Twitchy Cells

A demonstration together with a short paper giving an overview of the latest outcomes from an ongoing artistic collaboration between computational artist Andy Lomas and the Srinivas Group at the University of Oxford. Led by Professor Shankar Srinivas in the Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, the research group is studying the emergence of patterning and morphogenesis of the early mammalian embryo. In particular, they are looking at how concentrations of calcium ions activate contractions in cells, how these transition from random activation of individual cells to structured waves of cells contracting in synchronised patterns, and how these rhythmic motions lead to the development of the heart. Andy Lomas has been invited by the Srinivas Group to collaborate with them to create an artistic project inspired by their work. In that context he has been developing Twitchy Cells: a system based on his earlier Cellular Forms work but modelling dynamic interactions between cells. Each cell has a potential level and a threshold: if the potential exceeds the threshold it induces the cell to spontaneously contract. When a cell contracts its potential level drops, and there is a short delay before it is ready to be triggered to twitch again, but it also increases the potential levels in its neighbours which can cause them to contract. This creates a system rich enough to support propagating waves of dynamic activity. As an artistic project this model is designed to explore the wide range of potential emergent behaviour that can be generated by this type of system rather than accurately model observed results, and has been implemented on the GPU to allow real time interaction. This proposal would be to demonstrate work in progress on this project as an interactive installation, allowing users to modify parameters that drive the system, and hear sonified data driven by the simulation as well as see real-time rendered 3D visual results

Digital Chemotaxis

An artistic exploration of digital chemotaxis inspired by the work of Prof. Kees Weijer

Synthesis of Abstract Dynamic Quasiperiodic 3D Forms using SIRENs

This paper explores using SIRENs, neural networks with periodic activation functions, as a means for synthesising abstract three-dimensional dynamic forms. A SIREN is used to generate a field function for an implicit surface, with inputs for 3D position and time. A wide range of complex quasiperiodic forms can be created, with synthesis and rendering being achievable at interactive rates using modern graphics hardware

Deep Learning of Individual Aesthetics

Accurate evaluation of human aesthetic preferences represents a major challenge for creative evolutionary and generative systems research. Prior work has tended to focus on feature measures of the artefact, such as symmetry, complexity and coherence. However, research models from Psychology suggest that human aesthetic experiences encapsulate factors beyond the artefact, making accurate computational models very difficult to design. The interactive genetic algorithm (IGA) circumvents the problem through human-in-the-loop, subjective evaluation of aesthetics, but is limited due to user fatigue and small population sizes. In this paper we look at how recent advances in deep learning can assist in automating personal aesthetic judgement. Using a leading artist's computer art dataset, we investigate the relationship between image measures, such as complexity, and human aesthetic evaluation. We use dimension reduction methods to visualise both genotype and phenotype space in order to support the exploration of new territory in a generative system. Convolutional Neural Networks trained on the artist's prior aesthetic evaluations are used to suggest new possibilities similar or between known high quality genotype-phenotype mappings. We integrate this classification and discovery system into a software tool for evolving complex generative art and design

The Enigma of Complexity

In this paper we examine the concept of complexity as itapplies to generative art and design. Complexity has many different, dis-cipline specific definitions, such as complexity in physical systems (en-tropy), algorithmic measures of information complexity and the field of“complex systems”. We apply a series of different complexity measuresto three different generative art datasets and look at the correlationsbetween complexity and individual aesthetic judgement by the artist (inthe case of two datasets) or the physically measured complexity of 3Dforms. Our results show that the degree of correlation is different for eachset and measure, indicating that there is no overall “better” measure.However, specific measures do perform well on individual datasets, indi-cating that careful choice can increase the value of using such measures.We conclude by discussing the value of direct measures in generative andevolutionary art, reinforcing recent findings from neuroimaging and psy-chology which suggest human aesthetic judgement is informed by manyextrinsic factors beyond the measurable properties of the object beingjudged

Morphogenetic Vase Forms

This paper describes Vase Forms: a series of art works created using morphogenetic processes. A key motivation for these works was exploration of ways of working creatively with complex generative processes, such as morphogenetic systems, where the desire is to be able to influence the process in creative directions whilst achieving desired properties, such as fabricability using 3D printing, in a manner that retains rich emergence. The paper describes methods used in the creation of these works, including directly affecting morphogenetic processes using constraints and differential growth rates, combined with evolutionary search and machine learning algorithms to explore the space of possibilities afforded by the system. As well as describing the creation of Vase Forms, which have been successfully used to create sculptures, the paper looks at the closely related Mutant Vase Forms: an additional series of artworks created by accident when the system exploited bugs in the rules for the growth system resulting in unexpected but aesthetically interesting structures. These Mutant Vase Forms are not fabricable as physical sculptures with the originally intended methods, but now exist as virtual sculptures in stereoscopic installations

Chance and Control: Art in the Age of Computers

Since the 1960s, artists and programmers have used computers to create prints, drawings, paintings, photographs and digital artworks. This display celebrated 50 years and more of computer-generated art, exploring aspects of chance and control

Cellular Forms: an Artistic Exploration of Morphogenesis

Cellular Forms uses a simplified model of cellular growth to generate intricate sculptural shapes. Structures are created out of interconnected cells, with rules for the forces between cells, as well as rules for how cells accumulate internal nutrients. When the nutrient level in a cell exceeds a given threshold the cell splits into two, with both the parent and daughter cells reconnecting to their immediate neighbours. Many different complex organic structures are seen to arise from subtle variations of these rules, creating forms with strong reminiscences of plants, corals, internal organs and micro-organisms

MUTATIONS / CRÉATIONS 2: Coder le monde, Pompidou Centre, Paris, 2018

Au sein de Mutations/Créations, Coder le monde présente un état de la création digitale contemporaine dans différentes disciplines. Revenant sur l’histoire du code numérique et la manière dont les artistes s’en sont emparés depuis l’avènement de l’ordinateur dans les années 1960, l’exposition fait apparaître un univers esthétique et critique commun qui questionne notre quotidien entièrement irrigué par les logiques numériques. Articulée autour de six timelines, l’exposition met au jour de multiples correspondances dans les logiques de création et offre une lisibilité globale de ce qui const..

Evaluación a la gestión financiera del Programa de Innovación Tecnológica Agropecuaria, ejecutado por la Dirección Agropecuaria de Napo, del Ministerio de Agricultura, Ganadería, Acuacultura y Pesca, período 2013-2015

La Evaluación de la gestión financiera del Programa de Innovación Tecnológica Agropecuaria ejecutado por la Dirección Provincial Agropecuaria de Napo, período 2013-2015, tiene la finalidad de cumplir con los servicios enfocados a la satisfacción de las necesidades de un determinado territorio. La presente investigación ha permitido generar una herramienta el mimos que ha sido desarrollados en base a criterios y conceptos científicos sobre el proceso, que permitió obtener información verídica, oportuna y actual lo que a su vez permitió establecer las debilidades que tiene este organismo local frente a los servicios que brinda a la comunidad. Por estas consideraciones se ha propuesto características esenciales de planificación, organización, dirección y control con una evaluación constante de los programas de innovación que se ejecuten, y que además cumplan con el marco normativo legal vigente como es la Dirección Provincial, cuyas disposiciones son de obligatorio cumplimiento para los gobiernos autónomos descentralizados, poniendo especial énfasis en las competencias exclusivas determinadas para los agricultores agropecuarios, así como también se han considerado procesos que realmente permitan la operatividad, participación ciudadana y no tener todos los documentos de sustento de la entrega de bienes y servicios.The evaluation of the financial management of the agricultural technological innovation program implemented by the Provincial Agricultural Direction from Napo during 2013-2015 has the aim of fulfillment with the services focused on the satisfaction of the needs of a given territory. The present investigation has allowed to generate a tool which has been developed based on scientific criteria and concepts about the process that allowed to obtain true, timely and current information, which in turn allowed to establish the weaknesses that this local agency has faced of the services that it provides to the community. For these reasons, it has been proposed the essential characteristics of planning, organization, direction and control with a continuous evaluation of the innovation programs that are executed, and that they also fulfill with the legal framework in force as the Provincial Direction is, whose dispositions are mandatory fulfillment to the decentralized autonomous governments, placing special emphasis on exclusive competencies determined to the agricultural farmers, as well as, the processes that actually allows the operability have been considered, citizen participation and no have all the documents supporting the delivery of goods and services