The development of a cybernetic sculptor: Edward Ihnatowicz and the senster

Edward Ihnatowicz (1926-1988) built one of the world’s first computer-controlled robotic sculptures, The Senster, in 196870. Rather than concentrate entirely on this groundbreaking and influential piece of work, this paper describes the stages he went through in developing his ideas, as an illustration of how a conventional artist became a cybernetic sculptor. ACM Classification Keywords J5 [Computer Applications]: Arts and Humanities - Fine Arts]; K2 [Computing Milieux]: History of Computing Author Keywords Robot; sculpture; perception; interactive INTRODUCTI0ON Edward Ihnatowicz was born in Poland in 1926. He became a war refugee in 1939 and eventually arrived in Britain in 1943. He attended the Ruskin School of Art in Oxford from 1945 to 1949 where he studied sculpture but was also very interested in photography and film-making. He retained this interest throughout his life and, for a while, worked professionally in the field. He had an 8mm cine camera he would use to shoot scene...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2005
• Where: CANDC
• Authors: Aleksandar Zivanovic
• Keywords: ACM Classification Keywords, CANDC 2005, Computer-controlled Robotic Sculptures, Edward Ihnatowicz, Emerging Technology