!Help! EARTH ROVER ?Get.Unstuck?

Hay cage trailer, acrylic, tampon dispenser, Twitter-enabled microcomputer, camera, blacklights, misc instruments and objects. 2017.

Collaboration betweeen Rachel Stuckey and Jesse Cline.

Earth Rover is an emotionally stuck AI looking for validation and attention online and IRL. The project crowdsources help and advice from visitors through a clunky analog "forum" and a Twitter-activated selfie station.
Visitors can interact with Earth Rover's Ansible (selfie station/surveillance module) by triggering the camera module. Camera is activated by pressing a button or by tweeting #helpearthrover. Earth Rover posts recorded images with auto-generated commentary about identified lifeforms, the weather, or existential musings using the Twitter handle @HelpEarthRover.

A sample of visitor interactions on Twitter feed. Visitors may obtain a Space Mission from Earth Rover's repurposed tampon dispenser. Missions are "Yahoo Answers"-style quandaries Earth Rover has about its daily activities, malfunctioning technical components, and overcoming malaise.

Shows

Rachel Stuckey + Jesse Cline: !Help! EARTH ROVER ?Get.Unstuck?, Cage Match Project, MoHA, Austin, TX. July 28-Aug 31, 2017.