twenty1f: fashion for the 21st century

Call for proposals from Australian media artists

ANAT is pleased to announce the call for proposals from Australian media artists and science organisations to participate in the 2007 Synapse Art and Science Residency program.

The residencies are available to Australian artists with experience in media arts practice and an interest in science. Artists from all technologically mediated disciplines are welcome to apply.

Residencies can be undertaken at either an Australian or overseas science organisation for a period of 12 or 16 weeks, depending on the location. ANAT will provide an artist’s fee, accommodation, a living away allowance and return travel to the destination of the residency if required. It is anticipated the host organisation will provide access to personnel, equipment, space and resources, as well as contributing towards materials and/or the cost of mounting an exhibition at the conclusion of the residency.

The Synapse residencies provide an opportunity for artists to work with key areas of research and science expertise whilst contributing to the creative needs of the science organisation. In order to encourage early relationship-building and to ensure the best fit between artist and host organisation, a joint proposal must be submitted. It is the responsibility of either partner to establish contact with the other and to determine the best possible collaboration prior to application. Those with existing relationships are strongly encouraged to submit proposals.

The Synapse program, established in 2004, supports creative partnerships between scientists and artists, science institutions and art organisations. As well as the residencies, the Synapse initiative comprises an international database of science/arts collaborations and a moderated email discussion list (both to be launched during 2007 National Science Week), as well as the Australia Council/Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage program, which supports arts/science collaborations in tertiary education research environments.

The deadline for applications is 5pm, Friday, 29th June 2007

Guidelines for applicants can be downloaded from www.anat.org.au

For further information, please contact:
Vicki Sowry
Program Manager, Art|Research|Science
Tel: 08 8231 9037
Email: ars@anat.org.au

This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body. ANAT is assisted by the Australia Council for the Arts, by the South Australian Government through Arts SA http://www.arts.sa.gov.au and the Visual Arts and Craft Strategy, an initiative of the Australian, State and Territory Governments.

TAGS: austrailia, residencies

posted by : beverly on 29 Jun 2007

The clothes should pick up changes in sweat

European scientists are developing clothing which they say will be able to monitor your health. The “intelligent textiles” contain embedded sensors designed to monitor body fluids such as blood and sweat.

The aim is to use the clothes to check on groups such as recovering hospital patients, people with chronic illnesses and injured athletes.

The Biotex programme, funded in part by the European Union, involves researchers from eight institutions.

A prototype multi-sensor test patch is already near completion.

The next step will be to try out the experimental fabric on volunteers.

Project co-ordinator Jean Luprano, from the Swiss technology company CSEM, told The Engineer magazine: “Sensors have been built and have been tested in the lab.

“We have started their integration into textile patches.

“We will soon have a multi-sensor patch which will allow us to sense several elements in parallel.”

Fibres in the material collect moisture and bring it to the sensors

The first version will be able to monitor sweat by measuring acidity, salinity and perspiration rate.

It is hoped the technology will eventually be able to monitor the body’s vital signs, assess the progress of wound healing, and spot illnesses and infections at a very early stage by pinpointing abnormalities in metabolism.

Mr Luprano stressed the technology was not meant to replace traditional medical diagnostic methods.

However, he said that away from a clinic it was often not practical to collect data.

“In these cases, wearable monitoring systems, even if less accurate, can help the physicians get additional information they would not have without them if the patients are away from the hospital.”

Mark Outhwaite, chairman of a specialist group of the British Computer Society dealing with informatics and telemedicine, said sensors would only be useful to doctors if they provided highly accurate and reliable information.

He said lower grade information which identified trends, rather than absolutes, was likely to be useful in areas such as monitoring sporting performance, but could not necessarily be used to inform important medical decisions.

Mr Outhwaite said the idea of smart clothing was mooted by the US authorities in the late 1900s as a potential way to keep track of battlefield injuries.

Via BBC News.

TAGS: acidity, health, illness, metabolism, monitor, sensor, sweat

posted by : regine on 11 Jun 2007