Art Virus

Named after the father of modern mechanics, the ‘Newton Virus’ introduces Newton’s principle law to your laptop, literally causing your desktop to behave exactly as it would in the real world. Using the Mac’s onboard motion sensors, the virus translates the users movements; causing your desktop icons to fall, roll and tumble in whatever direction your laptop is held. Ultimately, we want the user to reevaluate the role a virus plays, adding a non-destructive and playful element to a usually static desktop.

Societies impressions of computer viruses are wholly negative. For years the media has informed us of ‘Trojan’ programmes stealing our personal details or spammers using ‘Spyware’ to delve into the private files stored on our desktops. In the early days of computing viruses were born out of the wit of early computer adopters, viruses whose sole purpose was to surprise and amuse. Essentially creating non-destructive forms of artificial life. With the ‘Newton Virus’, we at Troika, wanted to revive the golden era of computing, where viruses where created by fellow programmes to delight and amuse each other. 

Utilizing the onboard motion sensors of MacBooks, the virus senses the movements of it's host adjusting it's affects accordingly.

First Prototype: in collaboration with Mauritius Seeger

Exhibition history:

'Design and the Elastic Mind'
Curated by Paola Antonelli,
MoMA, New York, USA,
24 Feb - 29 May, 2008

The Newton Virus is now part of the permanent collection at MoMA, New York