From this evening and for the next four days you’ll be able traverse the halls of one of Britain’s greatest galleries at the helm of a networked nocturnal robot.
2014 is the inaugural year of the IK prize, named after the philanthropist Irene Kreitman, an award that looks to champion talent in the digital industries. The prize sees Tate select a team or individual based on the strength of their pitch as to how digital technology can be used to bring the institution’s collection to a larger audience. The first iteration of the prize was won by London-based studio The Workers and its exciting proposal, to allow internet users to guide roving robots around Tate Britain’s galleries after closing time, kicks off tonight. Interested parties will be able to sign-up to pilot one of four robots specially designed by The Workers in collaboration with RAL Space (which works alongside the UK Space Agency - UKSA) for a predetermined period of time. Those not wishing to take the controls but still interested in seeing what it's like to be a cybernetic voyeur can watch along on the After Dark website. The event will run every night for the next five days (13 - 17 August).
afterdark.tate.org.uk