Research

Hundreds of Things: the Internet of Things for Cultural Networks.
hundreds_of_things_phd_ad.pdf
i-DAT, in collaboration with University College Falmouth, invites applications for a 3-year full-time PhD studentship to engage in an applied, practice based research project to explore the potential of smart networked technologies (topically described as the ‘Internet of Things’) to map and evaluate the movement and relationships of people and resources across a geographically distributed communities.
Project overview:
The research will take place through collaborating cultural and heritage venues and regional art galleries distributed across Cornwall. These venues act as active nodes on a dynamic network, linking communities of local residents to a transient community of visitors. They operate as conduits for exchange for ideas, knowledge and physical objects. They also become nodes on more problematic seasonal networks, such as supply chains for food, traffic and amenities (water, electricity and sewerage).
The research will engage in participatory design process through the use ‘provocative prototypes’ or ‘cultural probes’. It will explore the use of smart networked technologies, such as RFID’s, networked sensors, mobile phones, web and embedded technologies, to reveal the complex processes that exist within this networked ecology.
Applicants should therefore have accomplished digital media production skills, such as programming (such as processing, AS3, max msp php, java, etc) and hardware and basic electronics (such as arduino, xbee, RFID, etc).
These processes can be described as a ‘techno-ethnography’ that embraces quantitative data (such as server hits, financial transactions, GPS tracking of artefacts and people, etc) and qualitative data (such as stories, images, audio/visual recordings and conversations).
The research builds on i-DAT’s research projects that can be found at: http://www.i-dat.org/
Supervisory team
Mike Phillips, Professor of Interdisciplinary Arts and Director of i-DAT (www.i-dat.org) , University of Plymouth, Faculty of Art, Centre for Media Art & Design Research.
Phil Stenton, Professor of Pervasive Media and Associate Dean for Research & Enterprise at the School of Media and Performance at University College Falmouth.
(‘Hundreds of Things’ refers to the geographic division of Cornwall).
How to apply:
For an application form and full details on how to apply, please visit www.plymouth.ac.uk/pghowtoapply. Applications should be made by using the PDF application form or the Word application form. Printed application forms are also available and can be obtained from the Course Information Unit, Tel: +44 (0) 1752 585858, Email: prospectus@plymouth.ac.uk.
On completion send your application form to:
Sue Matheron by email: susan.matheron@plymouth.ac.uk or posted to:
Faculty of Arts
Research and Graduate Affairs Office
Room 305
Roland Levinsky Building
Plymouth, PL4 8AA
Further information on the terms and conditions of a PhD at the University of Plymouth can be found on www.plymouth.ac.uk/graduateschool.
Application deadline: 12 noon, Friday 3 June 2011
Please contact Professor Mike Phillips (mike.phillips@plymouth.ac.uk) for further information and an informal discussion regarding the research.