The Heart Machine

Interactive Art Proposal for Burning Man 2010
A Site 3 Collaboration
Concept Artist: Christine Irving
http://www.site3.ca/projects/thm/
Email:   christine (dot) irving (at) gmail (dot) com

Documents:

The Heart Machine – One Page Summary (pdf)

The Heart Machine Schedule (pdf)

The Heart Machine High Level Timeline (jpg)

The Heart Machine Fuel Tanks and Flame Effects Components (pdf)

The Heart Machine LNT Plan (pdf)

Click on Images Below for Larger Image View

The Heart Machine
In Fritz Lang’s 1926 movie Metropolis, Freder, the main character asks, “It was their hands that built this city of ours, father. But where do the hands belong in your scheme?” His father answers, “In their proper place – the depths.”

At the heart of the city, the heart of our Metropolis, exists a machine: the heart machine.  Without the heart machine the city and civilization as we know it would fall apart. Yet without humans to interact with it, the heart machine would cease have a purpose; cease to exist.  In the absence of this symbiotic relationship the heart machine sits silently on the playa and participants passively wander the night looking for “something.”

How we perceive technology guides our interactivity with the heart machine.  Do we watch passively for the machine to react to our presence or do we take active control?  Do we reach out and explore without fear or do we wait to take the lead from others?  Even if we do reach out and explore, no one person can wake the heart machine.  We must visit the depths of our metropolis together to build the connections the heart machine needs to interact and communicate with us.  We, the citizens of metropolis, are the nerves, the arteries, the lifeblood of the heart machine and her warming fires are our reward.

Interactivity with the Heart Machine
Without the citizens of our metropolis, the heart machine does not exist. Within the space of the heart machine there are five 10″ metal balls mounted on 3′ posts.  Although pilot lights for the flame effects are lit, the heart machine means nothing without the laying of many hands.

Participants must complete the circuit by holding hands and creating a human chain between the center ball and any of the 4 outer balls.  Once a connection is made, the switch is turned on and a large flame effect is their reward.

The possibilities of what is created by participants depends on their imagination:

1. a group of 3-5 participants hold hands to set off one flame effect
2. the same group keeps the center contact but the chain of participants moves around touching each of the 4 outer balls; creating a flame sequence
3. 5-10 participants self organize to set off 2 flame effects at once
4. musically minded participants realize by breaking and reconnecting the human chain, they can create an organic beat born in flames
5. 12-20 participants can work together to set off all 4 flame effects at once; perhaps initiating a hidden sequence within the heart machine

The possibilities are endless but the interaction is always all inclusive and encourages strangers to interact with each other.  Imagine a lone burner walking by.  She hears a group of people calling to  her, beckoning her to come over and join them.  When she approaches they explain they need her as the final link to create the connection.  She joins in and a burst of flames lights up the night.  More people come over to see what is going on.  By the end of the play, new connections have been made within the heart machine.

Dimensions
35′W x  35′L x 4′-7′H
At the center of the heart machine a 10″ metal ball rises 3′ above the playa out of a small box.  Surrounding this center ball are four other identical metal balls placed 20′ to 25′ away at 12:00, 3:00, 6:00 and 9:00.  Each of the outer balls are paired with a flame effect placed 3′ further out.  The flame effect looks exactly like the Burninator and includes a safety fence perimeter.  All balls are lit from a solar charged LED wash placed at the bottom of each post.  The lighting creates the illusion that the balls are glowing and ensures the participants easily see them from a distance.

There is no need for wires between the center ball and outer balls as participants are the capacitance link.  The flame effects are self contained with their own fuel, arduinos (control circuits) and switches.  The corners of the safety fence for each fire effect will wash red and yellow LED lighting onto the tanks.

It is the simplicity of the heart machine and how participants must interact with her that makes it beautiful and engaging.

Over the summer we will also design and test human sculptural elements that may replace the metal balls as a symbolic and intuitive interface paradigm.  We will also design with interactive buttons as a backup interaction strategy.

Flame Effect Components
WE LOVE YOU BURNINATOR

Why mess with a good thing!?!  Except to Canadianize it!  The following component images are not ours.  After our initial design we realized our flame effects look like Burninator. So with the exception of a few modifications of controllers and XBee wireless for effects, our flame effects will follow the Burninator model.  The Burninator images are from http://4bc.org/burninator. Thanks!

Safety

Another reason why we are keeping with the elegant design of the Burninator flame effect is that we can follow the tried, tested and Burning Man Artery approved safety plans. The existing safety plans of the Burninator will be enhanced for the Heart Machine. The full safety plan will be submitted and discussed before the event, with the safety procedures, mechanisms, and diagrams.

• instant shutdown mechanisms
• tip sensors
• automatic burn sensors with shutoff mechanisms
• remote controls
• coded identification of permitted operators
• electronic and computer lockouts of control mechanisms
• components are propane- and pressure-rated
• valves and other components are industrial-strength
• a trained safety crew is always present
• spotters are present to ensure towers are intact
• a safety bike is present to reach towers immediately
• towers have perimeters and are at a safe height
• the equipment is tested and inspected daily
• the system is locked out except during system engaged times and when crew is present

Crew
We have a fantastic crew of professionals and bootstrap playa veterans sprinkled with a dash of eager virgins.  Our crew is broken into several project areas with some crew members spanning more than one area by choice:

Build Stream 1 – Electronic and Software Components
Build Stream 2 – Mechanical and Flame effect Components
Build Stream 3 – Interaction, Sculptural and Design Components
Overall Project Management and Coordination
Fund Raising and Communications
Just Get’R'dun

We will recruit other dedicated playa crew members from our local Canadian communities.  All crew members are expected to participate in the build, maintain and cleanup of the Heart Machine while on the playa.

Our core team in in alphabetical order:

• Pat Ford (realtime safety critical systems architect)
• Seth Hardy (Computer Science; lead software architect)
• Christine Irving (project manager and concept creator and task master)
• Alex Leitch (programmer and art fund raiser; goddess of getting stuff done)
• Neko (Product and Fashion Designer; builds cool shit and goddess of fabrication)
• Chris North (Post Grad in Interdisciplinary Design Strategy; sculptural concept man & design coordinator)
• John Rose (building contractor; flame effects lead)
• Max Stevens-Guile (MSc Computer Science; electronics design)
• Peter Stevens-Guille (MASc Systems Design; lead mechanical engineer)
• Mark Szilard (B. Eng , Chemical Engineering; flame effects consultant)
• John Yoxall (the man with the on playa plan and resident wine expert)
• Toronto Burning Man community and our sister communities (pARTicipants)

We would personally like to thank:

• Flaming Lotus Girls who have acted as a mentor to Christine and the project concept
• Dave X and Eric Smith for making sure we know more than nothing but less than everything
• Burninator for inspiring BEEEG FIRE & playa safety plans
• Jason Bellenger… because we can and should

Timelines

• March 1 through 2 – Notification of grant status (celebrate or wallow)
• GO/NO GO DECISION BASED ON GRANT STATUS
• March 7 – The Heart Machine project kickoff meeting
• March 8 through 19 – Final review and confirmation of project work breakdown structure, materials, budget, team members, project plan, action items and communications. Artery will be updated on progress and budget during status report
• March 21- Project website updated
• March 29 – Order parts and email receipts to Artery (project status report)
• April 8 through 23 – Delivery of parts and review fund raising activities* for the summer
• April 24 through 30 – QA parts and integration (project status report to Artery)
• May 1 through July 4th -
• - Build Stream 1: Assemble, program & manage electronic components
• - Build Stream 2: Assemble, safety & manage flame effect components
• - Build Stream 3: Assemble and integrate sculptural and design components
• - Fund raising activities (parties, raffles, test the heart machine, etc.)
• July 5 – Fund raising checkpoint (project status report to Artery and email receipts)
• July 17 through August 1 – Integration of build streams, QA and testing
• August 1 – project checkpoint of transportation, budget, fund raising and integration
• sign-off by all build teams (project status report to Artery & final transportation cost*)
• August 9 through 14 – packing and transportation prep / logistics confirmations
• August 16 – The Heart Machine ships via truck from Toronto to BM
• August 25 – The Heart Machine arrives on playa (project status report to Artery)
• August 26 – Arrival of remaining primary build team members (10), registration at artery, build logistics review and confirmation with Artery and camp setup
• August 26 through 27 – Transportation of the Heart Machine to playa location, trenching (if required), collection of propane tank donation from Eric Smith, and initial build setup and electronics/component testing without fuel. Walk through of team roles and schedule for the playa. Follow up with Artery on any issues and provide status update if required by the Artery
• August 28 – Onsite delivery of fuel and testing of the Heart Machine with Fuel components
• August 29 – Contingency day for troubleshooting / retesting
• August 30 – First run with eager playa metropolis citizens / contingency day for retesting
• August 30 through September 4- the Heart Machine runs every night for 4 hours or as long as we have fuel (80 gallons); tanks will be purged every tank with onsite delivery the next day
• September 5 – Option for one additional night if fuel and circumstances permit
• September 5 through 6 – cleanup, LNT activities, main camp and site transportation prep and logistics.  Review site with the Artery for sign-off
• September 6 through 8 – The Heart Machine ships via truck from BM to Toronto
• September 18 – The Heart Machine arrives back in Toronto and cleaned up for Tcomp

*Note: the status report will include any budget reductions due to fund raising / donations / money saved if we secure a better transport contract prior to August 1. Timelines include slack for contingencies, troubleshooting and delays.

Leave No Trace Plan
If trenching is required for wires we will lay rope over the wires to reduce the amount of playa we need to dig up during clean up.  As our flame effects are similar and inspired by the Burninator for standalone components, the cleanup will be straight forward:

• No residue from the flames will ever touch the playa
• The only damage to the playa will be from (1) the minimal narrow trench made for the wire (only if required) and (2) 5 posts secured by 4′ rebar; the trenchs and posts will be filled and compacted completely
• All other materials can be broken down simply and will be removed
• Dust mounds are raked and dispersed
• The greywater will be dispersed carefully so as not to make marks or transported out
• The area will be ‘moop’ed and inspected for wire, zipties, etc.
• Solar power will be used to charge the 12v batteries so there will be no generators to manage or clean up

Always Have a Plan B
The crew of the Heart Machine have been on the playa long enough to know that you must not only have a Plan B but a Plan C, perhaps a Plan D and then a very robust twisted sense of humor.  To compensate that Murphy is alive and well on the playa, the Heart Machine will design and bring two additional interaction connections should the first human connection fail due to damage or playafacts of life.

Backup Option 1: Run CAT5 cable in the trenches and use an insulated closed loop to complete the connection

Backup Option 2: Run CAT5 cable in the trenches and use big fun buttons or interaction at each sculpture to complete the connection; participants must coordinate their movements to engage the flame effects.  Different movements invoke different sequences that reward participants as a group