Beautiful, open source creativity at levitated.net

July 2, 2003 3:47 AM

Walking Thingsis an environment that generates small, walking computational organisms. "Each walking thing is built up from totally random conditions. Appearance, behavior, and walking characteristics are all assigned from a range enabling effective, functional mobility. Click on a walking thing to permutate its characteristics".

Just one of the very many wonderful (open source) creations at levitated.net (more bugs with bling here). Kick off your shoes, fill your coffee cup or wine glass, and dip in.
posted by taz (12 comments total)

Thanks taz: that is very nice
posted by magullo at 4:30 AM on July 2, 2003

Levitated.net's self-description:

Levitated.net contains visual poetry and science fun narrated in an object oriented graphic environment.

The sketches and applications generated as a byproduct of research are provided online as open source Flash modules.

Levitated.net actively engages in the installation of computational structures in and around Austin, TX. The purpose of these structures is to enlighten and inspire while also providing a stable income from which to continue research.

In the studio, Levitated.net experiments with large, geodesic interfacing structures intended to bring the computational experience closer to the participant.

These pages are attempting to fasten a usable structure around a continually evolving computational ecology, so that it may be observed and enjoyed by participants of the network.

More formal code and design ideas are periodically published as tangible commodities in book, paper, and printed form.

Very cool site. Though that description is a little buzzword-heavy.
posted by gsteff at 6:42 AM on July 2, 2003

I thought the Flash XML Parser was extremely cool. Awesome site...great link.
posted by ejunek at 6:43 AM on July 2, 2003

Super-Fly. Beautiful stuff. I don't understand it, but I love it. I especially enjoyed clicking through the word fog. And the rune font!
posted by jopreacher at 7:27 AM on July 2, 2003

Wow! What a site!
The exploration of computation indeed.
Thanks taz!
posted by talos at 7:34 AM on July 2, 2003

My favorites are these ones - I love the way they stack and change, and look directly at you once in a while.
posted by iconomy at 7:48 AM on July 2, 2003

Bugs with bling indeed! Lots of cool stuff here - I like this image display. Neat find, taz!
posted by madamjujujive at 8:11 AM on July 2, 2003

That's pretty rad. I guess it would be easy enough [for smart people] to do since it's open-source, but I wish there was a screen saver version.
posted by BigPicnic at 8:57 AM on July 2, 2003

So cool.
posted by pemulis at 10:07 AM on July 2, 2003

Similar to another favorite, soda play --with an isometric slant. hehe.
I was going to add sexbots to the list of creature links. Sadly, sexbots are no more...
posted by xtian at 11:58 AM on July 2, 2003

my kitten loves this site.
posted by crunchland at 11:15 AM on July 3, 2003

Another awesome link, thanks, Taz!
posted by Lynsey at 7:49 PM on July 3, 2003