Robotic duck that defecates photos

The ‘Charlie. Camerautomata’ is a new project by Taeyoon Choi , Recipient of the 2008 Commission for Resident Artist at the Eyebeam Art and Technology Center in NYC. The ‘Camerautomata’ (‘Camera’+’Automata’) is a ‘Magical Image Digesting Robotic Duck’. Charlie, the duck, is a participatory ‘Image- Technology’ for photographic intervention in public spaces. The project explores the system in which digital images are produced and consumed in urban space as well as information space. Where as the conventional image technology (ex:cameras) isolate people(ex.tourists) from their immediate environment, ‘Camerautomata’ brings strangers together by the act of photographing. The duck digests and defecates the photograph and also posts on his flickr site via WIFI. The duck is a eclectic collage of hacking automatic electronics (digital camera/ portable printer/ motorized decoy/ roomba/ etc) and controlled by a microprocessor, in order for the digital camera to take pictures on its own without human interruption. It is partly inspired by ‘Defecating Duck’ by Jacque de Vaucanson. This website includes postings from Choi and project interns. The project stages various public events from May to July, in New York City.

Camerautomata.org [Thanks, Victoria!]