructions. They follow a fixed track through city streets, stopping to collect passengers at predetermined locations, operating within a sequential yet highly interactive environment.
The project is primarily intended to be a gallery / museum installation in which visitors use custom-made game controllers to interact with a digital recreation of Nelson's main street, as it was 100 years ago when streetcars operated there. Players take on the roles of the conductor and driver to operate a streetcar, collect passengers, and build community confidence. The project can also be downloaded directly to experience at home, using either home-built Arduino-based game controllers, or a standard keyboard and mouse arrangement.Home Play VersionThe project can be downloaded and played at home with a standard keyboard and mouse arrangement, or with two home-built, Arduino-based game controllers (one for the streetcar conductor, and one for the streetcar driver). The home play option was developed using Arduino Uno R3 compatible controller boards. If you wish to build your own Arduino-based game controllers, you will need a separate USB connection and one Arduino-compatible controller board (plus other parts and components) for each game-controller (the materials and components are not included).
As mechanical devices, streetcars may be interpreted as a type of automata: self-guided, interactive mechanisms that respond to a sequence of predetermined instructions. They follow a fixed track through city streets, stopping to collect passengers at predetermined locations, operating within a sequential yet highly interactive environment.
The project is primarily intended to be a gallery / museum installation in which visitors use custom-made game controllers to interact with a digital recreation of Nelson's main street, as it was 100 years ago when streetcars operated there. Players take on the roles of the conductor and driver to operate a streetcar, collect passengers, and build community confidence. The project can also be downloaded directly to experience at home, using either home-built Arduino-based game controllers, or a standard keyboard and mouse arrangement.Home Play VersionThe project can be downloaded and played at home with a standard keyboard and mouse arrangement, or with two home-built, Arduino-based game controllers (one for the streetcar conductor, and one for the streetcar driver). The home play option was developed using Arduino Uno R3 compatible controller boards. If you wish to build your own Arduino-based game controllers, you will need a separate USB connection and one Arduino-compatible controller board (plus other parts and components) for each game-controller (the materials and components are not included).
