This week in Yahoo Research Berkeley's Brain Jam:

Michael DelGaudio, Mike Bukhin (NYU/ITP)
WayMarkr: wearable mobile devices, memory prosthesis, and information visualization

Friday, Dec 8th, 3pm
Yahoo! Research Berkeley
1950 University Ave., Berkeley.
http://upcoming.org/event/131675

Abstract:
The WayMarkr system developed by Michael Bukhin and Michael DelGaudioturns a mobile phone into a self-documenting wearable device withvirtually unlimited disk space. WayMarkr uses a mobile device's camerato take continuous photographs from the vantage point of the wearer.Photographs are immediately uploaded to a data warehouse, along withmetadata and optional location information, enabling users to neverhave to worry about storage capacity on the phone. The ubiquity ofmobile devices makes WayMarkr unobtrusive, and the first image basedMemex device widely available to the general public. Because thecollected photographs are continuous the sequence of images creates apersonal narrative. Captured photographic narratives give usersperspective, insight, and alternative access to memory recollection.WayMarkr has potential use wherever documentation and participation areboth necessary. For example, as an ethnographic research tool, WayMarkrcould seamlessly document a participant's behavior. For this talk, wewill discuss the concept and technology behind WayMarkr. We will coverprior continuous documentation efforts and the innovation that WayMarkrbrings to the field. We will explain the WayMarkr website(waymarkr.com), the current interface for viewing WayMarkr content andpropose our future plans for data visualization and contentinterpretation.

Bio:
Mike Bukhin has a background in computer science and philosophy and hasbeen involved with interactive technologies for over fifteen years. Hewas a co-founder of Vista Associates, an early adopter of onlineeducation and was a senior engineer at QuitNet.Com, the largest onlinesmoking cessation community in the world. He is currently a masterscandidate at the Interactive Telecommunications Program (ITP) at NYU'sTisch School for the Arts. At ITP, Mike has been working with urbanwayfinding, ubiquitous media and connecting people with stories. Mikehas presented work at the Sony Wonder Labs and Conflux, an annual NewYork festival of contemporary psychogeography. He can be reached atmbukhin (at) gmail dot com or at txtst.com.

Michael DelGaudio has been involved with interactive technology forover ten years. His interest in how society coexists with, adapts to,and reinvents the technology we create is the primary fuel for hismotivations. As a post-medium artist and designer, Michael's workranges from more traditional interactive design to highly conceptualinteractive installations. Recently he has taken interest in generativecompositions, information visualization, kinetic sculpture, and mobiletechnology. Michael has a background in design and is a currentlyworking toward a Masters degree in Interactive Telecommunications fromNew York University. For more information visit: michaeldelgaudio.com

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