BYTE MARKS
Web studies computer, human link

By Burt Lum

As we build our network of connections through the Internet, the question always arises whether we are losing our human touch.

With the far-reaching impact of the Web, it's easy to connect with people in far-off places through seemingly cold technology. In cyberspace, electrons become the means by which we transmit our humanness.

The quantum physicist might argue that we communicate similarly in physical space anyway. Nevertheless, I find fascination in projects that explore the human-to-computer-to-human interface.

One such project is at the Human Connectedness Group at www.medialabeurope.org/~stefan/hc. As described on its Web site, "The Human Connectedness research group explores the future of human relationships as mediated by technology. "

The group is located in Dublin, Ireland, in an old Guinness hop store. In it they explore the bridge between human and machine.

One of the key motivators behind the Human Connectedness project is Johan Brucker-Cohen, who runs a Web site at www.coin-operated.com/projects. I found some of his projects the most thought-provoking.

For example, I've written many articles about streaming media, but nothing of the sort present here, called "Streaming Media (H2O/IP)." In this case, rather than using TCP/IP, the protocol of choice for the Internet, Brucker-Cohen uses water to transmit data between one location to another. Based on what I read, he uses water as a means to transmit the information, then reconstitutes the picture. In this case an image of a person was transmitted using H2O/IP.

Another project is called Internet Radio, where an old wood desktop radio is used as a receiver of Internet broadcasts.

My favorite is Crank the Web.

A hand crank is used to throttle bandwidth for web browsing. Brucker-Cohen must have used some electronic means to slow the speed of the router or modem, and then devised a hand crank to operate it.

All this gives new meaning, and value, to your broadband connection. ;-)

Burt Lum is a click away at burt@brouhaha.net.