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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)

Sketch of tools used in dance painting

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.

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Wearable Research – Teo Zi Lin

Tobii Pro Glasses 2

Product image of Tobii Pro Glasses 2
My sketch of the Tobii Pro Glasses 2

Practice it works in

The Tobii Pro Glasses 2 is designed mainly for researchers who conduct field studies in their research of human behaviour.

Its specific use

Tobii Pro Glasses 2 gives researchers deep and objective insights into human behaviour by showing exactly what a person is looking at in real time as they move freely in any real-world setting. Researchers can understand how people interact with their environment, what catches their attention, what drives their behaviour, and what influences their decision making. This wearable and mobile eye tracking system opens up entirely new opportunities for behavioural studies.

With a unique first-person perspective and true measurement of visual attention and cognitive engagement, Tobii Pro Glasses 2 can be also used as a tool for training, skills transfer, and performance enhancement. The real-time observation of participants’ gaze data provides quick and actionable insights. Whether the eye tracking study is conducted in a lab, shopping mall, manufacturing facility, home, or sports field, researchers can achieve accurate and reliable results in human behaviour research.

Mobility

The user-centric design and mobility of Tobii Pro Glasses 2 have resulted in an intuitive easy-to-use eye tracking system that allows users to focus on the data analysis and makes the data collection a simple quick exercise. Any user can get started with data collection easily without prior experience with the help of the system-guided procedures and a quick one-point calibration. In order to ensure maximum mobility during the study, the recording unit also allows for easy access to the SD card, sync port, and batteries.

Utility vs Fashionability

Tobii Pro Glasses 2 is indeed very useful for researchers as studies on human behaviour is no longer confined to just the labs. Nothing is more accurate than observing research subjects and their behaviours in their real, intimate environments. To add on, having a wearable eye tracking system opens up new areas of research that would not have been possible. Hence, I would say that the glasses has high utility. To add on, the glasses look futuristic and stylish, like a gear right out of a science fiction movie. It reminds me of Google glasses as well. I would say it is fashionable because I want to wear it. It is comforting that Tobii Pro Glasses 2 has achieved a great balance of utility and fashionability.

The HC1

Product image of the HC1
My sketch of the HC1

Practice it works in

The HC1 is not designed for a specific practice. It is designed for anyone who needs a mobile computer for the work environment.

Its specific use

The HC1 is a unique wearable device: a fully rugged mobile computer for the work environment. Through an adjustable optical micro-display, it provides a view equivalent to a 15-inch laptop screen. This allows users access to critical documents, videos and photos, with information displayed just below their line of sight. Its purpose is made for workers who need big-screen device capability to view highly complex graphical data or schematics in work environments where carrying a laptop or tablet is not feasible, safe or convenient.

Mobility

The HC1 has great mobility because it was designed to address the mobility issue of a computer. It is lightweight, and it has a strap that secures the device to a human head. Hence, anyone who has a head will be able to use the device anywhere and everywhere.

Utility vs Fashionability

The HC1 has good utility as it can help a practitioner carry out his or her work more efficiently with a mobile, wearable computer. For example, a construction worker can view the blueprint on this device while doing his work in the field. However, I would say that the HC1 is lacking in terms of fashionability because it does not look cool. It looks kind of weird to have a thick black “arm” protruding from the side of your face. However, in work environments, who cares about fashion when you can complete your work more efficiently?