Brief
Make a speculative design or a provotype based on one or more devices of the week.
“[Provotype] is a design artefact — digital or physical — whose main goal is to provoke discussion among different types of users and stakeholders. Here’s the fun part: it is not supposed to be realistic, but ridiculous, funny, obscure, artistic — or even downright annoying instead. (wikipedia).”
“[Speculative design] thrives on imagination and aims to open up new perspectives on what are sometimes called wicked problems, to create spaces for discussion and debate about alternative ways of being, and to inspire and encourage people’s imaginations to flow freely. Design speculations can act as a catalyst for collectively redefining our relationship to reality.”
My Chosen device: DOW Sense- The Vest
Concept
The Slap+ is a ‘data connecting’ slap-on-waist device. It converts electrical signals or feedback that human can’t sense yet (e.g. infrared light) to series of dynamic vibration, touchable pattern or image. It enables human to “see” beyond their senses and expand the human umwelt.
Slap the device on your waist for easy access and portability.
(structure referencing the Slap Wrap bracelet)
With similar theory of the pin art board, the Slap+ creates texture on its surface for user to feel data in text or image form (customisable, change it in Setting)
Equipped with micro-chip, microphone and vibration motor, the device is able to analyse any kind of data, such as real-time conservation, and transduce it with dynamic sensory. For example, it could note down main points of the conservation and reflect it in textured text for user to recap.
External Sound-> Microphone -> real-time processing -> vibrational/ image/ text mapping
It could also construct a basic 3D environment of user’s surroundings using sound wave. It would notify user with vibration on the wearable device if there is any sign of danger. (e.g. car coming across, avoiding road accident)
Thoughts
In this speculative design, I tried to limit the cons of David Eagleman’s current prototype: The Vest.
The new approach – Slap plus+ – broadens the user spectrum by adding features of “creating touchable texture to convey information received”. It increases usability via shortening the product’s language learning period.
Its appearance and structure mimics slap waist band for easy access and portability. Waist is a more touch sensitive body part when compared to human back.
With no technological constraint, it is able to auto-filter out noise in data to give a more straight-forward message to users. It doesn’t rely on mobile app to process data. User can set sort of data they want, to meet their needs. Through machine learning, the device would adapt to user’s habits, just like word suggestions.
This device targets general public, for anyone who want to absorb data via an addition sensory device beyond their biological receptors.
References
https://www.shopdisney.com/disney-parks-magicband-2-red-400020295385.html