THE BUSH SOUL
by: Rebecca Allen & The Emergence Team

The Bush Soul explores the role of human presence in a world of artificial life. A person's "soul", represented as a sphere of energy, enters a virtual world that is alive and responsive. The world's inhabitants are brought to life through programs that define their behaviors and desires. Complex social environments emerge from the interaction of simple behaviors. As you explore and interact with the environment your soul may inhabit the body of certain artificial life forms. A force-feedback joystick provides both navigation and tactile sensations. It serves as a connection between your physical body and virtual soul. Through the joystick one can feel the "energy" of the environment as vibrations emanating from certain creatures and significant places in the virtual world. This work draws on the language of video games but presents an alternative artistic exploration of behavior and artificial life.

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