Remaking Space

Museums, Canals and Text Messaging: Three Ways we Remake Space with Technology

Barry Brown
Department of Computing Science, University of Glasgow

ABSTRACT:

One of the most innovative areas of technology research of late has been in the interactions between technology and geography. This has taken the form of both new technologies (such as positioning systems and ubiquitous technologies), but also new studies of technology which look at the interactions between place and technology. Yet, to understanding the geographical nature of technology we need to think not only how technologies are used in particular places, but also how those places are connected together. For example, computers do not just connect together places through the internet but through a network of standardisation. "Power-point" pervades through our working practices. In this talk I use three different examples to argue that space is frequently remade, in new ways, using technology. The first example I
discuss is a new mixed reality museum visiting system. This system
allowed museum visitors to ''co-visit'' with online museum visitors. In use, this system created a new type of space - a ''hybrid space'', which mixed both online and physical objects, online and physical spatial relations. In the second example I look at the advent of canals in 1800s America and, in particular, the effects this introduction had on the production of food. This historical example shows how a change in flow of food depended upon two ''micro'' changes - a transport revolution, but also a change of practice in the form of the standardisation of crops and weights. Lastly, using ethnographic material on mobile workers I discuss the changing practices of mobile workers, and how their work creates new spatial connections through the use of technology. Together these three examples provide a start to thinking about how technology can change our experiences of and use of space.

Bio
Barry Brown is a research fellow and ethnographer at Glasgow University where he explores the social issues surrounding work, leisure and technology. In his recent work he has studied activities as varied at tourism, go-karting, video game playing, map use, web-blogging and truck spare parts sales. He has also recently edited a book on mobile phone use (Wireless World, Springer Verlag).

Monday, Aug 11, 2003
15:30 - 17:00 Pacific Time

Intel Research Berkeley, 2150 Shattuck Ave., Suite 1300