Digimites

https://sites.google.com/view/nuclear-anxiety/home

Nuclear Anxiety - a Data Perspective

Here I explored the potential of data visualisation as a form of historical enquiry. I devised and created a series of data art experiments on the physics of nuclear explosions.

I was interested in the scale and the power of the atomic fission reaction being very difficult for humans to perceive, and that being part of the ongoing morbid fascination with these kind of weapons. Scientific visualizations as a genre try to be objective, rational and distant. Simulations of Atomic Fission therefore often fail to capture the unpredictability and the force generated, as they try to break down the process to be easily understandable. I wanted to see how you could add a sense of cinematic velocity in an animated graphic through a modified javascript (thank you to the original creator Diodesign)

Covid-19 Evolution Map - Hampshire, UK

This is work in progress to design prototype aimed at making scientific data more accessible to a wider public. The animated data visualization design visualises genetic sequencing data of how the Covid-19 spread through the South East UK during the months March-October 2021. Computational biology researchers from the University of Portsmouth were given access to Covid19 patient samples in the region and performed an analysis of the genetic sequences, allowing identification of the evolution of different strains. A range of scientific visualizations were carried out. However, a challenge has been identified between the complex data that genetic analysis generates, and the subsequent visualization and interpretation. The project presented here is a collaboration of the scientists with a design researcher and aims to allow a wide, non-medical audience access to this information and allow the data to become a cultural artefact.

It is proposed here that the concept of devising a system of geometric forms with the potential of adaptations and variation in complexity is a useful design method in visualizing data related to viral genetic sequences. This design approach is situated in the theory of complexity and systems, and builds on the practice of systems and generative art.

These animated prototypes seek to visualize the data described in this project:

Robson, S.; Scarlett, G., Bourgeois, Y.; Becket, A.; Loveson, K.; Glaysher, S. & Chauhan, A.: Sequencing and Tacking of Phylogeny in COVID-19. University of Portsmouth, UK: School of Pharmacy & Biomedical Sciences, Centre for Enzyme Innovation, School of Biological Sciences, School of Health & Care Professions

This data visualization for the IConIC project is a collaboration between myself, a communication designer and data scientists and engineers at the University of Portsmouth, to work with a consortium of companies in the marine industry around the Solent in South East England. The change to society affected here was economic and environmental: to add value to marine engineering services in order to retain market competitiveness, to comply with international standards to reduce fuel consumption and emission through innovation, and also to provide a better user experience through design. In particular, my role was to produce the design research for a user interface on board the ship to assist non-experts in monitoring engineering data. The design visualises sensor data taken from various engine components by utilising body schema like movement and rotation. Theoretically, this design approach draws on phenomenology, embodied cognition and metaphor.

For this project I worked with data scientists in order to make the data more widely engaging and accessible. The context is data taken from the marine and dairy industry, which is ultimately used to detect and predict faulty engine parts. The design aspect here is to provide a user-friendly interface, but involves much more than that.

To make sense of the data and make it accessible to a wider audience, the designer had to work closely with the data analyst to decide upon relevant parameters in the raw data, which then also determines the hierarchy of information on screen – i.e. questions of which information the user needs immediately, and which can be hidden in a different layer, can only be answered if the whole of the data collection and processing system is understood. In practice, the collaboration between the designer and the data scientists was crucial in determining an approach to visualize the data set and to develop the story that the data tells.

The challenge for the data visualization was to move beyond simple traffic light systems – as the data was processed through intelligent machine analysis, the key approach to the data science here is that a ‘healthiness’ score is generated, which contains more complexity than a threshold-based system, which could be dealt with through ‘on’ or ‘off’ states.

The design approach seeks to enhance understanding of the data, by letting users / the audience experience it in an embodied and also tactile way. Sample data, which represents healthy and faulty engine performance, has been visualized in a prototype user interface and translated into a vibrating display. These different ‘data materializations’ set out to problematize the human experience within the scientific process of data processing and representation.

This represents a healthy state of the engine, all parts operating optimally.

This represents a deterioration of the engine over time, where one part is starting to affect another - this will need investigating.

This data was also presented as a data materialization

Data Materialization

To make the data even more intuitively perceptible, I decided to take the return to the original stimulus behind the abstract numbers even further and in collaboration with Simon Kunath (https://www.unstablesound.net/), the haptic interface: “CodeEye” was developed.

Inspired by the tacit – and tactile – knowledge that ship engineers use to allow them to diagnose the state of an engine, the sense of touch was going to be an obvious choice to extend the immediacy and intuitiveness of the communication for a non-expert.

This kind of interface would also go some way to address the difficulty of perception in the spaces that these engines are situated: dark, noisy, uncomfortable and inaccessible places. CodeEye was designed to allow the user to place their hand on a circular surface, which provides the data as vibration patterns, picking up the circular theme from the data visualization. The aesthetic of the physical interface takes its cues from materials utilized in industrial shipping, such as a black rubber surface, stretched across a circular wooden frame, making the unit resemble a kind of analogue marine navigation instrument. The rubber surface was embellished with a circular pattern made from conductive paint, that could respond to the presence of touch by communicating the sample data via a circular array of small vibration motors underneath the surface. The design research for this interface will not be described in depth here, but it serves to exemplify the experimentation around the materiality of the data, and the stated aim of transforming the abstract alphanumerical data back to its original analogue qualities.

This is a mock up app designed during Masters in Design for Digital Media. The main idea of the whole app is to integrate augmented reality technology into fashion app that able to help boosting user’s confidence before purchasing online. In this app will too have the function of sharing. To make it another social media platform where user are able to share their outfit, tag their outfit that can easily link the others to the shopping page, personal virtual wardrobe and personal virtual fitting room.

http://joey-yin.com/portfolio_page/integrating-ar-into-fashion/

E-health platform for students and teachers. A communication based platform connecting students with others in the university database, this allows for story sharing and meetings other like minded people to enhance the university experience.

The resolution features a minimal dashboard interface with scheduling, instant messaging, personal goal setting and a volunteer helper service for students in distress. Research focused on implementing e-health principles to increase student teacher communication and decrease stress related issues.

Human centred design process applied for Ideation, storytelling, problem solving & gaining feedback at all stages of development using guerilla interviewing and rapid prototyping.

https://ehealthkit.wordpress.com/

https://kaymi26.wordpress.com/2016/08/26/about-kaymi-twenty-six/

The KAYMI Twenty Six is an interactive surface with a projector and a camera at the top. The projector will project a letter with a missing part. A 3D plastic rectangle shape, with rounded edges for easy handling, was created to fit into the missing part.

The projector will reflect 4 red circles on the letter missing edges, that will guide the learner where to place the 3D haptic object. When the object is placed into the correct space, the group of colourful lights will be reflected out through the spaces of the crystals, indicating it is correct.

If the young learner is not placing the Haptic object correctly, then the inner crystals will start to shake to alert the young learner.

https://videopress.com/v/84kENrCP

In our modern life, human beings know how to keep and record life through digital means: taking photos or films would be the best way, and each photo has a beautiful story, wonderful memories to the one who is shooting the photo. 

Then, here comes a big problem, which is the mass quantity of photo storage in mobile photo albums created. People do not spend time on the management of a photo album, actually they do need a hand to help them arrange them, but for some feature limitations and time reasons, they rarely do. 

Major Project 2016 - Gestural Interface to enhance DJ performance

“I have always been passionate about the future technology and the design of technology itself. Having to study embodiment interface has made me realise that technology is not simply just computers and chips but also understanding what goes on behind the design of the technology. I can honestly say my exposure towards the ‘behind the scenes’ of the technology world such as raspberry pis and Arduino really opened my eyes that I can design and create almost anything that I possibly can think of.

Digital Futures: Critical Design - Generative Design

Yien Ma, 2016

Art comes from life, but more than life, these words show us the philosophy of art. Just like a computer also can be an artist. When we keep our eyes on seeking new things, some generative design focus on computer power. Yes, I have to say, in some way, a computer is more accurate than a human, they are a machine, they are faster than us, when people really know ho to work with it.

An in some way, how does a designer work easily with a computer? I mean easily - everyone can use a computer, even do coding, they just need training and exercises. But how to work with a coder? I everyone can easily understand, what is the coding really made of? With this question, I began to seek the way, it is more about the role as an observer.

I observe the real world, the tree, the flower, the building, the people moving, the glass with water, the wind, the… wait, the wind? Did I observe wind? How can I have found it? That is amazing, because, we actually can not see it just simply with our eyes. But it really is around here. Then I go to research some theory, some physical learning, wind power, gravity, how wind can actually influence gravity, I mean how has a breeze stirred the leaves?

Digital Futures - Critical Design - Sensory interaction

Sahar Alhaj Yousef, 2016

What is a sensory interaction?

The ability of one sense to influence the another. Two senses that usually interact with each other.

When we think about the senses, we usually think of them as a separate things. When, in fact they work together to help us complete most daily tasks. And obviously the vision dominates all the other senses.

Here in my project I was asked to create some GIFs based on a place that I find it one of the most sincere places that have an impact on memories and rush it spontaneously and happily in mind and heart.

Ortaköy – Istanbul

Digital Futures: Critical Design - Layers of Meaning

Zee Hamdani, 2016

One of the most emotional assignment amongst all. Focusing on the concept on ‘meaning’, ‘metaphor’, ‘signs’. Metaphor can be as straightforward or it could have a hidden message. Which leads me to researching about hidden meanings.

Haiku is a poem that has 3 lines, which have a few rules. To me, or to any readers, I believe that it does not make sense unless you are the writer itself.

Haiku has their own rules

It contains three lines.

It has five moras (syllables) in the first line, seven in the second and five in the last line.

It contains 17 syllables in total.

A Haiku poem does not rhyme.

Haiku poems frequently have a kigo or seasonal reference.

Haiku poems are usually about nature or a natural phenomenon.

The poem has two juxtaposed subjects that are divided into two contrasting parts.

In English, this division between two parts can be shown by a colon or dash.

JingJing Xia - Major Project - 2014

Exploring Paths to Enlighten Children’s Causal Reasoning and Thought, through Reading or Playing in Interactive Electronic Books

As many people know, classic children’s literature such as “Hans Christian Andersen’s Fairytales”, “Grimm’s Fairy Tales” and “Aesop’s Fables” is portrayed to be full of life wisdom. It has been argues, that literature and literacy is a fundamental part of creating the foundation for human’s understanding and interest in our existence in the world. Jalongo’s (1983) research shows that discussion of problematic issues in literature could help children grapple with the issues presented. When using literature to help children solve problems, it should be considered the purpose of the learning task, decide which story will be relate children’s lived experiences, and plan to set question of this story to get some feedback. In the other word, problem-solving technique could be improved by reading literature. I found that an interesting link between children’s literature and Buddhism causal theory. So my project relates to children’s causal reasoning thinking through the design of an interactive electronic book, which features a fairy tale style narrative.

SE Mustafa Can Books Make a Difference? A Review on Book for Young People with Disabilities

Inner Peace - Immersive Video Game Play for Relaxation

Hai Huang

Major Project: Resolution, 2013

Sound Circles - Multisensory Explorations of the Digital Self

Markus Burkardt

Major Project: Resolution - 2013

  My work consists of a set of experiments about the digital- self, in particular the public persona, and is shaped around scenarios developed with a critical design approach. This project invites my audience to create awareness about their feelings towards the data it produces every day. Based on this approach I started to question the contemporary understanding of the data designers` role as a storyteller. 

My major project led me to a tacit understanding of the digital-self, which is defined by the inability to be described in words. A digital knowledge base accompanies this report and allows a deeper insight in specific steps and the theoretical, cultural, social and historical aspects of this project.