Teleportation has always been one of the greatest fantasies of our society, and although it seems impossible, there is hope that someday technology will reach the necessary levels to achieve and materialize this goal.
While teleportation has not been achieved, the cities of New York (USA) and Dublin (Ireland) have achieved something that, despite being far from physically taking you from one point of the world to another, at least gives the sensation of it.
It is an artistic project called ‘The Portal’ and consists of a sculpture placed in the street that offers a 24-hour live stream between the two cities. These portals have screens that are recording the street and show what is seen on the other side in real-time.
The idea of this project is to connect citizens through technology on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, and although it has just been installed in Dublin and New York, the idea is to also connect with other countries such as Brazil, Poland, or Lithuania.
“This project is an example of one of the many exciting things to expect in Dublin during 2024 as part of our designation as European Capital of Smart Tourism,” explained Dublin Mayor Daithí De Róiste.
THE PORTAL: a visual bridge connecting New York City to Dublin
A public technology sculpture known as The Portal was unveiled this morning in New York City’s ‘s Flatiron neighborhood. The sculpture has a real-time, visual live stream connecting New York City to Dublin, Ireland. pic.twitter.com/ATNBq63QeC
— Noel Y. Calingasan • NYC (@nyclovesnyc) May 8, 2024
This portal will become a fixed element of the city of Dublin throughout the summer and will remain open until the fall. And in the coming months, the public will be able to enjoy programming, which will include cultural performances at the portal of each city that can be enjoyed by the inhabitants of the other city through the live stream.
Another curious aspect is that these live streams lack audio, or at least for now, and as they explain, these portals encourage us to meet new people regardless of language barriers and using “the only global language that exists in humanity,” body language.
The idea is that when you are in front of the portal you dance, move, or do whatever you feel to connect with people who are thousands of kilometers away from you, who seem to be just steps away.
