Last week I was working on my project that is a fusion of employee engagement, community mobilization, co-creation, and honeybee artistry. It is my hope in 2012 to place live social networked ipads or smart phones in the hive and co-create an experience between employee engagement, social media, community, art, and honeybees. I will work at having sponsors for the hive with funding going to support research and intervention on honeybee colony collapse disorder.
Yes, I know, the project is way out there. I also believe that we need to start thinking very differently inside our hives and organizations if we are to find new and powerful methods and models of engagement.
This year is still part of my learning and a test. I have invited the honeybees to work with 6 notebook computers, 2 copies of Assorted Zingers, a number of pairs of eye glasses and a coffee mug.
Here are three pictures from the installation:
If you want to learn more or follow the project please visit my other site: www.zinghive.com
All in all, your project sounds very interesting, David. The installation concerns me a bit, however, based on news that scientists believe cell phones are a cause of colony collapse disorder. Not sure if laptops have the same effect, but I think you’re safe with “old-school tech” of Assorted Zingers.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/7778401/Mobile-phones-responsible-for-disappearance-of-honey-bee.html
Hi Derek
This year the laptops were never turned on.
Thanks for your comment. The story was a bit off kilter on claims about cell phone and CCDisorder. Media reports go for A STORY. There may be some impact but this sample size was small.
As it stated later in the article: Tim Lovett, of the British Beekeepers Association, said that hives have been successful in London where there was high mobile phone use. “Previous work in this area has indicated this [mobile phone use] is not a real factor,” he said. “If new data comes along we will look at it.” He said: “At the moment we think is more likely to be a combination of factors including disease, pesticides and habitat loss.”
More likely causes is the massive moving of bees for pollination work in agriculture and concerns about other agricultural practices.
Having stated that, I will watch it closely and this may be a chance to compare 6 hives in a anecdotal test study..
CCD is likely to be a multiple of causes that stress honeybees and electromagnetic interference could be an additional source.
One other factor, believe me I have been researching this and following it closely, is the ipads or phones I will be using will be on for approximately 12 hours in the hive.
David