Transmission 18.1: Bedtime Stories for Computer Dreaming
Here come insights and inventions from our futures practice! Our clients & partners use them to know what goes on when we put their dreams back into our minds, or what to expect when traveling with us
A recent traveler in Helsinki imagined that 90s+ disaster movies came from apocalyptic storylines that remind her of the present; that are potentially coming true… So what if by releasing optimistic stories now we are planting positive realities that can potentially also come true in some years?
As we gained access to AIs recently, we thought: why not use their brains as dormant broadcasting agents! For a few weeks, Joss will be feeding invented futures and prototyped artifacts from travelers of The Time Travel Agency to Midjourney, Dall-E 2, and AI21.
The goal is to inception all the AIs we can with optimistic futures!
The material uploaded will be stories, outcomes, dreams, phrases, prototypes, scenarios, and rules of games we’ve invented while seeking agency in our futures.
This series puts the spotlight on our approach of using storytelling to create agency for travelers; in this case, by occupying modern technologies. Every Bedtime Story makes evident a process of betting on the future that starts with a dreamt scenario.
We’ll use these travel transmissions to share the outcomes (text, images), which are the only things we’ll be able to perceive today.
We wish we could see the dreams of computers,
as they go to sleep
with dreams of our own.
But we wink to the future.BEDTIME STORY 001: W.I.L.S.O.N.
Future: A broadcasting entity called W.I.L.S.O.N. with programming for all nature.
Time traveler: Andrew N.
Source artifact: https://soundcloud.com/wilsonbroadcasting
Time Traveling Case: The Time Traveler’s Journey – duckrabbit
In Lund C, there is a broadcasting entity called W.I.L.S.O.N. with programming for all nature. How we humans experience it is we have to interface with nature using the HANKs devices ('Handheld Auditory Nature Komunikator'); how nature experiences it we don't know, of course.
In W.I.L.S.O.N. you can find programming for multiple entities, including seals and rats and trees; and from time to time there are advertisements for Restaurant D'Lai, the one restaurant you can't visit.*
* Restaurant D'Lai cannot be visited because it's a restaurant on TV and we can’t visit TVs. Some characteristics of this restaurant are that food is upside-down, and that food is delivered by the alphabet.
Company: W.I.L.S.O.N.
Description: A broadcasting entity with TV programming for all nature.
Headline: “Wild In Love With Nature”
Since 2009, Wild In Love With Nature (W.I.L.S.O.N.) has been the premier media network for educational and informational entertainment that showcases creatives, artists, and innovators from across the globe.
Ever desired to have a television career? Well, with W I L S O N, we can make that happen! As the premier entertainment network, we feature a plethora of talented individuals that will make sure you succeed!
You are a time traveler thinking of becoming a time travel agent. Lund C is a city with layers of future in it.
There are a few versions of this city: Lund A is in the 1400s and is underwater; Lund B is in the 3000s and is in the mountains. Lund C is a harbor city, a port (as in, a travel port-al). People come to prototype here before they travel or become agents.
There are a variety of people who live here, from 1, 2, 3 travelers to 19, 20, 21, 22, 23.
But above all, 1, 2, 3 travelers are here, many from Lund B.
Some time travelers (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51) live here. Most visitors are the 1, 2, 3 travelers, though.
On Mondays, Lund C has W.I.L.S.O.N. playing to every tree around the library, to soothe them. (This happens every Monday, and there are 3 trees). The leaves rustle and fall on the 1, 2, 3 travelers.
On Tuesdays, Lund C has reading circles going on. Residents read to each other. (There are 10 residents, and 3 circles, and 10 books). The residents speak at different speeds; some speak in Swedish, some in English, and some in a mix of both languages.
On Thursdays, Lund C has a park dedication ceremony. Residents write letters to their parks. (There are 10 parks, and 10 letters). The letters describe each park's history and how residents use it.
On Fridays, Lund C has a symphony concert. Residents play instruments, and 1, 2, 3 travelers play. (There are 3 instruments, and there are 7 residents). The residents play instruments in 15 different styles.
On Saturdays, Lund C has tea parties. Residents host and attend tea parties. (There are 10 residents, and 5 parties). Residents whisper about secret things, and dance.
On Sundays, Lund C has movies. Residents watch movies. (There are 10 residents, and 10 movies). The residents watch movies in 10 different styles.
On Mondays, Lund C has W.I.L.S.O.N. playing to every tree around the library, to soothe them…
Seals love W.I.L.S.O.N. because seals are songs.
Residents care for seals in many ways, for instance by feeding them. 1, 2, 3 travelers tend to use seals for many things, including transportation.
1, 2, 3 travelers are seals, very shy.
BEDTIME STORY 002: The Transcending Pillow
Future: A soft nanotissue pillow gives citizens [of The City of Remote Work] the opportunity to download selected work from their day into their minds as they sleep.
Time traveler: Clara L.
Source artifact: Poster 11
Time Traveling Case: The Laboratory of Optimistic Futures
A soft nanotissue pillow gives citizens the opportunity to download selected work from their day into their minds as they sleep. We call it The Transcending Pillow.
This new form of communication enables people to share in each other's experience and emotions, as well as consider ideas and concepts in ways that engage them in conversations.
The Transcending Pillow has 4 sections with 3 different sized pillows. Each section is colored differently and has a different purpose.
The section on the left is for sleeping. The section in the middle is for sleeping. The last section on the right is for sleeping and dreaming.
Each pillow supports a different function.
The pillow on the left has a round center shape. It is used for sleeping and dreaming. It is decorated with a starry night print and surrounded by black feathers.
The pillow in the middle has a rectangular shape. It is used for sleeping and dreaming. It is decorated with a starry night print and surrounded by black feathers.
The pillow on the right has a square shape. It is used for sleeping and dreaming. It is decorated with a starry night print and surrounded by black feathers.
Each pillow has different textures.
The first pillow has a soft, cotton-like texture. It is used for sleeping and dreaming.
The second pillow has a velvety soft texture. It is used for sleeping and dreaming.
The third pillow has a velvet-like texture. It is used for sleeping and dreaming.
The pillow holding the memory bank has a metallic texture. It is used for sleeping and dreaming.
The Transcending Pillow is a work of fiction.
