Aaron Koblin
Aaron Koblin
Aaron Koblinis an American digital media artist and entrepreneur best known for his innovative use of data visualization and his pioneering work in crowdsourcing and interactive film. He is Co-Founder and CTO of virtual reality company Withinalong with Chris Milk. Formerly he created and lead the Data Arts Team at Google in San Francisco, California...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionArtist
Date of Birth14 January 1982
CountryUnited States of America
allow computers creating data dialogue engage fascinated found interested machines stories technology using
I've always been interested in technology, but specifically how we can use machines to engage the imagination. I started using computers when I was young and was fascinated by creating rules and instructions that allow a computer to engage in a dialogue with humans. The stories found in the data all around us can do just that.
amazingly connect huge human maybe opportunity ourselves powerful push technology together ways
As technology evolves, it manipulates our culture, and there's a huge opportunity to push ourselves further. I think it actually makes ourselves maybe more human, or at least human in a different way, that we can connect together in amazingly different ways and powerful new ways.
powerful technology opportunity
An interface can be a powerful narrative device. And as we collect more and more personally and socially relevant data, we have an opportunity, and maybe even an obligation, to maintain [our] humanity and tell some amazing stories.
mom technology thinking
My mom's a psychologist, and I think that has influenced me on a personal level. Plus, I'm just generally interested in visualization and humanity, social activity and technology, and what happens in aggregate.
get-well technology elephants
They say an elephant never forgets. Well, you are not an elephant. Take notes, constantly. Save interesting thoughts, quotations, films, technologies…the medium doesn't matter, so long as it inspires you. When you're stumped, go to your notes like a wizard to his spellbook. Mash those thoughts together. Extend them in every direction until they meet.
technology interesting long
Save interesting thoughts, quotations, films, technologies... the medium doesn't matter, so long as it inspires you.
art technology hands
I've always been a bit of a mix between art and technology. I used to paint a lot, but I'm not very good with my hands. It has always been a fusion between my computer gaming interests and being exposed to the rich data of society that we live in.
behind contribute found
I've found that when everyone rallies behind a cause, and when they learn their effort can contribute something bigger, they get engaged.
animation excited films life ripe seemed technique
I've always been excited by rotoscoping, the technique used in films like 'Waking Life,' which fuses animation with real-life emotion. It seemed like it was a process ripe for innovation.
drawings engaged felt grew intense paintings seemed terms time
I grew up with the idea of the cyborg and the robot, but at the same time I felt this intense disconnection between the things I was engaged with and inspired by in terms of fun and play. It seemed like paintings and drawings were so static.
concept hard people truth wrap
It's so hard for me to wrap my head around the concept of truth, I don't even know what people mean by it.
held music sacred
I've always loved music and held it as a sacred thing that I can't touch, as I don't really want to deconstruct it or be a musician.
cognitive complement direct engage forces music perspective stuff themselves visual whilst
I think that music and visual arts can complement themselves nicely. They do different things - the music forces you into a different mood and perspective whilst the visual stuff can engage you in a more direct cognitive manner.
complexity feeling relationship sets systems
As we get more transparent with data sets about infrastructure and systems management, I have a feeling we'll see big changes in how we think about complexity and our relationship to our actions.