Lifestreaming

From Cyborg Anthropology
Jump to: navigation, search
Lifecasting-maggie-nichols.jpg

Definition

Lifestreaming is a term used to describe the act of streaming one's actions and life to others in a consistently updating manner. Whether streaming one's heartbeat data, visor video or GPS data, lifestreaming is part of the process of the Quantified Self, or a process used by those who log data about themselves and format it into a visual or graphed format over time. In essence, "every (connected) experience - txt, email, voice call, scrible, in person meetup, personal visual and sound experience, commercial media experience is indexed, searchable and recoverable on a timeline (and geoline)".[1]It is similar to Lifecasting, which is a "continual broadcast of events in a person's life through digital media. Typically, lifecasting is transmitted through the medium of the Internet and can involve wearable technology".[2]

History

Steve Mann was one of the first lifestreamers. At MIT in 1985 he began streaming his every waking moment to the Athena web server, allowing his life to be accessed and commented on by others.[3]

Related Reading

Wearable Computing

References

  1. E-mail from Rob Wilcox to Amber Case - Feb 3rd, 2011.
  2. Why life as a cyborg is better: Eccentric professor explains reasons for tailoring reality]. Archive.org snapshot of CNN.com story. Originally published Wednesday, January 14, 2004. Accessed Oct 2011. http://replay.waybackmachine.org/20081206171437/http://edition.cnn.com/2004/TECH/internet/01/14/internet.cyborb.ap/
  3. Mann, Steve and Hal Niedzviecki. Cyborg: Digital Destiny and Human Possibility in the Age of the Wearable Computer. 2001.