A new life for an old harmonium and the birth of a robot that can draw. Ideas and plans really moved forward for Geiger-Müller Sound System and Juneau Projects during November, as they continued their Studio Residencies. They’ve posted updates online along the way that you can explore and comment on.

What are the Studio Residencies? They offer artists the rare chance to research projects at the intersection of art, technology and culture in the unique collaborative environment of Watershed's Pervasive Media Studio.

At the end of October, writer, performer and composer Timothy X Atack and musician, sound artist and instrument designer MrUnderwood - collectively known as Geiger-Müller Sound System - were exploring how fiction, narrative and storytelling might augment a series of nifty homemade sound devices secreted in the built environment. Whilst artists Ben Sadler and Phil Duckworth of Juneau Projects have continued investigating the artistic possibilities of collaborating with 'thinking' machines - asking how technology can inform what they make, rather than just being a tool in the process.

An upbeat post from MrUnderwood describes how they’ve since settled their focus on developing a finite choir, after becoming interested in an old woodworm-riddled harmonium that was slowly dying in Timothy’s garden. Timothy describes head scratching moments: how can they safely deconstruct the infested instrument, and re-house the individual reeds into a series of bespoke mechanical sound boxes - each one a different note? How will they power them? How will they distribute them? How will they attach a sense of mythology and wonder to this ‘choir’? And MrUnderwood questions will someone try to collect them? Will people connect to form chords? And will the choir be loved, maintained and played for 100 years? Lots to do …

Throughout November, Ben and Phil have explored a number of ideas including an attempt to collaborate with online chatbot Cleverbot, who suggested they paint gold zombies and robot clothes, you can read their humourous conversation online; and development of a virtual beetle, that would roam around inside your computer, gradually turning your photo collection into cult 'I AM THE BEETLE' images. However, after striking up a new collaboration with fellow Studio Resident and Robotics Engineer Adam Spiers, Juneau Projects describe how they’ve focussed on the creation of a bespoke drawing robot, capable of taking some aesthetic decisions in the making of new artworks. Plans are in place and building will commence in January …

Watch out for an Artists’ Talk in January, where both pairs will share what they’ve been up to over the past few months, and showcase the extraordinary work they’ve developed.