BrushBots are tiny machines that work in tandem with the user in creating generative art. Released on top of a piece of paper, the BrushBots zoom, careen, and spin around the interior of the a simple wooden frame in wild and unpredictable patterns. The user then drops ink, paint, or liquid water colors onto the blank page, providing the Bots with a medium with which to work. As their autonomous paint brushes plow through the puddles of pigment, they mix colors and often leave beautiful patterns in their wakes. The user and the Bots work together, neither party having full control over the piece, creating a unique work of art. Brushbots allow the user to paint / draw with implicit freedom, as the composition of the work is completely out of their hands.
Web site: http://www.artdesignwhatever.com/ArtDesignWhatever/BrushBots.html
ITP, Tisch School of the Arts, NYU
Founded in 1979 as the first graduate education program in alternative media, ITP has grown into a living community of technologists, theorists, engineers, designers, and artists uniquely dedicated to pushing the boundaries of interactivity in the real and digital worlds. A hands-on approach to experimentation, production and risk-taking make ITP a creative home not only to its 220 students, but also to an extended network of technology industry partners, artists, and designers.
http://itp.nyu.edu