Abstract

Vicky Isley & Paul Smith (aka boredomresearch) was commissioned by [Space]London in 2006 to produce the research and development for boredomresearchs' project Real Snail Mail. The Real Snail Mail concept and design specification was exhibited in the 'Tagged' exhibition at Space.Media.Arts in October 2006. This exhibition featured five artworks exploring electronic tagging using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology. Real Snail Mail is the world's first messaging service to use real snails (http://www.realsnailmail.net) harnesses the potential of diminutive molluscs to deliver email messages. Your message travels at the speed of light to our collection point where it waits….. and waits for a RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) equipped snail to pass by. Once collected your message is lugged around on the back of a snail until such time as it happens by the dispatch point and is finally forwarded to its recipient. As part of the [Space] Commission boredomresearch presented their Real Snail Mail research at the HCI 2006: Engage Conference at Queen Mary, University of London (11-15 September 2006).