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manifesto

Nothing escapes the ineluctable embrace of entropy, the one-way trip of our Universe toward chaos and heat death. Yet at least on one small sphere, our planet, there is a rude and surprising exception: LIFE. As time progresses, everything becomes less organized, but LIFE is an exception. It grows more complicated, and more interesting. Schroedinger calls this organizational drive negentropy - when things want to be ALIVE. Negentropy is a honeybee colony and a night at the opera. Negentropy is a Bronx cheer in the face of Death. The SWARM of autonomous beings by their very nature will have emergent and complex behavior. They will flock , flirt, dance and interact, and their actions will surprise and astonish even us, their creators. They are simple, but together they will behave in ways more complex than we can predict. A lot like LIFE .

see a 3D Animation of our project - by Phil Spitler

SWARM received its initial funding as a a large scale kinetic art project for Burning Man 2007. It consists of a number of rolling spherical vehicles, actuated by a non-rolling interior with a counterweight. With GPS guidance and computer control, the spheres can execute motions evocative of animals and dancers.

SWARM 2.1 is going to Burning Man 2008. Check out the proposal!

Our project received a generous grant from Burning Man. Without it, this project wouldn't be possible. This grant covered most of our initial expenses. Donations to the project are very gratefully accepted. They will go a long way to briding that gap to create a fantastic and long lasting work of art.

Your donation of $100 or more can be tax-deductable. Contact us to make arrangements.

Special Thanks to the TechShop for supporting SWARM with a TechShop Grant Membership. They are a great organization, with a lot to offer anyone who wants to build their dreams.

~ The SWARM Team