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"The Branch Out: Start a Conversation With a Stranger project involves an interactive installation that encourages passersby to communicate with equally curious individuals. A beautiful social concept, it is comprised of two &amp;#039;tree stumps&amp;#039; placed at either end of a public area. When a person approaches it, they can read not only the title of the installation, but also the command to &amp;#039;press to talk.&amp;#039; When pressed, their words can be heard from its mate. Created by students of NYU&amp;rsquo;s Interactive Telecommunications Program (ITP), the Branch Out: Start a Conversation With a Stranger interactive installation encourages friendships and communication. Lynn Burke, one of the creators of Branch Out, says, &amp;quot;In parks we surround ourselves with strangers, but we tend to isolate ourselves with technology. We wanted to give people a way to talk to each other while still feeling a safe sense of anonymity in this public space that is so ripe for interaction.&amp;quot;"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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