Synopsis
This presentation shows how art and design, including wearable technology and Performance Art, contributes to contemporary dialogue regarding oppressive watching, and the defensive prototypes and insightful methods that respond in creative and nonviolent ways. “Wearable Technology as Art for Countersurveillance, Cinemaveillance, and Sousveillance” combines ongoing research and original work by Artist and Author Ross Bochnek, and a survey of projects by other artists.

Surveillance means “watching from above”, and presented Countersurveillance hacks include simple components, materials, and patterns that obscure the wearers’ identification by human and computer vision CCTV systems. Cinemaveillance introduces tools and techniques for creating artistic street photography and cinematic HD video. Sousveillance means “watching from below”; a term coined by artist and wearable computer pioneer Steve Mann. He constantly wears his custom equipment, and throws all of the excuses for being watched from above right back at the systems that seek to control him.

Bio
Ross Bochnek holds an MFA in Design and Technology with concentrations in Multimedia and Ubiquitous Computing, and a BFA in Film, Photography, and Visual Art. His blog, www.rehumanizing.us, focuses on the original humanistic intentions and etymology behind concepts including: technology, Cyborg, cybernetics, and Robot. He reminds us that human designers and engineers are responsible for creating interfaces for the tools they release into the world. We need not accept these tools as more capable than humans because they were designed by humans, and it is the conscious art, intentions, and methods of using these tools that bridges them into “technologies”. Ross has presented at: International Alchemy Conferences, Sonic Bloom, IONS, Maker Faires, BarCamps, BBYV, MobileCamp, BILs, Dorkbot, and elsewhere.