Walk

On the walk today I noticed several different types of sensors and electronics in the environment. There were electrical systems with sensors that turned the light poles on and off, there were sensors in the restrooms for flushing toilets and dispensing paper towels, sensors in the fire alarm system and smoke alarms, sensors in the library with book strips, and sensors for the watering system to be turned on and off at specific times of the day. One of the most interesting sensors that I know of and witnessed on the walk was the sensors in the streets that told the lights to change or not. I thought the implications of that specific type of sensor are really interesting. The fact that you as a human, can't proceed along your path until an electrical device recognizes your presence and decides by timing when you are allowed to proceed. It doesn't physically keep you in your space, technically you could proceed, but it does by human law keep you in your space until another electrical device signals you to go. An interesting art piece that would involve human interaction would be some kind of space, that senses your presence as you walk through, but creates barriers that stop you along the way, or even trap you until it decides that you're allowed to move. I feel like losing your sense of control or choice over a situation to a machine would be an interesting and uneasy experience that would probably prove to be difficult for a lot of people.