Sentient Cities: Ambient intelligence and Sentient Cities: Ambient intelligence and the politics of urban space the politics of urban space

Steve Graham and Mike CrangSteve Graham and Mike CrangDepartment of GeographyDepartment of Geography

University of DurhamUniversity of Durham

Towards “Enacted Environments”: (Cuff, 2003)Towards “Enacted Environments”: (Cuff, 2003)

RFIDs and the “Internet of things”: Also biometrics, RFIDs and the “Internet of things”: Also biometrics, algorithmic CCTV, tagging, new bordering technologies, algorithmic CCTV, tagging, new bordering technologies, ‘smart’ infrastructures, geodemographics, GPS etc.‘smart’ infrastructures, geodemographics, GPS etc.

Machine readable entities--sensors---databases to Machine readable entities--sensors---databases to recognise and track individual ‘objects of interest’’recognise and track individual ‘objects of interest’’

Ubiquitous computing and the promise of the always-on, Ubiquitous computing and the promise of the always-on, everywhere networkeverywhere network

Architectural and urban spaces continually animated, Architectural and urban spaces continually animated, brought into being, and continually brought into being, and continually performedperformed through through ubicomp or ambient intelligence ubicomp or ambient intelligence

’’Technological unconscious’ or ‘calculative background’ Technological unconscious’ or ‘calculative background’ within which within which computers inhabit the most ordinary thingscomputers inhabit the most ordinary things

3 KEY STARTING POINTS3 KEY STARTING POINTSONE: Best understood ONE: Best understood notnot as a real/virtual as a real/virtual binary of ‘real city’ & ‘virtual cyberspace.’ binary of ‘real city’ & ‘virtual cyberspace.’ Rather, simply the latest process in long Rather, simply the latest process in long

history of urban ‘history of urban ‘remediation’remediation’

‘Cyberspace’ "is very much a part of our contemporary world. It is constituted through a series of remediations. As a digital network,

cyberspace remediates the electric communications networks of the past 150 years, the telegraph and the telephone; as virtual reality, it remediates

the visual space of painting, film, and television ; and as social space, it remediates such historical places as cities and parks and such 'nonplaces' as theme parks and shopping malls. Like other contemporary telemediated

spaces, cyberspace refashions and extends earlier media, which are themselves embedded in material and social environments".

Bolter, J. and Grusin, R. (1999) Remediation : Understanding New Media, MIT Press.

TWO: Cities can be seen to emerge as 'fluid machines” -- places which continuously combine ‘distant proximity’ & ‘proximate distance’ in all sorts of ways:

”There is a continual fluctuation of people, goods, data, and services as moving entities, together forming a society where the whole structure is in movement. This dynamic is

supported by thousands of signs indicating both movement and intensity of urban flows. Each flow individually forms its complex horizontal network, further linked

vertically through different transportation systems. Both new infrastructures and the hyper-concentration of facilities [in cities] create a strategic terrain for a network of

international corporate cultures (international finance, telecommunications, information technology). These networks are open systems capable of absorbing new centres

without causing instability" Gutierrez and Portefaix (2000)

THREE: Paradoxically, ambient, ubiquitous or locative media, THREE: Paradoxically, ambient, ubiquitous or locative media, like all new technological systems, tend to become hidden and like all new technological systems, tend to become hidden and

‘disappear’ at precisely the moment that they become most ‘disappear’ at precisely the moment that they become most

important:important: ““The most profound technologies are those that disappear. The most profound technologies are those that disappear. They weave themselves into the fabric of everyday life until They weave themselves into the fabric of everyday life until

they are indistinguishable from it” they are indistinguishable from it” (Mark Weiser, 1991)(Mark Weiser, 1991)

Socially ‘Black boxed’ to become theSocially ‘Black boxed’ to become the ‘engineer’s stuff’: ‘Infrastructure’ ‘engineer’s stuff’: ‘Infrastructure’

‘‘Infrastructure’ is:Infrastructure’ is: Embedded (i.e. “sunk into other structures);Embedded (i.e. “sunk into other structures); Transparent (“it does not need to be reinvented each Transparent (“it does not need to be reinvented each

time or assembled for each task”); time or assembled for each task”); Offers temporal or spatial reach or scope; Offers temporal or spatial reach or scope; Is learned by its users;Is learned by its users; Is linked to conventions of practice (e.g. routines of Is linked to conventions of practice (e.g. routines of

electricity use); electricity use); Embodies standards; Embodies standards; Is built on an installed base of sunk capital;Is built on an installed base of sunk capital; Is fixed in modular increments, not built all at once or Is fixed in modular increments, not built all at once or

globally; andglobally; and Tends to become visible when it fails (Susan Leigh-Tends to become visible when it fails (Susan Leigh-

Star, 1999) Star, 1999)

Multiple, Multiple, Simultaneous, Simultaneous,

TrajectoriesTrajectories

Currently, several, trajectories of ubiquitous computing development Currently, several, trajectories of ubiquitous computing development are emerging simultaneouslyare emerging simultaneously

Each struggling to become ‘fixed’, normalised and standardised into Each struggling to become ‘fixed’, normalised and standardised into technological systems as ‘infrastructure’technological systems as ‘infrastructure’

Need to maintain a perspective Need to maintain a perspective across across andand between between : : 1. Consumerisation1. Consumerisation 2. Militarisation/ securitisation2. Militarisation/ securitisation 3. Urban activism and democratisation3. Urban activism and democratisation

1. Consumerisation; ‘Friction-Free’ Capitalism? 1. Consumerisation; ‘Friction-Free’ Capitalism?

New ‘control revolution’ through persistent, pervasive & New ‘control revolution’ through persistent, pervasive & inter-operable surveillance and trackinginter-operable surveillance and tracking

‘‘Data-driven mass customization based on continuous, Data-driven mass customization based on continuous, real-time monitoring of consumers’ (Andrejevic 2003)real-time monitoring of consumers’ (Andrejevic 2003)

‘‘Bricks’n’clicks’ assemblages of electronic and material Bricks’n’clicks’ assemblages of electronic and material provision in this augmented landscape provision in this augmented landscape

Often used to ‘unbundle’ and recommodify public urban Often used to ‘unbundle’ and recommodify public urban infrastructure into neoliberal mobility marketplacesinfrastructure into neoliberal mobility marketplaces

Reanimate long-standing utopian tropes of perfect flow, Reanimate long-standing utopian tropes of perfect flow, complete efficiency, seamless interconnection, complete efficiency, seamless interconnection, annihilation of space through time annihilation of space through time

RFIDs: Smooth Flow, Just in Time Management, Ubiquitous TrackingRFIDs: Smooth Flow, Just in Time Management, Ubiquitous Tracking

E.g. “Advanced User E.g. “Advanced User Resource Annotation “Resource Annotation “

Windows Mobile application AURA launched in Windows Mobile application AURA launched in December 2006. Aims to ‘connect shoppers on the go December 2006. Aims to ‘connect shoppers on the go to a world of information about products’ (MS press to a world of information about products’ (MS press release). release).

It depends upon objects being ‘coded’ in this case It depends upon objects being ‘coded’ in this case with a bar code. With an AURA-enabled device, you with a bar code. With an AURA-enabled device, you use a digital camera to snap the bar code on a use a digital camera to snap the bar code on a product, which it will relate to the database held by product, which it will relate to the database held by Microsoft and will return links and search results Microsoft and will return links and search results about the item to the handheld device. about the item to the handheld device.

‘‘Software-Sorting’ Software-Sorting’ techniques often techniques often

used to ‘unbundle’ used to ‘unbundle’ and recommodify and recommodify

public urban public urban infrastructure into infrastructure into neoliberal mobility neoliberal mobility

marketplacesmarketplaces

Road Pricing:Road Pricing:Unbundling Public Roadspace Monopolies:Unbundling Public Roadspace Monopolies:

The Internet: ‘Squelching The Internet: ‘Squelching the Scavenger Class’the Scavenger Class’

Cisco (2002): "The Scavenger class Cisco (2002): "The Scavenger class [categorisation] is intended to provide [categorisation] is intended to provide differential services, or ‘less-than-Best-differential services, or ‘less-than-Best-Effort"’ services, to certain applications", Effort"’ services, to certain applications", the document suggests. "Applications the document suggests. "Applications assigned to this class have little or no assigned to this class have little or no contribution to the organizational contribution to the organizational objectives of the enterprize. Assigning a objectives of the enterprize. Assigning a minimal bandwidth queue to Scavenger minimal bandwidth queue to Scavenger traffic forces it to be squelched to virtually traffic forces it to be squelched to virtually nothing during periods of congestion" .nothing during periods of congestion" .

Call Centres: The Politics of Call Centres: The Politics of Speed-Up and Slow-DownSpeed-Up and Slow-Down

Avaya Corporation (2000):Avaya Corporation (2000): "One of your best customers dials the "One of your best customers dials the

national customer service number for your national customer service number for your company. The ANI [Automatic Number company. The ANI [Automatic Number Identification] database reveals the Identification] database reveals the customer to be among the top 5% of your customer to be among the top 5% of your customers. [Our system] routes the customers. [Our system] routes the customer at high priority. When the agent customer at high priority. When the agent picks up the call, he hears a whispered picks up the call, he hears a whispered announcement that this caller is ‘Top 5’" announcement that this caller is ‘Top 5’"

This process increasingly automated…This process increasingly automated…

““The public sphere malled”? Kang and CuffThe public sphere malled”? Kang and Cuff

Automatic detection of individualsAutomatic detection of individuals Dress code enforcement by reading Dress code enforcement by reading

clothing types of those enteringclothing types of those entering Detection and removal of ‘groups’Detection and removal of ‘groups’ Radically unbundled pricing/ special Radically unbundled pricing/ special

offers e.g. ‘bookmarked’ stored in offers e.g. ‘bookmarked’ stored in JapanJapan

Electronic lists of excluded and Electronic lists of excluded and ‘socially undesirable’‘socially undesirable’

‘‘Flatten’ public qualities of mall spaceFlatten’ public qualities of mall space

Code Place: Software-Sorted CitiesCode Place: Software-Sorted Cities

Online Geographic Online Geographic Information Systems Information Systems (GISs) used to offer (GISs) used to offer different services to different services to different neighbourhoods different neighbourhoods

II Securitisation and Militarisation: TowardsII Securitisation and Militarisation: TowardsPassage-Point Urbanism? Passage-Point Urbanism?

TargetingTargeting

‘‘War on terror’ securitisation practices cast War on terror’ securitisation practices cast urban anonymity a problem requiring, data-urban anonymity a problem requiring, data-mining, profiling, anticipation and tracking to mining, profiling, anticipation and tracking to identify ‘targets;’ within urban and infrastructural identify ‘targets;’ within urban and infrastructural ‘clutter’‘clutter’

Face-recognition CCTV: automated visual Face-recognition CCTV: automated visual tracking infrastructures?tracking infrastructures?

Gait-recognitionGait-recognition Telecoms/Net surveillanceTelecoms/Net surveillance ANPR tracking/ road pricing systemsANPR tracking/ road pricing systems Biometric borders/ RFID passports/ profiling Biometric borders/ RFID passports/ profiling

algorithmsalgorithms Call centre queuingCall centre queuing

Code Space: Software-Sorted MobilitiesCode Space: Software-Sorted Mobilities

Code Face: Toward Software-Sorted Streets?Code Face: Toward Software-Sorted Streets?

Surveillance Creep: Embedded Systems Become SecuritisedSurveillance Creep: Embedded Systems Become Securitised

The ‘New Manhattan Project’: The ‘New Manhattan Project’: Surveillance Systems for ‘Unconventional War Targets’Surveillance Systems for ‘Unconventional War Targets’

Defense Science Board (2004) US forces need another Defense Science Board (2004) US forces need another “Manhattan Project” for tracking and locating targets in “Manhattan Project” for tracking and locating targets in

‘assymetric’ urban warfare to “locate, identify and track people, ‘assymetric’ urban warfare to “locate, identify and track people, things and activities in an environment of one in a million”things and activities in an environment of one in a million”

ss

DARPA’s Combat Zones That See: DARPA’s Combat Zones That See: Persistent Urban SurveillancePersistent Urban Surveillance

Observing ‘change’ rather than ‘scenery’Observing ‘change’ rather than ‘scenery’ Identify purported notions of urban ‘normality’ against the ‘abnormal’ behaviours Identify purported notions of urban ‘normality’ against the ‘abnormal’ behaviours

and patterns that can then be assessed as targets. and patterns that can then be assessed as targets. CTS “explores concepts, develops algorithms, and delivers systems for utilising CTS “explores concepts, develops algorithms, and delivers systems for utilising

large numbers (1000s) of algorithmic video cameras to provide the close-in sensing large numbers (1000s) of algorithmic video cameras to provide the close-in sensing demanded for military operations in urban terrain.” demanded for military operations in urban terrain.”

““Will produce video understanding algorithms embedded in surveillance systems Will produce video understanding algorithms embedded in surveillance systems for automatically monitoring video feeds to generate, for the first time, the for automatically monitoring video feeds to generate, for the first time, the reconnaissance, surveillance, and targeting information needed to provide close-in, reconnaissance, surveillance, and targeting information needed to provide close-in, continuous, always-on support for military operations in urban terrain”continuous, always-on support for military operations in urban terrain”

““Behind the fighters, military police and intelligence Behind the fighters, military police and intelligence personnel process the inhabitants, electronically reading personnel process the inhabitants, electronically reading

their attitudes toward the intervention and cataloguing their attitudes toward the intervention and cataloguing them into a database immediately recoverable by every them into a database immediately recoverable by every fire team in the city (even individual weapons might be fire team in the city (even individual weapons might be

able to read personal signatures, firing immediately upon able to read personal signatures, firing immediately upon cueing. Smart munitions track enemy systems and cueing. Smart munitions track enemy systems and

profiled individuals. Drones track inhabitants who have profiled individuals. Drones track inhabitants who have been ‘read’ as potentially hostile and ‘tagged’” been ‘read’ as potentially hostile and ‘tagged’”

Defense Watch, 2004Defense Watch, 2004

Jordan Crandall: a militarisation through ‘Armed Vision’: Jordan Crandall: a militarisation through ‘Armed Vision’: “Tracking is an anticipatory form of seeing”“Tracking is an anticipatory form of seeing”

””Identifying targets becomes the role of statistical algorithms Identifying targets becomes the role of statistical algorithms which sift the mass and flux of registered and sensed data which sift the mass and flux of registered and sensed data searching for [Mark Seltzer’s]”‘statistical persons’”searching for [Mark Seltzer’s]”‘statistical persons’”

““A gradual colonization of the now, a now always slightly ahead A gradual colonization of the now, a now always slightly ahead of itself”of itself”

““While civilian images are embedded in processes of While civilian images are embedded in processes of identification based on reflection, militarised perspectives identification based on reflection, militarised perspectives collapse identification processes into “Id-ing” - a one-way collapse identification processes into “Id-ing” - a one-way channel of identification in which a conduit, a database, and a channel of identification in which a conduit, a database, and a body are aligned and calibrated” (Crandall 1999).body are aligned and calibrated” (Crandall 1999).

Tracking, ‘Security’ and MilitarisationTracking, ‘Security’ and Militarisation

III III Art and Activism: Reenchanting,Art and Activism: Reenchanting,

Reanimating, Repoliticising the City? Reanimating, Repoliticising the City?

Calls Calls to realise and reclaim the potentials of augmented spaces through to realise and reclaim the potentials of augmented spaces through art and activism. Direct challenge to visions of both sanitized and art and activism. Direct challenge to visions of both sanitized and transparent corporate and commercial spaces and militarised and transparent corporate and commercial spaces and militarised and securitised spaces .securitised spaces .

Technological reappropriation: ‘The new hybrid space also calls for new Technological reappropriation: ‘The new hybrid space also calls for new forms of public action. These can only be created and facilitated if the forms of public action. These can only be created and facilitated if the users of hybrid space learn to see the influence of relatively invisible users of hybrid space learn to see the influence of relatively invisible digital structures and appropriate their technology where possible for digital structures and appropriate their technology where possible for alternative use.’ (Kraan 2006). alternative use.’ (Kraan 2006).

New social performances; address New social performances; address alienated experience; strive for alienated experience; strive for (digital) reenchantment of world; opening out authorial empow-erment; (digital) reenchantment of world; opening out authorial empow-erment; build collective community and participatory endeavour; struggle against build collective community and participatory endeavour; struggle against hegemonic commercialisation &/or securitisationhegemonic commercialisation &/or securitisation

Locative Media and the ‘Viscosity’ of SpaceLocative Media and the ‘Viscosity’ of Space

‘When information can actively find you on the street, there is a viscosity of space that forms

between strangers with locative media, creating landscapes charged with traces of others that have

inhabited the same space. In this early stage of location-based media, a greater connectivity and interaction between people who share a common

interest, is thought to hold the promise of invigorating the public sphere to create an

awareness and, therefore, a vitality of activity and public dialogue in spaces that might otherwise

remain stagnant. This density and cohesion is more or less explicitly opposed to notions of

disorientation and distractedness in contemporary urbanity” (Shirvanee 2006).

Hyperlinking the City e.g. GrafediaHyperlinking the City e.g. Grafedia

Clickable environmentClickable environment Grafedia written by hand onto Grafedia written by hand onto

physical surfaces and linking to rich physical surfaces and linking to rich media content media content

Viewers "click" on these grafedia Viewers "click" on these grafedia hyperlinks with cell phones by hyperlinks with cell phones by sending a message addressed to sending a message addressed to the word + "@grafedia.net" the word + "@grafedia.net"

‘‘every surface becomes potentially a every surface becomes potentially a web page, and the entire physical world web page, and the entire physical world can be joined with the Internet’can be joined with the Internet’

TaggingTagging

Digital Collective Memory e.g. Digital Collective Memory e.g. 34N118W: 34N118W:

Revealing Bodily Mobilities e.g. Urban TapestriesRevealing Bodily Mobilities e.g. Urban Tapestries Attempt to document the world as Attempt to document the world as

people experience it at street level and people experience it at street level and add a sense of bodily motion moving add a sense of bodily motion moving through and between sitesthrough and between sites

Accessed via handheld devices such Accessed via handheld devices such as PDAs and mobile phones.as PDAs and mobile phones.

Allows people to author their own Allows people to author their own virtual annotations of the cityvirtual annotations of the city

Enabling communities’ collective Enabling communities’ collective memories to grow organicallymemories to grow organically

Allowing users to embed social Allowing users to embed social knowledge in the new wireless knowledge in the new wireless landscape of the city. landscape of the city.

People can add new locations, location People can add new locations, location content and the ‘threads’ which link content and the ‘threads’ which link individual locations to local contexts.individual locations to local contexts.

Opening out authorial empowerment Opening out authorial empowerment e.g. Yellow Arrow e.g. Yellow Arrow Guerrilla Mapping, InnsbruckGuerrilla Mapping, Innsbruck

Massively Authored Artistic PublicationMassively Authored Artistic Publication Arrows point to object – text in – poems Arrows point to object – text in – poems

politics and advertspolitics and adverts

Participatory urban visualisations: Participatory urban visualisations: e.g. e.g. Christian Nold’s Christian Nold’s Greenwich emotion map: Greenwich emotion map:

Instead of security technologies Instead of security technologies that are designed to control and that are designed to control and surveill behavior, envisages surveill behavior, envisages new tools that allow people to new tools that allow people to selectively share and interpret selectively share and interpret their own bio data. their own bio data. BiomappingBiomapping

Pooling data as people movePooling data as people move ‘‘Communal arousal surface’ Communal arousal surface’

Opening Out City as Gamespace e.g. Asphalt GamesOpening Out City as Gamespace e.g. Asphalt Games

‘‘Relational Architecture’: Rafael Lozano HemmerRelational Architecture’: Rafael Lozano Hemmer

Urban Screens: Making Things PublicUrban Screens: Making Things Public

Contesting Urban Data Politics Contesting Urban Data Politics e.g. Neighborhood Knowledge Los Angeles (NKLA)e.g. Neighborhood Knowledge Los Angeles (NKLA)

ConclusionsConclusions Multiple visions of sentient urbanism: commercialisation, securitisation, art/activism. Each

struggling to become fixed into infrastructure whilst striving to remediate urban life in various ways:

Relations between these important but poorly understood An emerging urban and technological politics as each offers possibilities for new urban

spatialities and temporalities. Relational politics linking ‘proximate distance’ with ‘distant proximity’.

Profoundly different treatment of social relationships. Temporalities especially interesting: Environments are now being saturated with anticipatory

technologies which delegate agency to invisible and sentient systems. These blur into local, urban environments, whilst enacting and organising transnational flows.

But may also contain memories and link to the past just as much as to anticipation of the future. May offer the possibility of enriched community formation -- sense of destabilising spaces or haunting them with absent others

Dreams of perfect transparency and omniscience are long-standing. But the linking technology within ambient technology is generally a ‘kludge’, as software designers call it.

Result, crucially, is a multitude of ‘Little Brothers’ not one ‘Big Brother’; a pan-urban ‘oligopticon’ with many gaps and spaces, failures and unintended effects, rather than an all-seeing , omniscient, and all-controlling urban ‘panopticon’.

‘Mobile networks have to negotiate the architecture of spaces that they attempt to inhabit. The supposedly flat space of the network is in fact not flat, pulled into troughs and peaks by the gravity of architecture and the users themselves.’ (Manovich 2006)