Frogenstein (the blog quebecois)

Frogenstein

This is different, if a bit morbid:

Another of Garnet's works, Experiments in Galvanism: Frog with Implanted Webserver is currently installed at Latitude 53 in Edmonton, Canada. A miniature computer is implanted into a dead frog. The animal is suspended in liquid contained in a glass cube, with a blue ethernet cable leading into its splayed abdomen. The computer stores a website that enables users to trigger physical movement in the corpse. You can view and activate the project online until March 18th 2006.

Go on, give it a try. Hours of fun for the kids!

The creator, Garnet Hertz, is a Fulbright Scholar, Research Fellow at the California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology, and a doctoral student at University of California Irvine. He was previously famous (so to speak) for using a Madagascan Hissing Cockroach to control a robot. He talks about the details here, and it's actually quite interesting. This is assuming that you don't mind looking at pictures of Madagascan Hissing Cockroaches, which are not, to be sure, among God's handsomer creations.

Via we make money not art

Posted by gnotalex on March 2, 2006 10:45 PM | Permalink

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Comments (5)

marybeth:

Does PETA know?

Posted by marybeth | March 2, 2006 9:54 PM

Posted on March 2, 2006 21:54

Kate:

Haha, I bet they'd throw a fit, even if the frog were already dead, about desecrating its corpse. Guess it could be worse.

Posted by Kate | March 3, 2006 1:50 PM

Posted on March 3, 2006 13:50

gnotalex:

Nah, they just care about cute animals, like seal pups. Hertz addresses the issue (at least as it pertains to the cockroaches):

Isn't it cruel to use a cockroach like this? People are upset if cockroaches are healthy, happy and producing piles of babies in their kitchens. People are also upset if they are being hurt for the sake of entertainment. Both of these concerns are valid: people have a strong desire to control "nature". This project strives to invert the control structure somewhat by having an insect control a mobile robot: without the insect being "too" wild or controlled. The insects I use lead normal, healthy lives: if you don't believe me, send me your address and I'll slip some eggs under your front door. In comparison, few people entertain the thought that taking a baby dog away from its parents, raising it with a bunch of humans in a house, putting a collar on it and feeding it cold food is cruel. Cockroaches aren't normally pets, and besides the Orkin man, we have few cultural norms regarding how to treat these insects besides crushing them in an emotional panic. It seems a little hypocritical, however, that the same people that swat mosquitos, lay ant traps, or have their houses sprayed for termites would object to a cockroach being used in a research (or creative) context.

Posted by gnotalex | March 3, 2006 7:14 PM

Posted on March 3, 2006 19:14

Garry P.:

I could quess this is a lpc prototype for the "pleases all" leadership candidate to replace mr. dithers!! Has potential..dead and has to be manipulated at arm's length.

Posted by Garry P. | March 5, 2006 7:28 AM

Posted on March 5, 2006 07:28

Snookie:

Gotta be a Liberal or Dipper frog.... only the LEFT side twitches. So much for making it dance *sigh*

Posted by Snookie | March 7, 2006 5:45 AM

Posted on March 7, 2006 05:45