Studio Residencies 2012, a new opportunity for artists to research experimental ideas at the intersection of art, technology and culture, began in earnest this October. Here's a little of what they've been up:

Writer, performer and composer Timothy X Atack and musician, sound artist and instrument designer MrUnderwood, are collaboratively investigating how fiction, narrative and storytelling might augment the experiences demonstrated by Sonic Graffiti, (a series of homemade sound devices secreted in the built environment). To help them shape how Tim’s writing practice could enrich the experience of seeking out and operating these modules, they’ve begun investigating broad themes that interest both of them. Ideas of danger, decay, injuries and alarms have emerged as mutual points of reference.

Reflecting on common areas of interest and considering ways that people might find and interact with the devices, led the pair to re-name their project Geiger-Müller Sound System. We were a little worried when they began researching the availability of radioactive isotopes as a power source (so the devices could potentially run 'forever'), but (thankfully), they’ve now turned their attention to researching possible locations for the work - storm drains and abandoned swimming pools in the Bristol area - and ruminating upon what parameters you’d need to set for a laser temperature reader to activate a device in the presence of a warm human… exciting times ahead. Read Tim & MrUnderwood's latest journal entry

Artists Ben Sadler and Phil Duckworth of Juneau Projects are investigating the artistic possibilities of collaborating with ‘thinking’ machines. They’re interested in questioning how technology can inform what they make, rather than being just a tool employed in the process. They began last week, examining how rules and algorithms could be used to make creative decisions. Phil and Pervasive Media Studio’s resident Creative Technologist Dan Williams, spent an insightful afternoon talking through the mathematical phenomenon of Cellular Automatons - a grid of 'cells' where the state of a cell (on or off) affects the states of the surrounding cells. Cellular Automatons can be used to create patterns and 'life forms.' Can Juneau Projects use this set of rules to create a pattern or image, as a starting point for their collaboration with machines? ... Read Juneau Projects' latest journal entry

Studio Residencies offer artists research, development and production support, and a unique opportunity to explore process and practice within a collaborative environment.

Residencies will run from October to December 2012, with a Showcase event at Watershed in January to share the project outcomes (date TBC). During this time, the artists will regularly share their progress online and participate in open discussions at Pervasive Media Studio.