An Illusion of Choice

Cosy Computing

12. An Illusion of Choice

The theme of the Science Alternative Fete, where this work will be shown, is "storytime Science: The Science of Children's Stories". I have chosen Pinocchio s my story, because for me it is associated with computers. I have never read Pinocchio. Everything I know about the story has come to me from Science Fiction references to artificial intelligences.

One of the things I know is that Pinocchio lies, which has the physical effect of making his nose grow longer. I will be playing on the stall with truth and lies when it comes to what we want to believe about computers, and what the effects of that might be.

I have a long-term interest in people reading desires and intent into inanimate objects, which is why I initially began this project by looking at artificial intelligence. Not to build a clever thing, but to explore an audience perception of that alleged "intelligence". Chris Watkins recommended a book to be, "The Intentional Stance", by Daniel C. Dennett, which I am part way through and getting a lot from.

I want to be able to tinker around with some of these ideas on the stall, using what I have been working on with the Pi and the AIML I have been writing. I am curious how much or how little information people need to connect with something. I have been interested in the responses to Pinnochion#1 existing just as text. I like this a lot. However in a live situation, people will default to reading that they are talking to "the computer" rather than to a possible entity they are accessing through their own device. I am keen to make the computer on the stall a portal rather than a manifestation of an eintity itself. The telescope rather than the star. And to do that, I can use a very obvious lie.

I will make some fake peripherals to attach to the machine that can be used to define what you are talking to. My initial idea was that you could talk to anything, but that could be a bit time consuming on the day, so I'm going to make two "variables" that people can select from. I'm going to make a basic character for each one, but I'd also like to be able to have the option to add other things if the moment arises.

I've started with two wooden craft boxes, and some translucent fimo.

I'm going to put some very basic electronics inside the boxes to give a very weak illusion that it is connected to the machine. This should make it make sense narratively, while being simple enough to show exactly what ISNT going on to anyone who questions it.

I've made two 'characters' from the Fimo. I've kept them very plain and simple, and gone with giving them basic emoticon "happy" and "sad" mouths. This is enough to choose from initially, I think, to give a preconception of character. Im curious if people will treat them differently.

Here you can see them cured, so they get an even more ambiguous texture from the translucent fimo. I've overcooked them a little because it gives it a very slight organic tissue effect that I like and use a lot.

I also bought a couple of metal plates that they (or anything else that is being 'communicated with') can sit on. It'll look vaguely conductive.

I'll need to solder the electrics. I'm a pretty clumsy solderer, but this is very simple. I'll be getting better at soldering soon as I'm going to be wanting to do plenty of it to take this work further. But for now it's jst wiring up the basic switches, which is very simple and my blobby soldering wont matter.

Some holes are drilled in the boxes for the wires and the switch, and everything fits together.

It still needs some bolts to fix the bulb holder and plate in place, and connections to the computer's box, but it now basically works..