CCT333+Labs

__Lab 6__

Look over examples of her biomimetic principles applied to products in the slideshow located at [] and write a short, one paragraph synopsis for each of your three favourite product designs. Describe why you like the design in your responses.

**Response**

//Avian Elements// This high speed “bullet” like train from Japan is one of the world’s fastest. The designers and engineers behind the train designed it with the intention to replicate that of an owl. They chose the owl because it is one of the quietest birds, something they wanted this train the emulate. The designers emulated an Owl’s feathers by creating small serrations in order to reduce the amount of noise generated by the train. I find this design interesting because they not only tried to incorporate the aerodynamics of a bird into the train, but they even took into account the outer layer of an Owl in order to help reduce somewhat of a significant drawback of mot production trains today. Noise.

//Skeleton Key// Artist Joris Laarman designed what is essentially a piece of furniture but made with the design of bones taken into consideration. The interesting thing about this design is that it is made our of aluminum yet the structure is entirely hollow. This allows for a light yet robust design. I find these qualities to useful when designing furniture because having strong yet light furniture makes it easy for people to re-organize the layout of their homes.

//New Plumage// Qualcomm engineers have designed a display which consist of variably reflected light where its wavelengths interfere with one another to create vivd colours. The advantage of this type of design is lower power consumption. Why I finds this useful is because technology like this could be used in mobile products like cell phones. This means that people will be able to have devices that are capable of delivery vivid colours while preserving power. The lower the power consumption, the better especially for mobil devices which often struggle with its battery time.

__Lab 4__

Write six paragraphs, one on each stage of the 'materials economy', and define its interactions. (6 paragraphs/one stage each paragraph)

**Response**

//Extraction//

Extraction is a process in which natural resources are taken from the Earth. This is done for a variety of reasons. The main use of such an activity is Industrial purposes in order for corporation to continue to grow. Certain necessities are also extracted (water, trees, oil) but pose a negative effect on the environment. This is known as over-extraction. Humans are the most affected by this. An interesting stat is that Americans consume 30% of the world’s natural resources while only account for 5% of the entire world’s population.

//Production//

The next step in this process is Production. Production is the process of taking those natural resources that were extracted and turing them in to goods. Though this is an essential part of the world’s economy, it does pose its risks. For example, pillows are succumbed into neurotoxin during their production process, something which very few people are aware of. Current production processes cause extreme damage to humans because of the toxins that are being released into the atmosphere.

//Distribution//

Distribution is essentially what its name implies. Distributing the finished products to retailers around the world to be sold. In order to increase margins, companies produce the products is mass quantities. This will help maximize profits. As a result, even more natural resources are used and even more harmful effects on humans occur.

//Consumption//

Consumption is the consumers buying the goods as a result of obsolescence and planned obsolescence. Consumption is essential in sustaining the economy and thus is encouraged by governments. The North American consumerism is profoundly based on the notion that you must buy a product because it is new and anything old should be considered obsolete.

//Disposal//

Disposal is essential the waste of these products after all stages. The faster consumers purchase products, the faster they dispose of them. As a result, landfill sites are growing rapidly causing more and more harmful effects to the environment. The number one way to reduce our waste and better our environment is to simply consume less.

//Another Way// “Another Way” is in reference to Annie Leonard to use more steps to better ensure a sustainable lifestyle and keep the environment healthy. It involves re-thinking the process above into somewhat of a looped circle that will produce zero waste and make more use of renewable energy.

__Lab 3__

1. Describe Jan Chipchase's prior job (he now works at frog design <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding-right: 10px;">[] ) in relation to his work at Nokia. What are the two names he is given in the article? (3 paragraphs)

<span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> 2. “It’s really quite striking,” Hammond says. “What people are voting for with their pocketbooks, as soon as they have more money and even before their basic needs are met, is telecommunications.” (World Resources Institute) <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> In the spirit of this quote, describe four instances of how owning a cellphone enables users to better their lives. (4 paragraphs/ one for each instance)

**Response 1** <span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Jan Chipchase hd previously worked for the Finish company, Nokia. According to the New York Times, while at Nokia, Jan was a “human-behaviour researcher”. He was also commonly referred to as a “user anthropologist”. He was associated with these particular names because of the degree of involvement he had with different cultures and social environments throughout the world.

<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The primary focus of Chipchase’s job was to research and analyze the lives of multiple different social groups and how they interact with technology, as well as each other. Jan would then send the information he gathered back to Nokia where they would use the information is the design of their mobile devices.

<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">What makes Chipchase’s job unique is the idea that a “human-behaviour researcher” does not actually exist for most companies. Jan believes that by looking and living the life of people whom are not normally exposed to the outside world will help a company like Nokia design a phone that fits the user for who they are. Jan believes cell phones are more than just communications devices. He sees them as tools that are a part of peoples identity and play an active role in their daily lives.

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">**Response 2**

<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Cell phones are instant communication devices. They give people the ability to contact people whenever and wherever.

<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Cell phones, in particular smart phones, give me access to applications that will help them complete tasks while on the go that they would normally attempt to complete once at a computer.

<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Cell phones are also major sources in discovering and providing realtime news updates. Consumers can take a picture of a fire they came across and have it sent to local news channels where they would then be broadcasted online and on the television.

<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Cell phones give parents piece of mind. There is nothing more terrifying for a parents then to not have their child comes home hours after they are supposed to be and have no way of getting in contact with them.

__Lab 2__

Choose a country on the map 'Design for the Other 90%' at<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding-right: 10px;">[| **http://other90.cooperhewitt.org/**] and read through the description of the products designed for each country.
 * Due January 17, 2011**

1. Which product interests you the most, and why? (200 words) 2. Which category would interest you to research further for your group project, and why? (100 words)

The one laptop per child interests me the most. In an age where technology and consumer electronics are growing at such a rapid pace, it is almost a necessity that children become familiar with them and learn how to use them. The one laptop per child is a step in this very direction. Not only does it provide vast amounts of educational training to the less fortunate, it also hinders there skills in order for them to learn how to use things like laptops and computers so once they enter the working world, they posses such knowledge. I think this is an excellent movement that should be promoted throughout the world.
 * Response**

__Lab 1__

Review the Tutorial 1 movies, and describe Jonathan Ives and his theory of 'undesign' in relation to his work at Macintosh. (200 words)
 * Due January 10, 2011**

Jonathan Ive is Apple's lead designer. Born in London, he moved to the US to undertake some of the most influential pieces of technology to grace the consumer world. Ive's philosophy is simple yet meaningful. He emphasizes the fact that anything that does not need to be there, should not be there. The idea is to design something that is arbitrary, with all its unnecessary and complicated parts stopped away. This is what attracts consumer attention. He mentions that he tried his best to make the product seem as natural as possible. An example of the naturalization, Ive mentions the 2002 iMac was inspired by a sunflower. The main part of the flower is connected to a stem. He felt this is an ideal way of designing a computer that will attract consumers. Thus, the all-in-one iMac was born. A final example from Ive is where he mentions the indicator light on the PowerBook. It is something that can only be seen when it is necessary. All other times it is invisible. This is all examples of undesign. Works Cited: "Press Info - Bios - Jonathan Ive." Apple. Web. 09 Jan. 2011. <[|__http://www.apple.com/pr/bios/ive.html__]>. Jonathan Ive Interview. Web. 09 Jan. 2011. <[|__http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOONhFutsrg__]>. "Objectified" - Jonathan Ive Talks about Mac Design & Unibody MacBook Manufacture Video. Music Videos, Politics, and Funny Videos at Vodpod. Web. 09 Jan. 2011. <[|__http://vodpod.com/watch/2470007-objectified-jonathan-ive-talks-about-mac-design-unibody-macbook-manufacture__]
 * Response**