Server In A Fly 403
Tablespork writes "These guys have implanted the world's smallest webserver-on-a-chip into a dead fly! From the site: "Fly, grants us the ability to virtually possess the body of a dead, preserved fly via web-based technology." There is a webcam monitoring the fly, so you can watch as you blink the LEDs." And don't worry if something goes wrong with it -- "Several pre-programmed and wired flies will be on hand in case of technical malfunction."
Gotta love art-speak... (Score:5, Informative)
The webserver (1K of space) shows a simple page, and the visitor of the page can turn the LED on/off.
Further, the 'surgery' on the fly had to be carried out within 24 hours after its death, or it would have become too brittle, though the author noted that it's possible to rejoin broken off legs &c. with some glue. Provided you can find the bodypart in question
The reason for this project? It's art, you insensitive clod!
Re:Slashdotted? (Score:3, Informative)
"Installation Date: June 1 to September 3rd, 2001"
That means that this art exhibit was displayed between the above dates. It was taken down more than a year ago. So the IP displayed will not respond.
Hello? RTFA? (Score:5, Informative)
If you read the article, the first thing that jumps out is the date: June 1 to September 3, 2001. In fact, if you'll notice, the IP address they refer to (http://139.142.46.159) is long gone.
Reading further, it is revealed that this was a museum exhibit at the Mendel Art Gallery in Canada in 2001. The link cited shows the proposal they sent to the museum, which is why it reads rather oddly ("This will ideally allow for gallery staff to replace the fly.") The museum accepted the proposal, as can be seen here [mendel.ca], at the museum's website.
Please, editors, do your homework before posting these stories. It's an interesting story, but quite dated.
Re:Technically pointless (Score:5, Informative)
That has already been done [d116.com].
Re:Slashdotted? (Score:3, Informative)
About Garnet Hertz (Score:3, Informative)
This is what happens when you read too much Gibson. The idea that a fly corpse with a Webserver chip and two LED's stuck in it is a "cybernetic being in a state of attempted reanimation" is ludicrous, since the system would behave exactly the same without the fly corpse. It ain't exactly Deadly Friend
It's worth noting that among this artist's other works are screenshots of his cluttered Mac desktop [conceptlab.com], used as a "visual medium" for artistic expression.
Re:Hmm, an idea... (Score:5, Informative)
"Spanish Fly (pulverized blister-beetles) contains cantharides, which can cause physical arousal of a sort, by irritating the urinary tract when ingested and excreted. But dig this: it was used in the mid-19th century to treat pleurisy. Applied to the skin, it created blisters 12 by 6 inches in size, which (it was erroneously thought) beneficially drew liquid away from the lungs. You want that *inside* your ureter?
In Victorian England there were several cases of manslaughter or malicious poisoning by means of Spanish Fly. In one, Regina v. Hennah, 1877, in which the victim didn't die, the defendant was acquitted because no intent to harm was proved.
In more recent times, and more legitimately, the active ingredient in Spanish Fly was used medicinally to dissolve external warts.
Sources: (1) P.V.Taberner, "Aphrodisiacs: the science and the myth" (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1985). We don't need no stinkin' ISBNumber; look it up in your library catalog or Books in Print. (2) Encyclopaedia Britannica, 15th ed., source of last resort, s.vv. "aphrodisiac" and "blister beetle". "
Hope you didn't drink it as a normal beverage by the way, even if you believe in this shit you better had it mixed with something else otherwise you are one lonely geek... even your left and right hand would have nothing to do...
Cashdot Effect (Score:4, Informative)
"Thank You Slashdot!
(you just made me $0.05 richer)
RCTOYS.COM
Close Window
4423 x $0.05 = my money"
Rather than bitch about being slashdotted, the guy has style and, put up a banner to a cool geek toy site and let us pay for slashdotting him. That's so much cooler than complaining about it. Kudos.