Telepresent Surveillance is an evolving artwork/research project incorporating autonomous robot surveillance probes and the internet. The intent of this project is to characterize a form of media experience derived from the activities of intelligent machine agents designed to enable telepresent viewing.

Programmed movement behaviors for each robot are activated by human presence within their defined and shared proximity's. Each robot is equipped with a custom engineered infrared/sonar tracking system for location and tracking of surveillance targets. Robot movement behavior is highly conditional and predictable only at the systems level. As each robot identifies and seeks a target it must simultaneously adjust to changes in the environment (no targets, movement of target, entry of new targets or added targets) which directly influence the actual movements. The robots must also avoid obstacles and adjust to architectural constraints presented by the site. Movement behaviors are designed to uniquely characterize the individual personality of the machine agent.

Each robot supports a miniature CCD camera and wireless microwave transmitter. Video output from the perspective orientation of each robot is displayed on monitors and is continuously digitally sampled, tagged and sequenced. The image files are then accessed by a remote host server located at the CADRE Institute in San Jose California. Image files are updated on the Website for telepresent viewing (http://surveil.sjsu.edu), while Quicktime digital movies are generated and chronologically cataloged. The Website also contains technical and descriptive information and contains a historical archive of a previous exhibition.