Index of / Artemis Gryllaki / Projects / Iris 0.5 /

Iris 0.5 is a smart device, an Artificial Intelligence, which compels the user to consider their attitude towards an ever-accelerating drive for self-optimization and productivity. It is installed in work environments where workers can easily interact with it. The device is inhabited by three different personalities: The Corporate Guru, the Pirate Signal and the Announcer. The interactions and conflicts between these three characters place the user in an ambiguous position, doubtful if the emphasis is on productivity or happiness.

Iris takes the appearance of a manufactured product; a compact 3D printed shell that contains a Raspberry Pi and two speakers, and at the top of the device, an infinity mirror with a LED strip and a camera. When it detects movement via the camera it starts to speak, and the LEDs, connected to the audio levels of the output, start to glow at a different intensity depending on the strength of the audio signal. When the device is active, the infinity mirror produces a combination of an endless light corridor and a faint reflection of oneself.

Iris Version 0.5 was designed and built together with Simon Browne, Tancredi Di Giovanni, Paloma García, Rita Graça, Pedro Sá Couto, Biyi Wen and Bohye Woo. Gill Baldwin performed the voice of The Corporate Guru. The project was a collaboration between Silvio Lorusso, the Research Department of Het Nieuwe Instituut and XPUB.