How did we cope with technology again?

1. It makes us uncomfortable.
To illustrate this, here is a piece from Ada Rajszys, called 'Uncomfortable Esmeralda'. It is a painting artwork of a high tech print plate that you can actually wear, yet that experience is quite uncomfortable, since your face is squashed against the back of the painting.



2. We reflect.
Look at the Fake Fur collection “a Hunt for High-tech” by designer Bart Hessa.
"In a world… where nature and science emerged, where technology breathes and where living without is impossible. This futuristic world is the inspiration for a collection of imitation fur, a collection for the fashion industry. The ‘future fur’ shows that it is more interesting to imitate an imaginary world… and is based on biomimetics of animal skins.



3. We learn and create.
Mussel Glue
It is almost impossible to make glue that will work under water. The blue mussel is able to steady itself under water by attaching itself to a surface by using its own mussel glue. Because the glue maintains its strength in a wet and salty environment, which resembles the human body, the mussel glue is suitable for medical purposes. TU Delft has been trying to develop a synthetic protein that resembles mussel glue protein for several years now. Important applications could be in gluing fractures and injured intestines. Research Material Sense, institute TU Delft, Holland, Technology of Natural Sciences, DeltChemTech




All of the above examples where published in our book #27 on Nanotechnology, with the collaboration of Material Sense, IMEC, RVO. The discussion on Nanotechnology is far from over. but forget about the technology part. It's all about scaling. It's about design with basic building blocks. Creativity in its most elementary status.
We're now preparing a conference on the matter in February 2008 with our partners from IMEC.

Solar Bottle

Solar Bottle

year: 2006
designer: Alberto Meda + Francisco Gomez Paz
company: Looking for a producer

Solar Bottle is a low-cost container capable of disinfecting water for people consuming microbiologically contaminated raw water; based in the SODIS (Solar Water Disinfection) system. The PET container has a dual face: a transparent face for maximum UV-A rays collection and a alluminium face that absorbs the infrared sunrays augmenting the temperature and improving disinfection. The reduced thickness assists the transportation and the storage. The handle integrates the angular regulation needed to improve sun exposure depending in which latitude of the world the process is executed.
Solar Bottle was awarded with the First Prize of the INDEX Award 2007 in the Home category.

now, what is design?
Look at this sample of out new book - and I'm not yet sure if this will be the new cover of out #27th research issue.


What is then 'design'? The image of the local people putting the bottles on the roof in order to get clear and drinkable water thanks to the solar warming up?
Or the creation of Alberto & Francisco needing western companies to buy into it and have their idea produced?


Thanks to research by Design Labresearcher Giovanna Massoni.

Everybody vip.

When VIP becomes a commodity.
How much of quality time do we seek? Via our glass fiber connections we see individuals having their 15 bits of fame, common people being blasted in and out of stardom, and Paris Hiltonites running around the globe and acting as if they own it. (Well, they probably do, but only the brick and mortar).
So yes, everybody is looking for some level of pampering and feels they should be part of an upgraded world. The success of even the cheapest products can be measured via their upgradability. So watch the rise of a better packaged world, yet the content still expires on the same date.

Look at this Wheel of Excellence. Everybody is in for the ride. For the happy few, you can take the VIP coach. Same tour, Same visual. But at least you have the idea of doing it in a special way.
I could think of a number of activities you could do in there, but I'll leave that to your imagination. And that is exactly what the tinted windows are for.

jan@addictlab.com