http://www.seejayne.com See Jayne Sun, 02 Oct 2011 08:03:13 +0000 http://www.seejayne.com en http://seejayne.com/Work-In-Progress http://seejayne.com/following/seejayne.com/Work-In-Progress Sun, 02 Oct 2011 08:03:13 +0000 See Jayne 2086894 <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/2086894/streetview_photographer.jpg" border="0" width="670" height="402" width_o="800" height_o="481" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/2086894/streetview_photographer_o.jpg" align="left" /> I'm currently keeping a thesis blog to contain all the random little experiments and writing I'm doing this year. It's all just work in progress but if you're interested in getting a sneak peek of the process before the "final" projects get put on this main site, you can check it out here: http://tinypaperclips.com/ http://seejayne.com/Tiny-Thai-iPad-App http://seejayne.com/following/seejayne.com/Tiny-Thai-iPad-App Thu, 29 Sep 2011 06:58:51 +0000 See Jayne 2074056 <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/2074056/id269551.png" border="0" width="670" height="893" width_o="768" height_o="1024" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/2074056/id269551_o.png" align="left" /> <img src="http://ax.phobos.apple.com.edgesuite.net/images/web/linkmaker/badge_appstore-lrg.gif" alt="Tiny Thai - Jayne Vidheecharoen" style="border: 0;"/> Tiny Thai is the first app I've ever made! It's a simple but fun little way to learn the Thai alphabet. Touch the letter to hear the pronunciation of the letter & associated word, and enjoy a cute tiny animation. The idea is to listen to one at a time but I'm told (from both a 33 yr old and a 9 yr old) it's also fun just to press a bunch of them at once : ) Process: <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/2074056/alphabet001_sm.jpg" border="0" width="487" height="704" width_o="487" height_o="704" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/2074056/alphabet001_sm_o.jpg" align="left" /> I actually started working on this August of last year, doing most of the character design, illustration, and animation working on it here & there for about 2 weeks. But when I tried to get it into Gamesalad I kept running into issues with it crashing on me when I tried to test it on the iPad. I messed around with it for a week before getting frustrated and setting it aside as school started up for the fall. Then in March of this year I released a little video of the animations since I didn't want the assets to just sit around in my hard drive. But I got a lot of good feedback on it so I thought I'd give it another go and see if I could get some help making it. I waited around for help for a few months till I got frustrated with that and decided to just give it another go myself. So Sep. 18th I downloaded the (much improved) version of Gamesalad, scrapped all the code from the last try, and started the project up again. Redesigned the interface (the original was more like a linear book you would go through), and resized all the illustrations. By the end of the day I had a video of my working demo on the iPad on YouTube. Submitted to Apple for review Sep. 20th and it was approved Sep. 28th. So i guess depending on how you look at it, it was either a super long process.. taking over a year... or super fast considering I restarted it in earnest 10 days before it was approved. Either way I'm still super excited that I finally have something I made in the App Store! I'm also excited that I was able to leverage the fact that I'm a Thai designer/animator, even though I actually had to watch YouTube videos to remind myself how to pronounce some of the letters since I don't really speak Thai much nowadays (born in the states and always feeling awkward speaking Thai after all...). I also happen to have the Thai reading comprehension of a first grader. But luckily that's all I needed to make this app! http://seejayne.com/Community-Sensing http://seejayne.com/following/seejayne.com/Community-Sensing Mon, 18 Apr 2011 01:56:04 +0000 See Jayne 1322003 <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1322003/IMG_4761.jpg" border="0" width="670" height="377" width_o="670" height_o="377" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1322003/IMG_4761_o.jpg" align="left" /> How do we define a community? How can design play a role in the community? This exploratory essay reflects upon the notion of communities in spaces and what it means to use design as a catalyst for the creation and destruction of communities. It reflects upon an earlier project, Never Was, to tease out the ways it was able to engage in communities. Works by other designers & artists are highlighted to reference areas I'm interested in. It also begins to discuss a possible proposal for a project to engage the North Hollywood Arts District. jv_communitysensing_0227(function() { var scribd = document.createElement("script"); scribd.type = "text/javascript"; scribd.async = true; scribd.src = "http://www.scribd.com/javascripts/embed_code/inject.js"; var s = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(scribd, s); })(); While this proposal turned into something completely different , looking back at my initial ideas about community I realize I was still exploring my initial interests, especially as it related to combining the affordances of digital technology and physical space. I found this essay (in addition to The Void) was a great way for me to begin to think about how my interests and ideas were related, and how they might be implemented in projects in the future. http://seejayne.com/Souvenirs-From-The-Internet http://seejayne.com/following/seejayne.com/Souvenirs-From-The-Internet Mon, 18 Apr 2011 00:29:21 +0000 See Jayne 1321720 <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321720/IMG_1813.jpg" border="0" width="670" height="1004" width_o="2048" height_o="3072" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321720/IMG_1813_o.jpg" align="left" /> When we travel to far away lands or witness life changing events we collect souvenirs to remind us of their place in our hearts and minds. What about a place that is always shifting? How could we begin to remember the virtual places and events that make up our increasingly digital lives? How can we capture the ephemeral discussions we have with our friends in this virtual space? <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321720/IMG_1785.JPG" border="0" width="670" height="446" width_o="2048" height_o="1365" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321720/IMG_1785_o.JPG" align="left" /> Souvenirs From The Internet imagines a world where our networked 3D printers are able to produce physical manifestations of our digital experiences. If we can CNC print on eggs why not plates? Commemorative plates, like Greek pottery, act as archaeological records of modern life. <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321720/IMG_1808.JPG" border="0" width="670" height="446" width_o="2048" height_o="1365" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321720/IMG_1808_o.JPG" align="left" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321720/IMG_1806.JPG" border="0" width="670" height="446" width_o="2048" height_o="1365" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321720/IMG_1806_o.JPG" align="left" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321720/IMG_1810.JPG" border="0" width="670" height="446" width_o="2048" height_o="1365" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321720/IMG_1810_o.JPG" align="left" /> The blue Youtube plates commemorate important viral videos (Numa Numa and JK Wedding Dance). Instead of the actual event or person featured in the video, the plate is celebrating the video itself and the related videos and comments that grew from it. <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321720/IMG_1811.JPG" border="0" width="670" height="446" width_o="2048" height_o="1365" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321720/IMG_1811_o.JPG" align="left" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321720/IMG_1789.JPG" border="0" width="670" height="446" width_o="2048" height_o="1365" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321720/IMG_1789_o.JPG" align="left" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321720/IMG_1798.JPG" border="0" width="670" height="446" width_o="2048" height_o="1365" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321720/IMG_1798_o.JPG" align="left" /> "The Internet" plates celebrate important physical landmarks of our digital age (Amazon, Youtube, Facebook, Craigslist, Google, and Netflix). But of course what's important today could become obsolete tomorrow. And the most important site in 5 years probably doesn't even exist yet. Thus "The Internet" plates could be an annual series embodying the shifting landmarks of our digital life. <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321720/IMG_1816.JPG" border="0" width="670" height="446" width_o="2048" height_o="1365" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321720/IMG_1816_o.JPG" align="left" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321720/IMG_1821.JPG" border="0" width="670" height="446" width_o="2048" height_o="1365" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321720/IMG_1821_o.JPG" align="left" /> Similarly, the Facebook Pillows capture a fleeting moment in your News Feed, like a party where all your friends showed up together at the same time. And while they may be far away, in pillow form they'll always be there to comfort you when you need them most. Process & Reflections This project initially started as an extension of the Rapid Spam project. I was interested in the affordances of networked rapid prototyping. If the objects of the future are being downloaded from the internet, could these objects then embody parts of our digital life instead of being generic blank objects? <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321720/IMG_5289.JPG" border="0" width="670" height="502" width_o="2048" height_o="1536" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321720/IMG_5289_o.JPG" align="left" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321720/IMG_5290.JPG" border="0" width="670" height="502" width_o="2048" height_o="1536" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321720/IMG_5290_o.JPG" align="left" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321720/IMG_5292.JPG" border="0" width="670" height="502" width_o="2048" height_o="1536" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321720/IMG_5292_o.JPG" align="left" /> Starting with existing objects found around the studio I began to prototype what it might look like to have ordinary things embedded with spam like different types of rashes. In one version the material on the trash can slowly peels away over time to reveal the hidden spam message. In the second version the message actively emerges out of the material, breaking through the surface of the table. And the stool has a crystal like formation that grows into the spam message over time. Like a patina, spam becomes the way people are able to discover a history within an object that would otherwise be generic. <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321720/IMG_5382.jpg" border="0" width="670" height="893" width_o="1944" height_o="2592" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321720/IMG_5382_o.jpg" align="left" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321720/IMG_5392.JPG" border="0" width="670" height="502" width_o="2048" height_o="1536" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321720/IMG_5392_o.JPG" align="left" /> Becoming more interested in the patina and embedding our digital memories into objects I moved away from spam and towards our digital lives. Each layer of the table is made of a piece of our Facebook news feed. As the table wears away the history begins to reveal itself. I liked the idea of this but given the time frame I was unsatisfied by my ability to execute the object with the level of craft I thought it would require. <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321720/IMG_5440.JPG" border="0" width="670" height="502" width_o="2048" height_o="1536" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321720/IMG_5440_o.JPG" align="left" /> At the same time I also began to get interested in the idea of commemorative plates being a physical keepsake of our modern lives. This began with encapsulating White Whine status updates and a Youtube video. Looking at the trajectory of the project from the original Rapid Spam idea, I realize that despite the slightly detoured route I ended up making objects closely related to my very initial interest in producing physical tchotchkes of internet memes. But I really believe that without the detour into furniture I wouldn't have ended up with the plates in their current form, which I'm quite fond of. http://seejayne.com/Botanica-Autonoma http://seejayne.com/following/seejayne.com/Botanica-Autonoma Sun, 17 Apr 2011 23:30:25 +0000 See Jayne 1321103 <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321103/IMG_1777.JPG" border="0" width="670" height="446" width_o="2048" height_o="1365" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321103/IMG_1777_o.JPG" align="left" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321103/IMG_1753.JPG" border="0" width="670" height="446" width_o="2048" height_o="1365" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321103/IMG_1753_o.JPG" align="left" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321103/IMG_1754.JPG" border="0" width="670" height="446" width_o="2048" height_o="1365" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321103/IMG_1754_o.JPG" align="left" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321103/IMG_1757.jpg" border="0" width="670" height="1004" width_o="2048" height_o="3072" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321103/IMG_1757_o.jpg" align="left" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321103/IMG_1760.JPG" border="0" width="670" height="446" width_o="2048" height_o="1365" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321103/IMG_1760_o.JPG" align="left" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321103/IMG_1762.JPG" border="0" width="670" height="446" width_o="2048" height_o="1365" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321103/IMG_1762_o.JPG" align="left" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321103/IMG_1776.jpg" border="0" width="670" height="1004" width_o="2048" height_o="3072" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321103/IMG_1776_o.jpg" align="left" /> Overview Botanica Autonoma, a study in Human–spirit interaction. While Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) studies humans and computers, human–spirit interaction (HSI) is the study, planning and design of the interaction between people (users) and spirits. It is often regarded as the intersection of divination, design and several other fields of study. Interaction between users and spirits occur at the user interface (also known as the altar). Attention to human-spirit interaction is important, because poorly designed human-spirit interfaces can lead to many unexpected problems. A classic example of this is the Erawan Hotel incident in Bangkok where investigations concluded that the design of the human-spirit interface was at least partially responsible for the disaster. A basic goal of HSI is to improve the interactions between users and spirits by making spirits more accessible and receptive to the user's needs. A long term goal of HSI is to design systems that minimize the barrier between the human's cognitive model of what they want to accomplish and the spirits' understanding of the user's desires. Seven principles that may be considered at any time during the design of an altar include: Tolerance, Simplicity, Visibility, Affordance, Consistency, Structure and Feedback. (modified from Wikipedia) Initial Proposals I began the Animism project researching Thai Spirit Houses and became interested in the idea of animism and the objects we create to appease the spirits. I was initially interested in understanding the spirits inside of objects and the idea of spirits in the natural world reacting to us in different ways. Animism Proposal v1 I then began to combine the two ideas into one system that focused on appeasing emotional elements. I was interested in the somewhat mysterious way future interfaces would require us to do a complex combination of gestures in order to accomplish a task, not unlike traditional religious rituals. Animism 2 Iterating I initially started out with a range of small physical sketches, testing various materials and potential ways to interact with the system. I was especially interested in interfaces that would require you to interact with natural elements with your whole body as opposed to any sort of polished machine. I was also very interested in the ability to express emotions through kinetics. At this point I was just trying a wide range of possible materials to understand the affordances of each. Even though I was still slightly unclear about the context of the project I found doing these small exercises that sort of worked towards my end goal was extremely helpful. As I began to clarify the concept behind the project I also began to narrow down and combine my options to refine to physical forms and interactions of the system. Having never built any mechanically moving objects before it took some reading (Cabaret Mechanical Movement<img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=&l=as2&o=1&a=0952872900&camp=217145&creative=399349" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />) and tinkering before I was able to produce a device that moved the way I wanted. In the end I was quite happy with the way they turned out and would have liked to make many more if I had time. As far as the input devices go, I felt the water & rocks under your feet would help ground the user to the elements. The sharpness of the rocks and the coldness of the water (in addition to the sound they make) serves as a way to keep you present and mindful of your physical state. The hand held wheat bundle also referenced other traditional spiritual devices used in rituals. It was important to have something the user could hold (almost like a computer mouse) as a way for them to feel more in control, although both the water and the bundle served as inputs. In the final iteration the analog meter became a secondary element to help the user gauge the effectiveness of their rituals. While it played a less central role I felt it was still an important element because it provided more of a mediator between the user and the spirits. Reflections <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321103/IMG_1770.jpg" border="0" width="670" height="446" width_o="2048" height_o="1365" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1321103/IMG_1770_o.jpg" align="left" /> Looking back I find it a little odd that I ended up doing a project about spirits and rituals when I personally wouldn't consider myself a very spiritual person. But I do often find myself looking for ways to center myself and focus when I feel a little out of it. While it sort of started as a bit of a light jab at the ridiculous nature of rituals, the process of creating the system created my own rituals that helped calm my mind. But overall I still believe the system is a bit of a critique on the irrational (yet poetic) rituals people perform on a spiritual level, and the overly rational (and un-poetic) rituals people perform on a computational level. How might rituals begin to incorporate technology and responsive feedback? And how might HCI incorporate more organic, tangible, and natural interfaces for interaction? http://seejayne.com/Designing-in-the-Void http://seejayne.com/following/seejayne.com/Designing-in-the-Void Sat, 09 Apr 2011 04:32:57 +0000 See Jayne 1285232 <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285232/diagrams.png" border="0" width="670" height="669" width_o="1115" height_o="1114" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285232/diagrams_o.png" align="left" /> Abstract How can a trans-disciplinary media designer fit in today’s diverse landscape of media outlets? In The Void I examine the in-between spaces in a range of forms including animation, physical objects, interactive architecture, and the urban environment. Animation excels at bringing life to the tween frames but suffers in it’s 2-dimensional linearity and prescribed narrative. Physical objects may be 3-dimensional but being mass produced for predefined purposes they discourage other creative uses. Interactive architecture may be more dynamic than traditional static architecture but despite being very spatial it is often more similar to animation with its predefined experiences. Scaling up our view to include the urban environment we find the life in the spaces between the beautiful structures. Within all of these I explore the idea that designers can interject themselves into a range of areas by using a hacker’s mindset. By identifying the unused or overlooked areas in design and space we can expose the weaknesses in these systems and find more personally meaningful outcomes than the ones predefined for us. By engaging these voids through design hacking and space hacking we can create platforms for other people to engage with their world more creatively. To read or add to the essay please visit the site: http://thevoid.tinypaperclips.com/ The digital format of the essay itself is also an experimental approach to a traditional academic research paper. Instead of thinking of a single post as complete entry, the entire paper itself is broken up into several sections allowing people to add to the discussion in context throughout the document. This is in contrast to a typical blog essay in which the entire essay is meant to be consumed whole and only commented upon at the very end, creating a clean barrier between The Author and The Reader. This format also returns to a traditional time structure by inverting the time structure of a typical blog, where the “last” or most recent idea is first while the “starting” or initial idea is at the end. <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285232/Screen shot 2011-04-08 at 9.28.44 PM.png" border="0" width="670" height="427" width_o="1052" height_o="672" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285232/Screen shot 2011-04-08 at 9.28.44 PM_o.png" align="left" /> I found the process of writing this essay to be extremely helpful in synthesizing my growing interests in various fields and helped me understand how I might be able to position myself in the future. By doing so it gave me a good framework to think about my potential thesis work next year. It really enabled me to find the connecting threads between the various projects I've been working on this year and the type of work I'd like to be more involved in going forward. http://seejayne.com/Brain-Shank http://seejayne.com/following/seejayne.com/Brain-Shank Sat, 09 Apr 2011 04:25:57 +0000 See Jayne 1285226 <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285226/Jayne_2.jpg" border="0" width="670" height="447" width_o="2048" height_o="1368" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285226/Jayne_2_o.jpg" align="left" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285226/Jayne_3.jpg" border="0" width="670" height="447" width_o="2048" height_o="1368" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285226/Jayne_3_o.jpg" align="left" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285226/Jayne_4.jpg" border="0" width="670" height="984" width_o="2042" height_o="3000" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285226/Jayne_4_o.jpg" align="left" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285226/Jayne_5.jpg" border="0" width="670" height="447" width_o="2048" height_o="1368" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285226/Jayne_5_o.jpg" align="left" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285226/Jayne_6.jpg" border="0" width="670" height="447" width_o="2048" height_o="1368" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285226/Jayne_6_o.jpg" align="left" /> Brain Shank is a luxury medical device for modifying your prefrontal cortex. Inserted into the top of the head it cam be toggled between two modes: present-minded and future-oriented. In present-minded mode the user is able to live a happier, freer, and more enjoyable life by improving their ability to live in the present. Side effects of this way of thinking may include loss of inhibition, increased promiscuity, increased gusto, and a sense of immortality. As a result, the device compensates by simultaneously administering small doses of tranquilizers and birth control hormones. In future-oriented mode the user is more likely to be successful in life due to their enhanced ability to plan for and speculate about the future. Side effects of this way of thinking may include anxiety, depression, and despair. As a result, the device compensates by simultaneously administering small doses of anti-depressants. Research <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285226/Phineas Gage1.jpg" border="0" width="268" height="365" width_o="268" height_o="365" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285226/Phineas Gage1_o.jpg" align="left" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285226/phineas_gage_from_uiowa_d_neurology.jpg" border="0" width="360" height="360" width_o="360" height_o="360" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285226/phineas_gage_from_uiowa_d_neurology_o.jpg" align="left" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285226/phineas_gage_mcmillan.jpg" border="0" width="325" height="480" width_o="325" height_o="480" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285226/phineas_gage_mcmillan_o.jpg" align="left" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285226/Phineas-Gage-520.jpg" border="0" width="441" height="520" width_o="441" height_o="520" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285226/Phineas-Gage-520_o.jpg" align="left" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285226/Phineas-Gage-life-mask-skull-2.jpg" border="0" width="520" height="410" width_o="520" height_o="410" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285226/Phineas-Gage-life-mask-skull-2_o.jpg" align="left" /> I was really inspired by the story of Phineas Gage and the renderings of his accidental but non-fatal impalement. Also interesting to me was the behavioral change that resulted in the accident. This also related to a lot of other research I had been doing about the development (or destruction) of the prefrontal cortex and it's correlation to happiness, furture-oriented thinking, lying and irrational behavior. Essentially, many people with trauma to this part of the brain report an inability to speculate (or worry) about their future, but are also generally happy. In other studies, it's shown that teens' often irrational behavior could stem from the fact that this part of the brain is still not fully developed. There is also a correlation between a person's ability to think about the future and their likelihood to be more successful in life. This is also related my personal conflicting desires to be more present minded, yet future oriented. Form exploration In exploring the object's physical form I thought it would be interesting if the device was highly desirable from an upper class crowd (as opposed to the typical body adornment fetishist). I liked the idea of it being unabashedly present or even flaunted. http://seejayne.com/Huddle http://seejayne.com/following/seejayne.com/Huddle Sat, 09 Apr 2011 04:16:15 +0000 See Jayne 1285200 <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285200/5601759325_d61a3f15d5_b.jpg" border="0" width="670" height="502" width_o="1024" height_o="768" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285200/5601759325_d61a3f15d5_b_o.jpg" align="left" /> Overview Huddle is an experimental system that facilitates conversations between people from diverse backgrounds in both physical and virtual space. Huddle Hobo is a node that travels out into the world collecting conversations. Huddle Hub outputs the conversation for research analysis at home base. For more photos and conversation data from the project please visit the project website: huddle.tinypaperclips.com Thanks to Angelo Luchi for helping with documentation and programming for the Huddle Hub printing routine. <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285200/applestore1.jpg" border="0" width="670" height="358" width_o="900" height_o="482" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285200/applestore1_o.jpg" align="left" /> Process & Reflections I initially started with an interest in the North Hollywood Arts District. I was struck by the the great difference between what I expected out of an "arts district" and what I found when I actually arrived. While there were many ways to consume the arts through theaters and real estate investments, there seemed to be little opportunity for participatory creativity. At the same time I was interested in the gentrification of communities. How does this designated "arts district" affect the people in the surrounding neighborhood? <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285200/Huddle.007.jpg" border="0" width="670" height="376" width_o="1280" height_o="720" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285200/Huddle.007_o.jpg" align="left" /> I was also interested in the idea of, what David Brooks calls, the bourgeois bohemians (or BoBos) and the trend in digital nomads. Initially I proposed a mobile arts district that could insert itself into up and coming neighborhoods as it saw fit. <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285200/Huddle.008.jpg" border="0" width="670" height="376" width_o="1280" height_o="720" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285200/Huddle.008_o.jpg" align="left" /> But once I took my prototype arts district to Westlake, I found my idea seemed irrelevant to the community. Instead I found myself facing other barriers, particularly language. I also felt particularly uncomfortable as a privileged art student outsider in the community. So I proceeded to work towards building a device that could help deal with with that barrier and the feelings of being an outsider, initially a cart with two laptops titled "talk to a hipster." <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285200/Huddle.010.jpg" border="0" width="670" height="376" width_o="1280" height_o="720" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285200/Huddle.010_o.jpg" align="left" /> After some experimenting I found the entire device needed to be much smaller, more portable, and wearable. Using 2 bluetooth keyboards, 2 3G iPads, some foam core, and 2 luggage straps I created the first prototype. On screen each person is able to chat real time using a service called babelwith.me, which is also able to translate languages real time. Also, because it's an online service I'm able to invite people to join the conversation virtually. <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285200/IMG_5153.JPG" border="0" width="670" height="502" width_o="2048" height_o="1536" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285200/IMG_5153_o.JPG" align="left" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285200/IMG_0866.JPG" border="0" width="670" height="500" width_o="2048" height_o="1529" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285200/IMG_0866_o.JPG" align="left" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285200/IMG_0887.jpg" border="0" width="670" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="672" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285200/IMG_0887_o.jpg" align="left" /> After some initial testing at the local coffee shop and with my bilingual neighbor I took the system to the Westlake Swap Meet and was able to interact directly with 2 young girls, a teen boy, and also indirectly with several other bystanders. One thing I found particularly odd was that two separate people tried to give me money as I walked by. But aside from that I was also surprised how quickly these two young girls wanted to engage with me and how hesitant many others were. I was also interested in how even if people weren't engaging in a conversation with me, the device was enabling conversations around the device amongst the people hovering near by. <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285200/IMG_5369.jpg" border="0" width="670" height="502" width_o="900" height_o="675" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285200/IMG_5369_o.jpg" align="left" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285200/IMG_5413.jpg" border="0" width="670" height="376" width_o="900" height_o="506" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285200/IMG_5413_o.jpg" align="left" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285200/IMG_5420.jpg" border="0" width="670" height="502" width_o="900" height_o="675" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285200/IMG_5420_o.jpg" align="left" /> After the first journey I took some time to work on the system. The device was skinned in blue felt in order to match my hoodie, making me part of the machine. Other elements were also generated to extend the system including a website, informational cards, and The Hub (a printer) that would enable people back in the studio to keep up to date with the conversations in the field. <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285200/Screen shot 2011-04-07 at 11.54.20 AM.png" border="0" width="670" height="479" width_o="899" height_o="644" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285200/Screen shot 2011-04-07 at 11.54.20 AM_o.png" align="left" /> While I was waiting to go back out to Westlake I also took a little detour, taking the system online to the world of Chatroulette as a way to explore how the physical object in physical space was different. Both systems allow you to see the other person and have conversations with both audio and type. <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285200/IMG_0953_2.jpg" border="0" width="670" height="376" width_o="900" height_o="506" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285200/IMG_0953_2_o.jpg" align="left" /> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285200/5602338742_baaf421927_b.jpeg" border="0" width="670" height="500" width_o="1024" height_o="765" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285200/5602338742_baaf421927_b_o.jpeg" align="left" /> Going back out to Westlake I visited 3 spaces and invited my friends to drop in on the conversations at any time. Going back to the Westlake swapmeet I was only able to really engage with one of the vendors, but he seemed genuinely interested and excited about the project, while many of the other people seemed somewhat apathetic or annoyed. The 99 cent store was less fruitful as most people generally ignored me, though many were curious. <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285200/IMG_1048_2.jpg" border="0" width="670" height="376" width_o="900" height_o="506" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285200/IMG_1048_2_o.jpg" align="left" /> Then, going to the Westlake metro station I interacted with a passerby for quite a long time, also joined by Rubina online. I thought this was the most successful of all the interactions. I really enjoyed how the system was enabling 3 people to have a spontaneous conversation despite being separated by either familiarity or geography. As a fun way to end the project I also took it to the Apple Store in Pasadena, but was only able to interact with an employee briefly before being surrounded by security and being told that I could only talk to the employee if it was a purchase related conversation. I was surprised to find that I felt more uncomfortable in the Apple store than in Westlake. <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285200/applestore3.jpg" border="0" width="670" height="1264" width_o="741" height_o="1398" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285200/applestore3_o.jpg" align="left" /> In the end, despite being a completely different end result than I had originally proposed I think it still touches upon the original things I was interested in. It also proved to be a good way for me to articulate my interest in the combination of enabling fleeting virtual and physical communities, as mentioned in my essay, Community Sensing . <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285200/IMG_1080.jpg" border="0" width="670" height="897" width_o="900" height_o="1205" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1285200/IMG_1080_o.jpg" align="left" /> http://seejayne.com/Roomba http://seejayne.com/following/seejayne.com/Roomba Tue, 15 Mar 2011 06:08:34 +0000 See Jayne 1172821 Roomba-Girl cleans your house, but not terribly well. She has a hard time getting those corner spots. Even includes a sewn in LED! (Halloween 2009) <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1172821/4211657107_cd7e6279a1_b.jpg" border="0" width="670" height="502" width_o="1024" height_o="768" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/9631/1172821/4211657107_cd7e6279a1_b_o.jpg" align="left" /> http://seejayne.com/Tiny-Thai-Animation http://seejayne.com/following/seejayne.com/Tiny-Thai-Animation Mon, 07 Mar 2011 01:01:25 +0000 See Jayne 1138703 I was planning on making an iPad app to teach kids the Thai alphabet. I may still do it but I just haven't had the time to get around to actually building it yet. (Or finding someone to help me build it. If you're interested in helping, let me know!) These characters may also make their way onto a Thai alphabet poster at some point as well. I didn't want my assets to just sit around waiting for me though. So here's all the animated characters I created for the app that doesn't exist yet... For now I would consider this a project in progress. UPDATE: It's now for real, see the updated project.