PHOTOCHROMIA by Madison Maxey

ABOUT

Photochromia is a project from “The Crated” a design studio which Madison Maxey is a part of it. For this project she worked with a company called Print All Over ( digital printing partners) to create clothing that changes patterns in response to light. The trick: photochromatic inks, which are made up of molecules that turn transparent when exposed to sunlight. The technology has been around since the mid-1800s, yet it still feels futuristic when applied to clothing. The clothing line includes baseball caps, T-shirts, sweatshirts, sweatpants, backpacks, and more.

CREATOR

Madison Maxey is a around designer. She builds prototypes, writes codes and likes in generally to experiment at the intersection of design and technology. Her interests lie between 2nd generation wearable technology, additive manufacturing and computational design. Her main focus is The Crated a Innovation studio focused on developing 2nd generation wearable technology. They Believe that the key to productive wearable tech lies within the realm of fiber science. With this in mind, they focus on performance & responsive materials and soft circuitry.

RULES/RESTRICTIONS

One of the most important rule in this project is the fact that she could realize this project with the digital printing partners Print all over me. A Online platform where everybody is able to collaborate, create and produce in real world. Another rule is the fact that Photochromia’s technological abilities are pretty basic; disappearing ink doesn’t perform nearly as many sophisticated tasks as some of Maxey’s competitors, like Ralph Lauren’s Polo Tech Shirt, which tracks biometric data from the wearer. she thinks that opening up how we think of wearable tech with projects like hers and others will help prepare people for what wearables might look like in the future.

COMMENTS

This kind of Projects are very investing in the way the designers work with new technologies and processes to create new and new ideas for the future living. For me it is wonderful that we  live now in the beginning of a new post digital era where old knowledge, techniques can be combined with new never before seen technologies to create individual and innovative projects with we are able to continue through open sources and platforms.

Links

http://www.madisonmaxey.com

https://paom.com

Of Instruments and Archetypes by Studio Unfold

 

ABOUT

A range of wireless digital measuring instruments; a calliper, measuring tape and protractor. Measurements of physical objects are transferred in realtime to an on-screen digital 3d model on which it needs to fit. Through this project, measuring becomes something without numbers, but with accurate precision; measuring becomes making. These instruments can then be used in an application where archetypical, parametric objects can be customised with exact measurements and materialised by digital production techniques such as 3D printing.

CREATOR

Studio Unfold is a design studio from Antwerpen witch ask a lot about the future role of a designer and how is it changing in a time when design and manufacturing become increasingly more digitized? This question is key to understanding the work of design studio Unfold. The studio, founded in 2002 by Claire Warnier and Dries Verbruggen after they graduated from the Design Academy Eindhoven, develops projects that investigate new ways of creating, manufacturing, financing and distributing in a changing context.

RULES/RESTRICTIONS

One of the typical ways/ rules how unfold is working is the fact that they often collaborating with a vast network of kindred spirits and specialists, so the collaboration is the most important thing in there projects. The try to merging aspects of the pre-industrial craft economy with high tech industrial production methods and digital communication networks which makes them to a perfect example for a innovative and experimental open design office.

COMMENTS

I really like this project because they try to make a bridge between old craftsman tools from the past and new digital production ways like 3D printing. The Idea to create a digital measuring instruments; a calliper, measuring tape and protractor is really clever because in future we will need this kind of tools to manufacture our own products etc. Unfold  is also nominated with this project for the prestigious Designs of the Year award issued by Design Museum London!

LINKS

http://unfold.be

MEMORY

ABOUT

‘Memory’ is an interactive installation and consists of merely a tablet equipped with a camera, custom software and a wooden frame. Programmed to recognise human faces, the installation saves the faces of its spectators and then superimposes them endlessly. The displayed result is an ‘average’ face, calculated from all the faces it has seen and thereby a visualisation of the history of all the people that stood still to take a look at it.

CREATOR

The maker and creator of the project is Korean studio SSBKYH, consisting of Shin Seung Back and Kim Yong Hun. Their collaborative practice explores social and cultural impacts of technology.

RULES / RESTRICTIONS

There is only one interactive portrait which captures the results, but everyone is allowed to participate. The only requirement is to look at it with your face. In order to be able to create the ‘average’ face, the ideal approach would be to let people participate only once; however, it is unclear if this is an official rule for the project.

COMMENTS

Intriguing and funny; but I would like to know in which countries the portrait has been exhibited. It would be interesting to understand which regions are responsible for creating the ‘average’ face. What if every continent had its own ‘Memory’ portrait?

Volvo // YOU INSIDE

ABOUT

In order to become a more ‘human-oriented’ brand, Volvo has launched a Facebook application called You Inside.The crowdsourcing application enables fans to post images of the things they keep inside their cars along with info about their vehicles and lifestyles. Volvo analyses the information and delivers a personality profile, with users able to dip into other’s You Inside profiles too. Data gathered by the app on the social network will be fed into research for vehicle development at Volvo.

CREATOR

The campaign/platform has been launched by Volvo itself on Facebook, where the users contribute to the collection by sharing data. Volvo uses the data to create a collective collection.

What makes Volvo Cars unique in the automotive world is its focus on human values in life. Caring about yourself and others; the safety concept encompasses not only the passengers of the car, but also passengers in other cars, and pedestrians. Environmental care goes beyond legislation – and consideration for customers shall imbue the entire company.

RULES / RESTRICTIONS

The user data is limited to their own lifestyle and physical or practical automobile assets, usage and information. The platform operates on Facebook only, so the users need a Facebook account and must agree to their data being shared with others and being used by Volvo for their market and research goals.

COMMENTS

Certain privacy questions arise with this project and it makes me wonder what kind of policy Volvo manages when processing user data. However, I like the philosophy of Volvo for focusing on the personal human experience and their willingness to be actively involved with improving this.

Cancer patient hair jewellery by Sybille Paulsen

ABOUT

Sybille Paulsen is a Berlin based designer who right now focusses on the creation of jewellery made out of hair from cancer diagnosed patients who undergo chemotherapy. Women cut off their hair before it slowly falls out and give it to Sybille to transform it into jewellery within two weeks in which she also gets closer to the patient. It can help patients and their families during this transformation and helps as a starting point for difficult conversations with family or friends.

 

CREATOR

The collection of jewellery is created by the artist Sybille Paulsen in cooperation with the client, which is the patient (and family).

 

RULES/RESTRICTIONS

The collection is in her own hand because she is the only one who actually makes them. The jewellery is only made for female cancer diagnosed patients but it is not made entirely of hair. Some pieces also include precious metals like brass, silver or gold or made of cast-resin pieces in colours that have value to the wearer.

 

COMMENTS

I don’t know if this counts as open design. It is more like a normal project with customer and producer, but then specifically on hair but it might as well be a client buying a table from a table designer but I really like the idea of the project because the designer works closely with the patient and the result is an emotionally precious product made from their own identity.

 

LINKS

http://www.dezeen.com/2015/03/07/sybille-paulsen-cancer-patients-hair-chemotherapy-jewellery-tangible-truths/

http://www.sybille.me/

 

 

Kindersurprise-ei

MEDIA

ABOUT
Wereldwijd verzamelen Vier miljoen volwassenen de figuurtjes van het Kindersurprise-ei. Dit chocolade-ei word verhandeld, vervalst en gesmokkeld en wie een zeldzaam exemplaar in handen heeft, doet er goed aan dit in een kluis te bewaren. De marktwaarde van sommige oude speeltjes is inmiddels tot duizend euro per stuk gestegen.

CREATOR

De verzamelaar van het Kindersurprise-ei.

RULES / RESTRICTIONS

Fanatiekelingen verzamelen alle Kindersurprise-ei speeltjes van de serie. de serie is pas compleet als de boekjes er ook bij zitten.

COMMENTS
Ik vind het fascinerend om te zien hoe volwassenen zo vol kunnen zijn van een speeltje wat bedoeld is voor kinderen. Het hele leven en hun totale inkomen van de verzamelaars draait om deze verzameling.

LINKS
http://www.npo.nl/holland-doc/24-03-2008/NPS_1096794

WENDYPAINT

ABOUT:

Online tool to create artworks; Users move repeating Favicon-like pattern squares to create vibrant, abstract, and unique net art. Like any tool, the limits of the program are defined by the imagination of the artist

 

CREATOR:

program creator: Kim Asendorf

collection creator: anyone who registers

 

RULES/ RESTRICTIONS

-movements defined by computer mouse

-‘pencil-strokes’ defined by program default set

-quality of output is program defined

-must take ‘ownership’ of the artwork produced as the program demands a real name when registering

 

COMMENTS:

-successful as it has an easy interface, is user friendly, fun (almost like a game), useful. There is a very clear aesthetic linked to this programme due to its restructions which also promotes awareness of the programme; Its like a signature.

 

LINKS:

http://wendypaint.com/stream

http://thecreatorsproject.vice.com/blog/free-online-painting-tool-to-help-new-media-artists-expand-their-practice

COCA COLA ‘second life bottle cap collection’

ABOUT:

Coca Cola teamed up with award-winning ad agency Ogilvy & Mather China on a new “2nd Lives” campaign and created 16 red screw-on caps that transform the otherwise-useless left-over plastic bottle into something creative, fun and usable. This environmentally friendly campaign launched in Vietnam, where 40,000 free caps will be given away when purchasing the iconic soda drink.

These fun caps transform the used beverage bottles into a lamp, a paintbrush, a spray bottle, a pencil sharpener, a soap dispenser, and many other usable objects. Graham Fink, the chief creative officer of Ogilvy & Mather China, explains the idea behind the project: “We have created fun tools with Coke bottle tops, bringing small moments of happiness into people’s lives.“

-source: http://www.boredpanda.com

 

CREATOR:

advertising agency Ogilvy & Mather for Coca Cola

 

RULES/ RESTRICTIONS:

-must fit on an existing screw-top coke bottle

-must be red

-must be functional and add a second life to the plastic bottle

 

COMMENTS:

collection is succesful as it is somewhat socially responsible, a good image for the brand, fits within the design language of the brand. Final items are functional

 

LINKS:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1z1uov_coca-cola-re-invents-16-bottle-caps-to-give-second-lives-to-empty-bottles_fun