A Student – Page 21 – Wearable Studios

September 11, 2018November 5, 2018

Documentation for Prototypes vs Models – Jo-Ann Ng Yixian

Study of a Creative Practice: Barista

Since I was always at cafes, I decided to chat with a couple of baristas to understand more about them and their tools.

I drew out 5 tools the baristas used that stood out to me:
– Espresso Machine (to brew espresso shots)
– Portafilter (attaches to the espresso machines)
– Coffee Tamper (to tamper – press the grounded coffee powder into the portafilter basket)
– Milk Pitcher (to pour in the milk for lattes and to create latte art)
– Coffee Grinder (to grind coffee beans)

Idea 1: Latte Art Finger Stylus

I wouldn’t say the baristas at the cafe had a problem with making latte art (since that’s what they were trained for after all), but I came up with this idea of having a portable, wearable and possibly easier way to make latte art since it capitalizes on the intuitive gesture.
The small well with a spring milk frother has an electric heater (to heat the milk) rests on your wrist and the contours of your hand allows the foam to flow downwards easily. Ideally, the nozzle would be made of stainless steel – like the ones on the Espresso machine and also the material of the milk pitcher Baristas usually use for latte art.

This contraption could attach a second tube/nozzle on another finger so that Baristas could use two fingers to make interweaving patterns. Alternative to milk, perhaps chocolate would do well with this invention too.

Prototype 2: Portable Cafe BGM Hats

One of the baristas I talked to in a cafe briefly chuckled about how he became a barista because he wanted to look cool. I used this thought along with the idea of how important cafe music was to set an ambiance.
This Cafe Background Music (BGM) Hat helps baristas bring around a cool aura by playing music directly from the hat. It connects to an application via Bluetooth that comes with a playlist of poetry or chill music.

I tested this by attaching my wireless Bluetooth-connected earpieces to a hat (only on the outside for a prototype) and blasted music. (my images have been corrupted and hence I currently don’t have any for them)
It worked but it wasn’t loud enough and if I had to work on this further, I would look into making small speakers light enough not to weigh down the hat.

Ng Yixian Jo-Ann (A0142014B)

September 11, 2018September 26, 2018

Documentation for Prototypes vs Models – Vashon Tnee

Creative Practice
Leather Making

Tools Used
1. Round Awl
2. Divider
3. Beeswax
4. Pricking Iron
5. Cheese Boy (Glue Container)

The Round Awl utilizes skiving to make markings on the leather.

The Divider is useful for skiving as well, but more importantly, measurements.

Beeswax have a special quality of enhancing leather threads and making them more resilient.

The Pricking Iron is useful for fragile leathers as it smooths the fur residue through heat.

The Cheese Boy provides special air-tight concealment as the type of glue used in leather easily hardens.

Model
For the model design, I focused on enhancing the futuristic experience of the Pricking Iron, whereby instead of simply smoothing out surfaces on the leather. The product is also a wearable which allows for better control over the areas in which the user wants to target for smoothing. Furthermore, the product also tells the user what type of leather is being used and is shown on the display. The LED lights of red and green inform the user of the heat applied and whether the task is complete and also as indicators for when the product is fully charged and ready for use. Delving a little further into the fiction, the product could potentially transform leathers on command to the type the user wants.

Prototype
For the prototype, I wanted to make something that was actually useful to leather makers. So I focused on the act of skiving and tracing, inspired from the Round Awl and the Divider. Skiving is the act of making marks on the leather for tracing and cutting. However, skiving long and intricate designs on leather tend to result in the skives made disappearing before the trace is complete hence leather makers sometimes utilize pencil markings instead. To aid this act of cutting along pencil markings, I made this prototype to perform with capacitive touch, whereby so long as the knife used by the user is tracing and cutting the pencil mark accurately, the LED light will continue to stay lit. The moment it turns off, it means that the knife has gone out of the line, and the user can stop and adjust, resulting in a cleaner and more accurate cut of the leather.

Reflections
Thanks to the exhibition, I was able to glean some useful feedback on my prototype. Instead of using light as a feedback to my user, sound would be a better choice as it removes the aspect of dividing the attention of the user from the focused act of tracing and cutting. After looking at the works of others, I also began to realize that my works are also too grounded in reality and I need to expand the fictional aspect of them as well to create a genuine story world that is not only believable but also fantastic.

September 10, 2018November 11, 2018

Documentation for Prototypes vs Models – Allison Kapps

Creative Practice
Waltz dance class

Tools used
Body suit
Safety Pins
2 belts
Elastic

The idea for this “solution” was to create a device that would restrict the movement of a dancer’s arms. I attended a Waltz class, and in this class we had to keep our arms up in a specific position for long periods of time. Dancers use elastic bands to stretch and train muscles, so I decided to create a prototype for a device that would serve to help dancers train their arm muscles by forcing them to have a harder time keeping their arms up. I mimicked the position of the elastic band that would go around the arms of a dancer using two belts attached to a body suit.

September 10, 2018November 6, 2018

Documentation for Prototypes vs Models – Chia Li Hui

Creative Practice
Polymer Clay

Tools used
1. White Tile (To avoid staining the table and white allows people to see dirt and lint easily)
2. Dotting Tool
3. Acrylic Roller/Brayer
4. Wire Cutter
5. Wax Carving Tool

Idea 1: Anti-lint Apron

The idea is to allow the artist to remove fabric lints easily while making polymer clay. This is to avoid having lints trap in the clay. The velcro, sticky sheet from lint roller and fuzzy pads are all tools used to remove the lints. There is also a pocket for the artist to put other tools that he or she wishes to use.

Apron Model (Strings are adjustable according to the artists’ preference and height)

Idea 2 (absurd): Texturing Gloves

Idea is to aid the artist in texturing the clay.

September 10, 2018November 5, 2018

Documentation for Prototypes vs Models – Teo Zi Lin

Creative practice
Dance painting (to sum up this practice in a sentence, it is where dancers dunk themselves in paint and dance on a canvas to create art)

Tools used in dance painting
1. Canvas
2. Loudspeaker (for music)
3. Bricks (to act as paperweight for the canvas)
4. Paint
5. Bowls (to hold paint)
6. Squeeze bottles (to spray paint)
7. Human body (medium for art creation)

Idea 1: Wearable dance painting studio for dancers with sensitive skin

The motivation behind this wearable dance painting studio is to help dancers who have sensitive skin to participate in dance painting. They will not be able to pour paint over themselves as it will trigger an allergic reaction as a result of the chemicals in oil paint. Hence, this is a ‘neater’ version of dance painting where dancers take spray paint cans from a belt+tray device and create art by dancing in a cylindrical canvas held upright by supporting stands. This way, they need not pour oil paint over themselves. By having the device worn at the hip area, there is minimal disruption to the dance movements and art performance. There is also a sling pouch slung across the dancer’s back to hold the supporting stands and canvas to make the studio portable. The sling bag is on the back as the canvas and supporting stands are long. Transporting the items will be easier if they were carried on the back (does not interfere with bending).

Scaled-down model of idea 1

Working prototype for idea 1 (belt+tray device)

Idea 2: Nonsense wearable dance painting studio that impedes the art form

The gist of this wearable studio is to have a shirt, pants and wristlets full of paint brushes protruding out of them. This idea does not work because firstly, how are the dancers going to get the paint onto the brushes? They will either have to take the brushes out one by one and dip them in paint, or to jump into a pool of paint for efficiency’s sake. Secondly, in order to get the paint onto the canvas, close contact with the canvas has to be made. This limits the dance movements and disrupt the performance. Hence, this idea does not solve any problem.

Reflection
After today’s lecture, I realised that one important element is lacking in my ideas for this assignment. That is, my ideas do not include any form of futuristic element (i.e. technological advancement), which is required for the final project. These ideas are simply alternatives to how dance painting is performed today. Hence, to address this issue, I could possibly introduce a science fiction element to my ideas by creating a suit that sprays paint out of it. The dancer will have to think of the colour and spray pattern in his/her brain while dancing, and the suit will sense the mental information from the brain waves and execute what the dancer wishes accordingly.

September 10, 2018November 5, 2018

Documentation for Prototypes vs Models – Kaitlyn

Creative Practice
Screen-printing using silkscreen

5 Tools
• Wooden Squeegee
• Silkscreen
• Diazo photo emulsion & fabric paint
• Artwork positive
• Shirt (any fabric)

Drawing 1:
A practical solution for those on-the-go but want to print shirt with their very own design as and when they desire. Wearable studio consists of a set of t-shirt for larger tools (flat surface and silkscreen) and shorts for smaller, lighter equipment (paint etc). Mesh is used in place of fabric to allow users to find their equipment easily.

Further Ideas (After Mini Exhibition):

Image result for silkscreen printing — https://mycohmarketing.com/images/source/Services/Manual_Silk_Screen_Printing_Machine_6_Color.jpg

With inspirations from silkscreen printing machines, perhaps an added feature could be having more than one printing surface and silkscreens. Not only can users speed up the printing and drying process if multiple shirts are involved, users can perhaps use different silkscreens for different designs and colours.

Drawing 2: (Absurd)
A “sticky” jumpsuit that literally sticks to anything of any weight using suction technology. Users can “stick” tools for screen-printing onto their body, even food if they happen to be hungry during screen-printing session. Suction technology works by creating vacuum condition between item and the jumpsuit. Users can sit down using removable butt pads.

September 9, 2018September 26, 2018

Wearable Research – Karin Lew

WaverlyLabs’ Pilot Earpiece promises to translates languages in real time.

https://www.dezeen.com/2017/03/04/waverly-labs-pilot-earpiece-translates-languages-real-time-design-products-technology-mobile-world-congress/

Practice it works in:

This earpiece is made by WaverlyLabs, a start-up company that was inspired by Star Trek’s Universal Translator and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’s babelfish. When worn, Pilot sits in the ear to translate spoken foreign languages to the wearer.

Imagine how useful that would be!

Specific use:

Designed as a pair of linked earpieces, Pilot connects to an app that uses speech recognition and machine translation to convert spoken language. It removes the awkwardness of phrase books or smartphone apps by playing a translated version directly to the listener.

Pilot can also be used to wirelessly listen to music, which can be shared with the earpiece of a companion.

Mobility:

Given that it is worn in our ears AND is wireless, I would imagine the mobility of Pilot to be barely restrictive and highly comfortable.

Utility vs Fashionability:

Seeing as to how it is similar in look to Apple’s latest wireless earpiece, I would give its design some credit in terms of its aesthetic. The earpieces also come in the right basic colours–neutrals are always in season, and easy compatibility is an added bonus.

In terms of utility, I truly think it is a brilliant idea. Language barriers have always been hard to overcome, even with the help of google translate (time has to be spent typing your message down and then finding the language and then waiting for your screen to generate the sentence in another language. With this earpiece, one will be able to IMMEDIATELY understand what the other person is saying without any hassle, isn’t that pretty darn useful? 10/10 for utility yes.

The Makeup Artists’ Brush and Tool Belt Roll

Practice it works in:

Every MUA (Make Up Artist) uses it. It is convenient to hold their brushes while they apply makeup onto their model’s faces and can store a lot more other shenanigans. like eyelash curlers, tape, beauty grooming products, etc.

Specific Use:

Adjustable belt strap.
Varied size compartments can hold varied makeup brush and other slender makeup product.
Fanny pack only, brush and other accessories are not included.
An adjustable strap allows for the belt to be comfortably worn around the waist or over the shoulder

Mobility:

Extremely convenient and easy to move around in I would say. Greatly makes the job of a MUA easier. Non restricting to move around in as well

Utility vs fashionability:

I mean a fanny pack will only look that good…..

Utility wise, I believe that it is useful in being a wearable storage/holding area for the MUA’s tools and makeup. It might be even better if makeup could be stored in the utility belt as well perhaps. But then again that would definitely restrict movement….

Karin Lew A0158198M

September 3, 2018October 22, 2019

Wearable Research — Jhnn Ymn

Touché – Wearable pods for musicians, artists, and performers

Practice it works in

Designed by Marie Tricaud for performers, musicians and listeners, Touché is a set of wearable pods that is intended to be used in any situation that features live music, such as festivals or musical performances. It thus has a particular focus on the artistic experience of music and sound, allowing those with a musical practice to be more sensitive to the sense of touch, with aims of creating an “immersive synaesthetic concert”.

Its specific use

Allowing musicians to compose and perform live music as temperature and vibrations on the user’s skin via wearable modules, Touché consists of multiple plastic pods that are meant to be attached to bare skin. They may be removed and inserted within a console that allows the musician/performer to program each pod to emit a specific sequence of stimuli.

Mobility

Given that these are small pods attached to skin, the design affords for a great deal of mobility as it does not inhibit movement and seems to be as unobstrusive to movement as possible. Considering the contexts it is meant to be utilised in (music festivals, etc), it is likely that a lot of movement will take place, necessitating such a design. It is mentioned that the current working prototype relies on wires to connect the pads, which might limit mobility, while the designer is working towards a wireless version.

Utility vs Fashionability

While not particularly subtle or ‘invisible’, as some wearables attempt to be, the pods and the console are aesthetically very cohesive – blocky, colourful – and work in tandem with the playful nature of the project. In terms of utility, it plays a more artistic function, and seems to have a good balance of both utility and aesthetic.

Vibeat devices – For the deaf to experience music through touch

Practice it works in

Designed by Liron Gino for deaf and hard-of-hearing people to listen to music, this set of devices also has a particular focus on the experience on sound and its tactile nature, though geared more towards the experience of music for the deaf.

Its specific use

Featuring a set of devices that include a bracelet, a necklace, and a pin, all with circular modules attached, the Vibeat collection is able to translate tracks into vibrations, connecting to a music source via Bluetooth, with different units reacting to the differing ranges and frequencies within notes to generate vibrations at differing rates. Users are thus able to experience music through touch alone.

Mobility

As the devices are rather elegantly designed as unobtrusive accessories, such as a necklace or bracelet, mobility seems to be retained by the user even through the use of the device.

Utility vs Fashionability

Similar to the above example, it seems to also serve utility in the sense that it is able to modulate musical experience, though for a different community. Through rather sleek design, it is able to maintain a good balance between utility and aesthetic.

September 3, 2018November 14, 2018

Wearable Research – Wendy Neo

Usherette Tray

Practice it works in:

The usherette tray is used in several professions, to carry and sell a variety of items. It is more commonly used and seen in the past, at the cinema or theatre, where the vendor will carry snacks, drinks and cigarettes in the tray for sale to customers during the interval. They are also seen in the stadium grandstands or in the streets.

It’s specific use:

The vendor can place items he wishes to sell in the tray, then wear the straps on each shoulder with the tray in front of his body. The tray can be customizable by putting in dividers or cup/drink holders to make it more organized.

Mobility:

The tray is carried in front of the body, thus it is important for the vendor to keep his back straight or else the items might fall out from the tray. Additionally, if the items in the tray are heavy, it might cause some strain on the back and shoulders.

Utility vs fashionability:

The usherette tray is probably more useful than it is fashionable. Due to its basic design it can be used to hold and sell a variety of items. It is also possible to decorate the usherette tray depending on the vendor and the items sold in the tray, for example in the photo below. However, the tray would not be used as a fashion statement because of how bulky it is.

how cute are those candy necklace favors...and the tray embellished with sweet.

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Fitbit

Practice it works in:

Can be used by people in the health and fitness industry, or anyone who wants to keep and active lifestyle and take note of their health

It’s specific use:

A Fitbit is a health and fitness watch that tracks daily activities, exercise, sleep and weight. It is able to track your steps, distance walked, calories burned, sleep cycle etc.

Mobility:

The Fitbit is worn easily on the wrist. It is around the same size as a regular watch, thus is quite unobstructive.

Utility vs fashionability:

As seen from the picture above, the Fitbit has quite a sleek and aesthetically pleasing design, which complements how useful it is to track personal health information.

September 3, 2018November 13, 2018

Wearable Research – Darren

Finger Cots

Practice it works in
Informally known as finger condoms, you probably have seen these little wearables around before such as the grocery store. It is widely used in various industries but two prominent ones that I will mention are in the office and for medical use. In the workplace, finger cots can prevent paper cuts when going through many pages of paper and prevent contamination when dealing with delicate parts like semiconductors. In the medical field, it can be used for a range of medical procedures such as topical applications and keeping a wound dry because of its water-tight properties.

Workplace Finger Cots
Medical Finger Cots
Dealing with fragile parts
Prevent Contamination

Specific Use
Often made up of flexible and materials like silicone, rubber, and latex, its specific use is for protection against accidental cuts, water, and heat. Additionally, it is made of anti-slip material like latex and rubber and often laced with grooves, allowing one to have a firmer grip.

Mobility
Being small and made of flexible material, mobility of fingers/hands are not affected by the wearable. Additionally, it is more comfortable and less restrictive compared to a glove.

Utility vs Fashionability
The finger cot has plenty of utility providing many functions (mainly protection) but is not as fashionable because of how odd it looks just covering your fingers. It does come in different colors such as bright orange or plain beige.

Oculus Rift

Practices used in

The Oculus Rift is a developed and manufactured by Oculus VR, a division in Facebook, and released in 2016. The headset is often used in Virtual Reality entertainment such as games, education, media, and art. It is also used for furthering the development of the VR technology (testing) with development kits.

Its specific use

The VR headset is connected to the system which allows its users to be immersed in a virtual reality by surrounding your sense of sight and hearing. It has other equipments such as as controllers, a head tracking system, and an operating system. It even has an app store (Oculus Store) to purchase software/programs for VR. It is used for all kinds of uses from media, education, social, industrial, but mainly for gaming.

Mobility

The worn device is connected to a computer via a cable and movement with the headgear is limited to the length of the device. You are able to move your head around in all directions from your neck as part of the VR experience.

Utility vs Fashionability

The Oculus Rift is clunky and slightly heavy but it does a darn fine job of obscuring your senses to make the experience seem super surreal. It is not fashionable at the very least in terms of appearance (you won’t walk around with the headgear in public) but the carbon black makes it look pretty sleek.