Year Zero
One is pleased to
present the source code for Norman White's interactive
robotic project, The Helpless Robot.
The Helpless Robot is an artificial personality
that responds to the behavior of humans by using its electronic voice which
speaks a total of 512 phrases. The speech that is delivered depends on its
present and past experience of "emotions" ranging from boredom,
frustration, arrogance, and overstimulation.
Since 1987 The Helpless Robot has been exhibited
in numerous galleries both in Canada and internationally. By sharing and
publishing The Helpless Robot script, Norman
White invites fellow creative individuals to collaborate on a software
project aimed at: >> creating more
powerful and varied simulations of an emotional entity. >>
translating the code into Java or another web language, so as to create
a net-based version of The Helpless Robot.
This might involve re-writing parts of the existing Delphi code, or starting
all over from scratch.
Norman White started out as a
painter, but in the late 60's, he taught himself electronics and began
to create electrical machines in order to better model behavior, particularly
that of living organisms. He has exhibited his electrical work widely
in North America and Europe. In 1978, he helped to initiate, at the Ontario
College of Art and Design a programme dedicated to teaching electronics,
mechanics, and computer programming to artists. He teaches at OCAD to
this day.
He now lives in Durham, Ontario.
The Helpless Robot Source Code
The Helpless
Robot Artist Statement
GNU General Public License
