Assignment 3

( i have added more information to this assignment since lisa last looked at it) :)


For this part of the assignment, i had to use cross-search to look up information regarding my design idea. My design idea is to use brain wave tecnology to create an ipod that uses mind control to download music. I looked up things concerning this new technology which is actually in the process of being investigated. I did find it hard because the cross search did not have very many usefull links and the ones i did find wouldn't let me access them so i did struggle with this. After a talk with Lisa i went back to the task and had another go. The Information Lisa gave me i found most helpfull and i enjoyed the task this time round! So here is how i got on . .

Cross Search
Buzan, T & B (2006) The Mind Map Book, Division 1 - Chapter 1, BBC Active

This book is a usefull source for my research because it is a starting point to build up my background knowledge of how the brain functions. The divion that i am looking at in the book raises important questions that once i have learned the answers to, it will help me to understand how to take the next step in researching my topic from assignment 2. I need to understand this information because it is the key to understanding how to hopefully use the brain in new ways for future technology.i.e my product of using the brain to control movement and objects.

Chib, VS (2009) The Separate Neural Control of Hand Movements and Contact Forces, Journal of Neuroscience 29

This jounal is based on the investigation of manipulating an object aroused by Two views that are up for disscusion; one view is that motions and contact forces are controlled by seperate neural processes and the second view is that motions and contact forces are controlled together with a single neural proccess.This is investigated with a series of experiments.The experiment consisted of three blocks; force block, motion block,and combined block. The subjects practiced each block for 60 trials. Experimental blocks consisted of training trials in which visual feedback was presented throughout movement and evaluation trials in which visual feedback was suppressed during movement. Trials with no visual feedback were used to evaluate performance before training, with no stimulation, to test the effect of (the delivery of transcranialmagnetic stimulation) TMS of left (posterior parietal cortex) PPC (to disrupt the control of hand motions), and to test control stimulation of right PPC.Each experiment was analysed and a disscussion about the results show what new evidence has been gathered.

Ferris, AM (2009) Advanced laboratory techniques for sample processing and immunolabeling using microwave radiation, Journal of Neuroscience Methods

This article appears to be helpfull for my research as it explores microwave technology which is the key to my design issue. Understanding microwave technology will help me to undestand the mechanism of my design.  There are some interesting topics raised in this article including experiments on rat brains using a microwave protocall. I am interested to further explore this article to find out the outcomes of the author's theorys and experiments in detail.

Juslin, P.N. (2008) Emotional responses to music: The need to consider underlying mechanisms, Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Volume 31, Issue 5

I thought that this article is neccessary because it is about the emotions and brain reflexes that music evokes in a person. This is relevent to my research because it is investigating the need for music and the effect music has on the brain. This all relates to my design because it researches the brain and mucic which is the two key elements. Music can effect the brain in many different ways, due to the type of music being listened to. This article will be usefull in the sense that it will direct me to what part of the brain is used when listening to music and i can then use this information combined with my research on brain wave technology to figure out the complexity of designing my product and how it would actually fit together.

Mahmoudi, B (2006) Electro-encephalogram based brain-computer interface: improved performance by mental practice and concentration skills, Medical and Bioligical Engineering and Computing, Volume 44, Number 11

This artical is very usefull for my research as it is looking at mental imagination and concentration to contol imaginative hand movements. It examines the role of mental practice and mind controllability skills on the (EGG) control system to investigate the inner workings of the brain and what is effected by these experiments. Again, very relevant to my research for my design as it is using the brain to control things without using physical movements.

Parente, A (2006) Mind-operated devices: Mental control of a computer using biofeedback, CYBERPSYCHOLOGY & BEHAVIOR, Volume 9

In this text, it studies the use of biofeedback interface to see if people could learn to control a computer that integrated their galvanic skin response (GSR), heart rate, and temperature. This could be usefull to research as it is another experiment making the brain to work harder in order to reach the goal. I could aslo combine this technology with the others i have found to see which would be most efective for my design.



Here is a website that relates to my research and shows a video of brain wave tecnology in action.

http://www.engadget.com/Toyato-mindcontrolledwheelchair

Part 3b

5 websites that keep me up to date within he world of textliles . . .


http://www.fibre2fashion.com/

This ia a great website! Theres lots of imformation about buying leads, selling leads, news from all
over the world which allows you to choose which place you want to look in to further. Theres also catagories
to choose from, i.e fashion, technology, retail, industry etc. Theres so much to choose from and it is good
for informing you of latest designers from all over and current and future exhibitions. Another key aspect is it has a variety of articles to read in full text.

http://www.textilesnetwork.co.uk/
ARTS COUNCIL ENGLAND

This is an interesting site as it offers links to different fields such as embroidery, which i am finding most enjoyable at the moment, and it then gives you links to contemporary designs within the differnt fields which is a good way to familurise with different designers and their works. It also has news on latest events etc.

http://www.vouge.co.uk/

Who doesn't love Vouge!! latest fashion galore! This site, also the magazines itself is bursting with inspiration!! I get most of my inspiration from Vouge but really , i just love seeing what new exciting things are created, allowing me to expand on my ''creative thinking''. This is the site that keeps me most up to date with the world of fashion.

http://www.fashiontrendsetter.com/

This site offers trend forecasting, news, articles, blogs etc and also gives you a choice of some great links. Great for keeping up with the lastest fashion and fashion news and its a good source of inspiration.

Collezioni online - http://www.logos.info/

This site offers latest trends, catwalks, fashion ideas, news, catch-up etc. A great overall site to lead you off in different directions with good inspiration.


5 websites that interest me and keep me up to date with the world around me. . .

https://www.news.bbc.co.uk/

A great source of news from around the world, probably more information online, but watching the news on televion is good to be kept up to date also.

https://www.guardian.co.uk/

Another good resource for up to date news from around the world. Also its good for researching past papers for news and events from the past.

https://www.google.co.uk/

I feel i can reffer to google as a tool that keeps me up to date everyday as new things are added all the time and by entering key words you are able to access millions of different websites to stimulate the mind!!

https://www.wired.co.uk/

I like this website as it offers a different take to the news of the world and is suited for designers and artists. Ranging from technology to politcs it gives you a bit of everything.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat

Another good site to get the latest news and 'gossip' from around the globe.

.............................................................................................................................

Making the Connections - Assignment 2.

(I have added more information to this assignment) :)

Part 2a - Brain storm....

I thought that this part of the assignment was fun, entertaining and most effective and i would definetley use this method again in future assignments.

I did my brain storm with 5 other girls and we thought it went very well. We all shouted out things, not concerning if it was good or bad which actually proved most effective as everyone was not shy to contribute, so we all had an important part to play. We had all looked at different chapters for assignment 1 so it made it easier to brainstorm as other people had more knowledge of the chapters that other people didnt understand that well. Once we got started the ideas just kept coming, quicker and quicker with the wall space filling up fast! One Idea lead to another and then to several others until we actually had to stop as we could have carried on all night with the same chapter! We started to brain storm the first chapter in the Tipping Point which is Epidemics.In this chapter, the first thing that came to mind was the Hush Puppies! This then lead us on the trail of trend setting and things like, Uggs, poppers, baggy jeans, skinny jeans etc. We also looked at gadgets like game consoles i.e Nintendo, Saga, Playstation, and the one i came up with which i was most proud of remembering, was the TAMAGOTCHI!!! i absoloutly loved my tamagotchi, and everyone had one! A very successful epidemic! Other things included, Friends the t.v show, the Spice Girls, Take That and so on. We could have went on all night with that chapter.

With doing the brain storm, it was amazing what i had learned. For example, relating issues to each subject which i didnt know how to connect in the first place.

Next we looked at the Law of the Few, investigating Maven, Salesmen and Connectors. We first looked at each section individually, finding things to relate to them specifically. We looked at Connectors first. A connector is very important as they know alot of people which is important in connecting wit new and different people. We came up with things like social networking, i.e Bebo, FaceBook, Twitter. Also others ways of connecting is through things as simple as the telephone, fax machines, email, text messages, pagers etc. A good way of finding new and old friends. Next we looked at Mavens, which are people with a good source of knowledge and understanding. We came up with things like, librarys, the Discovery Channel, teletext, newspapers, encyclopedias etc. We then did the same for Salesman, a salesman is someone who sells products,advertising etc. Things like, Amazon, Ebay, catalouges, online shopping stores, price drop t.v etc.

The Stickiness Factor came next. This was the chapter that i looked at in assignment 1 so i found it alot easier to come up with ideas. This is also the chapter i got my inspiration from for my poster design. We first looked at advertising and the most stickiest adverts out there i.e coco-cola - bright red to attract consumers and who can forget the christmas edition with santa and the christmas coco-cola song. Cadbury is another sticky advert as it uses the colous from the product, purple, and uses quirky story lines like the gorilla playing the drums to a Phill Collins song. This advert was actually copied by various company's like Wonder-Bra but non of them were as successful as Cadbury's. We also looked at slogans, products i.e the IPOD which is what i looked at for my design to make it more sticky. Other sticky things included, Heinz, Soaps ( My favorites Eastenders, Coronation Street and Hollyoaks, but i shouldn't really be admitting this!) also things like smoking, gambling and porn.

The last chapter we looked at is The Power of Context. I found this chapter the most difficult to brainstorm. I didnt really understand the chapter all that well but being in a group and disscusing it together was a big help in helping me understand the content of the chapter. After we had a quick summary of the chapter together, we then got the ball rolling and the first thing we looked at was Crime and violence and things like the 'broken window theory'. We also looked at prison, influences and what drives people to crime, poverty, violence etc. Drugs, terrorism, war and racism are other factors we looked at. I think we all particuarly were  interested in the racism factor as this is the part we talked about for the longest. Racism was once the biggest issue connecting to a whole load of problems like poverty and poor education. People of differents races were treated differently and definetley unfairly. I think that in some cases this problem caused many people to react in an angry manner and hense the crime trend. We also talked about how it has changed today like the fact that recently America elected the first ever African/American President. This is a big development from a time not so long ago.

The next part of the assingment was the disscussion process where we had to look at the brain storm and figure out design issues that could be resolved, changed, made better etc. We thought of things like, making maps better with a better fabric instead of paper, developing new technology catalouges, making t.v programmes more sticky by being able to decide your own ending on a favourite soap or adding real life scripts ino them and so on.

For my design issue to 'make more sticky', i chose to think about the IPOD. As this is pretty much the stickiest gadget on the market at present, i had to think of a way to make it even more sticky. I came up with the idea of being able to use new technology (that infact is under going resarch) to use brain waves to send information to the IPOD to download songs without touching a single button. My poster explains this in more detail and references products in the making of using brain controlled technology at present.

Inn at Lathones commission project

This is a collection of art works i did a couple of years ago on commission for a well known hotel near St.Andrews, Fife called The Inn at Lathones. This was the first art collection i had sold which was very excting. I loved doing this kind of abstract, textured painting. It was great to have the choice to experiment and try to meet the demands of the customer at the same time. At the moment this collection is in one of the new bedroom suits at the hotel.

The works are acrylic on canvas.

Pittenweem Arts Festival 2009

Every year the fishing village of Pittenweem, Fife hosts a 2 week-long Arts Festival in August, for local and foreign artists to exhibit their works and sell them. It is always a very big event and extremelly busy!! This year i was working in a pub for the summer in Pittenweem called the West End. Un known to me, the owners daughter is now a fourth year textile student at DOJ. Harriet has been exhibiting her work at her mums pub for years and kindly they gave me a space in the pub to exhibit some of my stuff. It was so exciting and such a buzz to see people looking at my stuff and giving some great feedback! Even more exciting than this,. . i sold all my pieces i exhibited!! I couldnt belive it, it was not even expected that i would sell one piece nevermind them all. Saying this i did only have a small space and i had only 9 pieces displayed but still, it was amazing to have people interested in my work! Next year i will be exhibiting again, this time my gran has kindly offered for me to use her house as it is in Pittenweem, just across from the pub i exhibited at this year. So fingerscrossed i have the success of this year!! Here are some of the pieces i sold this year. I had a variety of pieces ranging from fine art to design as i am still finding my feet and discovering my true personality and ability. . .

This piece i called 'rose' which is print design with acrylics on paper in a glass frame. I got £100 for it from a nice buisness man from my hometown - Crail.

This piece i called 'pink sunset' which is acrylic and nail varnish on canvas. I sold it for £90 to a gentleman from Pittenweem.

These pieces were asked to be sold together as a pair so i agreed and i got £200 for them. They are both charcol on paper. I recently visited the woman who bought them and they have been nicely framed and hanging on her wall. I cant explain how good it feels to have someone appreciate the works you have done and have them proudly in thier home!

This piece i named 'woman' (very origanal!) which is acrylic on paper. I had a few people interested in this piece and the woman who eventually bought it gave me £80 and also asked me to commision a few other pieces for her starting next year which is very exciting!!

IMAGINARIUM OF DR,PRANAUSSUS

I went to see the new heith ledger film last night, called The Imaginarium of Dr,Pranaussus. I thought it was brilliant!!! Just my kind of film!! It is a film based on fantasy versus reality, with Heith playing a greedy character whos imagination leads him to his ultimate test. Johnny depp, Jude Law and Collin Farrell also star, having to take Heiths place as he unfortuatley died during filming, But the story line is cleverly adapted to make this work. I love fantasy films that explore imagination and creation and this film does just that!! From enchanted lands to giant sparkling shoes, handbags and jewellery, what more could a girl want! I wont give anymore away about the film but i recommend this film to anyone who loves a bit of mystical fantasy! Great film!! Well done Heith!