#contextualstatement

DyslexiAR

Dyslexi-AR is a revised Infinity Cube altered to create an interactive activity to help children aged between 5-7 years improve within spelling and word pronunciation. The cube focuses on the interactive, visual and audio elements to give children a new method of learning. Children diagnosed with dyslexia are bound with the stigma of being seen as dumb or slow by other children. This causes them to lose confidence in themselves, and sometimes losing the will to learn with their peers. (Parents.education.govt.nz, 2017)

Dyslexi-AR is a learning base activity which gives children the freedom and problem solving method of learning. The method of learning this activity involves interactivity, augmented reality, puzzle solving, mix and match, as well as unattended learning. Dyslexia-AR has its designed revolved around the original infinity cube, augmented reality learning, simple puzzle solving and fairy tales.

The box design taken inspiration from the creators of the Original Infinity Cube, whose main purpose was to deliver to their audience a fidget cube that could be folded 8 different ways. The key component to their Infinity cube is that there are no incorrect folding methods. This component was crucial due to the factor of dyslexic children being afraid of submitting incorrect answers. With this, the Dyslexi-AR cube have based original illustrations on all possible sides, giving the child no possible wrong answers no matter which side they end up with. ("Original Infinity Cube Fidget Toy," n.d.)

Augmented reality was shown to be implemented to everyday learning, according to Michael Gorman. Augmented Reality glasses were used as a tool for lecturers for them visually communicate with students who were too timid to speak out. The glasses allowed the lecturers to visually identify who they would need to speak to after class, without that student feeling insecure about their flaws. Dyslexi-AR has taken the visual and security aspect of augmented reality learning. Dyslexi-AR implemented the aspect of visual learning by having the child learn through connecting letters, endings and images to create an augmented reality projection. This results with the child having a sense of accomplishment upon completion as well as learning through images and puzzle solving. ("Spanish researchers use AR glasses and smartphones to aid student-teacher classroom communications," 2013) ("Puzzle," 2018) 

By following the simple format of children activities and story telling, such as puzzles and fairytales. Puzzles give children a problem solving method of learning as they are rewarded with the complete image, as well as a sense of accomplishment. Dyslexi-AR applied the aspects of sense of accomplishment, by giving the child the freedom and time to mix and match the correct sequence to get the same sense of accomplishment of solving a puzzle on their own.

The images presented on the cubes were inspired by Fairy Tales and its character’s connection with children. Since Dyslexi-AR’s target audience are children, we feel that they would have more of memorable connection with the characters. As a result, images on the faces of the cubes that are an inanimate object were added human characteristics. We wish for the illustrations to achieve the results of having a comedic and memorable look. ("Most Popular Fairy Tale Stories of All Time | Reader's Digest," 2018)

According to The Understand Team, children with dyslexia avoid reading, spelling, writing and maths, subjects which require them to focus and understand text in order to excel in. With that, Dyslexia-AR avoids those negative elements and focuses on positive factors that these children prefer, while being creative and unique. As mentioned by Nessy, children with dyslexia require more time and patience for them to fully understand the teaching process. Tips that Nessy provided were, “Praise Gives Power, Criticism Kills” , “Don’t ask person with dyslexia to read aloud”, “Do not ask them to copy text from a board or book”, “Don’t give a punishment”. ("10 Teaching Tips for Dyslexia - Nessy UK," n.d.) 

After knowing the positives and negatives on what dyslexic children prefer, Dyslexi-AR revolved its cube design and activity purpose behind those factors. Dyslexi-AR’s design avoids criticism and punishment point by not giving a negative feedback, even with an invalid result, while enforcing the praise point when a correct result is placed together, creating an animation and audio sequence. 

As a result, Dyslexi-AR became an interactive learning activity for children with dyslexia to be comfortable learning individually or in groups without feeling insecure or judged, bringing together both visual and audio learning. Te Aroha being an online communication tool provides a safe space for young children with learning disabilities to communicate with their parents and others about their hardships and accomplishments. It also helps parents understand and experience on what their child goes through, as well as tips they could use to support them.

Te Aroha 

Children with learning disabilities experience a lower level of acceptance from their fellow classmates than non-learning-disabled children. These children are often labelled due to their learning disabilities, which has a high impact on their self-esteem. They also struggle with depression and often deal with a high level of rejection and shame, which also affects their self-esteem in a negative way. This prevents them from meeting others and isolates themselves from others. Overall, they suffer from torturous self-doubt and their self-esteem decreases. During their adolescence years, their emotional problems arise, such as low-self-esteem, the feeling of loneliness, and depressive tendencies, which are intensified for children with learning disabilities (Pandy, 2012).

Furthermore, the research we conducted discovered that adolescent children with learning disabilities found it difficult to be open regarding the issues they are experiencing. This is because they fear of being misunderstood, feeling uncomfortable, being judged by others and are not able to properly express what they are going through. On the other hand, parents with young children who have a learning disability are unsure of how to support them, because their child is withdrawn and won’t open up about their experiences. Parents become overly concerned and may end up making the situation worse.

Based on our insights we found an opportunity to help young children with learning disabilities and parents by giving them insight and inspiration by experience and encouraging an empathetic approach. By gaining a better understanding of what they are going through, children are better equipped for the future and help inspire them to reach their fullest potential. Parents gain an insight into what their children are going through ensuring the parents are in a better position where they can support them.

References:

Day 2 Day Parenting. (2015, April 19). Average Attention Span by Age | ADD & ADHD Questions. Retrieved from http://day2dayparenting.com/qa-normal-attention-span/ Dyslexia Foundation of New Zealand. (2018). :: Recognising Dyslexia - Dyslexia Foundation of New Zealand ::. Retrieved from http://www.dyslexiafoundation.org.nz/info.html Gorman, M. (2013, June 17). Spanish researchers use AR glasses and smartphones to aid student-teacher classroom communications. Retrieved from https://www.engadget.com/2013/06/17/spanish-augmented-reality-smart-glasses-education/ Learning Abled Kids. (2018, May 24). Cool Reading Games for Kids, Fun Practice for Dyslexia. Retrieved from https://learningabledkids.com/reading/online-interactive-reading-games-and-programs.htm#freereadinggames Nessy. (2017). 10 Teaching Tips for Dyslexia - Nessy UK. Retrieved from https://www.nessy.com/uk/teachers/essential-teaching-tips-dyslexia/ Original Infinity Cube. (2018). The Original Infinity Cube Fidget Toy. Retrieved from https://originalinfinitycube.com/ Pandy, R. I. (2012). Learning Disabilities and Self-Esteem. Retrieved from https://opus.govst.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1126&context=capstones Parents.education.govt.nz. (2017, November 6). How to support a child with dyslexia. Retrieved from https://parents.education.govt.nz/primary-school/learning-at-school/how-to-support-a-child-with-dyslexia/ Readers digest. (2018, February 9). The Most Popular Fairy Tale Stories of All Time | Reader's Digest. Retrieved from https://www.rd.com/culture/most-popular-fairy-tale-stories/ Understood. (2018). Understanding Dyslexia. Retrieved from https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/child-learning-disabilities/dyslexia/understanding-dyslexia Vuforia Augmented Reality SDK. (2018, March 3). Retrieved June 18, 2018, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vuforia_Augmented_Reality_SDK

“Beauty, like truth, is relative to the time when one lives and to the individual who can grasp it.” - Gustave Courbet. Viewpoint is someone’s perception of reality. My project aims to narrate the story of who I am through technology and physical forms. During the semester I was challenged to find out who I am in the ‘Real World’. All of my passions come from a variety of arts and the main purpose of my project was to find out my creative identity. I wanted to find a sense of belonging in Auckland city. The final outcome of my project has been influenced by a range of sources, which include: videos from the YouTube channel StyleLikeU, Ted Talks about Art and Performance Art and Vogue’s question videos. One final outcome is a video of me answering questions from the public that have been collected in a question box.  My project relates to past generations of woman who were in charge of taking care of laundry and materials. I want to use textile technology to illustrate a way of expression.

This YouTube series StyleLikeU reveals the truth of an individual and real world context. “We're a mother-daughter duo leading a movement that empowers people to accept and express their true selves.” They explore people’s stories from all walks of life to portray the idea of self-acceptance and being able to express yourself through your own unique style. The main purpose of these videos is to get to the surface of each individual and accept them for who they are. By the end of the video the person who is the subject of the video remove all of their garments and are left sitting on screen in their underwear where they are most vulnerable. When you are performing you are displaying yourself and allow yourself to be vulnerable; under your layers of clothing lays all the truth of who you are. Documentation of people answering questions influenced my project, because I want the audience to understand who I am. Facial expressions helps to reiterate their answers that have been recorded.

Ted Talks convey to their viewers what art is to them and how performance art is portrayed in this century. From these videos I began to familiarise myself with what performance and art means to a variety of people. I learnt that you cannot rehearse a performance to an extent where it will be precise each time. You can stage what you want to be perceived by the audience by integrating a range of techniques or props into your performance. Performance is time-based art. I chose to record my video and not cut the video, because that would affect the purpose of my answers being captured in real time. Art effects everyone in a variety of ways, this could be the image that means more than thousands of words or the lyrics that informs someone, because lyrics can resonate and speak directly to you.  You cannot predict how your art will affect the audience. Art challenges the critical eye; art advocates difference. I wanted to evaluate my current state. Through the journey of my project I advocated for freedom and had the ability to express who I am in this world.

Vogue have Question and Answer videos with celebrities that include: Taylor Swift, Victoria Beckham, Sarah Jessica Parker, Nicole Kidman and Emily Ratajkowski. 73 questions are scripted performances that communicate who the celebrity is to the audience. From basic questions through to big and emotional questions, this portrays the personified celebrity. What we see can be different to how the person is in real life. Media plays a major role in portraying people in a certain way to get more views. My performance will portray 100% who I am. Characteristics the audience will see are: how I come across as shy and reserved at the beginning, but as the video progresses ill come across as bubbly and having a sense of humour. As the performance plays I hope the audience will begin to understand who I am, my responses will illustrate this. My tapestry will reflect who I am also and represents how I feel. Art brings people together and for who views my video and looks at my tapestry I want them to take in information about me to have a better perception of me. Over the semester I have developed a particular character of who I am and how I want others to see me. This approach articulates social media into the discussion; developing the way people interact with each other today. I set up another Instagram account (@ipsenicaela) where I portray myself as a brand.

Metaphorically speaking the tapestry represents me in a moment of time. Women’s place in society has a historic placement to the household and chores within the home such as laundry and washing. This established connection between material and societal histories brings forth an awareness of feminism. Household technology developed in the 1900’s.  I want to express myself through pattern design and material. Having a digital print locates myself in the world as living in the present and representing myself through creative technologies.

Optimistic reflection is a video presentation and a series of photographs that portray the concept of time. I wanted to focus on this concept because over the past year I have realised that how we chose to spend our time determines the way we feel. I want my project to convey to the audience to take the time out by themselves to watch my video, reflect and become calm. I have purposely placed headphones for the audience to wear when they watch my film because I want my video to give them the opportunity to reflect on their daily life. I have dedicated my project to John and Paul Wakelin who passed away earlier this year.

Over the semester I have learnt basic skills on new programs, how to create a short film, working with video footage, programming a website, communication skills and how to create a time lapse. Challenges that I have had to overcome are: personal loss, rendering video footage for hours, computer crashing, time management and staying with an idea and not changing it. Major artists that have influenced my final outcome of my project are: Rob Blishen, Aaron Farley, Allen Klosowski, Bill Armstrong, Aislinn Leggett, Bill Kouirinis and Hannah Guy.

For my video presentation I want to portray positive reinforcement through an activity I like to do. Over the semester I brainstormed what I like to do and gathered other information from other people’s perspective of what they enjoy to do and how they spend majority of their time. After recording video footage I was originally going to focus on what I personally like to do, but then changed my mind because the short film was being portrayed as narcissistic. The concept originates from wanting to be happy and stop wasting time, because you never know when your time is up. “They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.” ― Andy Warhol. I explored the effect of time lapse and learnt how to use programs like: Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe After Effects. Jesse Koren collaborated with me to make my video, he created the music for my short-film.

The three final images I have chosen to exhibit convey the idea of where I like to travel to and how everyone spends their time traveling to different places. “Time is the longest distance between two places.” ― Tennessee Williams. Nature has been a major influence to my studio project because I have found out that majority of society’s favourite place generally has to do with nature whether it be at a beach or on a mountain. I feel like photography is my strength in this project because the images I created over the semester makes you reflect on life, and each image takes you to either a dystopic or pleasant place.

Conceptual Statement

The Design of my craft in which I named "VENTURE" was sorted from our groups morphological chart. I needed a Power Source, form of Steering, Lift, Acceleration, Landing Gear, Housing(material), Navigation and Sustainability.

The Power Source I used was a combination of Solar Energy, Batteries and a small scale Combustion engine. Because Solar panels run at only 12-14% efficiency with 1/8 of the suns energy converting to electricity and the rest heating the panel, this excessive heat can be used and taken advantage of. I would made is so the water that needs to be hot (for the shower, washing etc.) would be stored in the roof just under the solar panels. This would mean that we would not need to waste power on heating the water but instead use the excess heat from the solar panels to heat the water. 

Another Power Source is the balloon itself. Due to current research found in my References bellow "...works by first trapping solar energy in a greenhouse, and then using this heated air to inflate a giant balloon. As the ballon rises it pulls on an earthbound tether, spinning a generator to produce electricity." This invention can produce up to 50 kw, plenty for the appliances and general use of the housing electronics (TV, computers, lights etc.)

Steering used is a standard blimp Rudder for changing direction. The thought behind this is relatively simple as It was the only logical means of steering when I changed my concept to a singular balloon idea that made use of the wind and the shape of my craft. I used a Balloon above the craft and Propellers underneath to assist in Lift. I went with a singular balloon design after playing around the two balloon concepts and finding them prone to movement and separation unless connected or unified. This is of course based on what I wanted the craft to look like and function so a multiple balloon concept is still very feasible. I chose one balloon because I would not need to turn with my craft and it allowed more weight to be carried.

Acceleration is caused by Ionic Thrusters and Propellers. The reasoning behind the Ionic Thrusters is that they are very light but also expensive and that is why I chose a small scale form of this for emergencies. They are also are low risk and produce very little heat with medium grade thrust which is great for this light craft. For the Propellers I chose to go with 3 blades and small form factor, these are located to the back and bottom of the craft, and are angled for acceleration but also used for lift and stabilization. 

For Lading I chose landing feet because they are easily tucked away and great for large craft of this size. Because it will not be moving or have any acceleration upon decent and landing, mechanical feet are the best approach.

For the main structure of the accommodation I chose Carbon fibre because it is very light but very strong and can be formed into any shape and lastly, does not corrode which is required because of the weather conditions this form of Housing will be exposed to. I also have gone with triple layered plexiglas for the widows, pool glass and glass railing. This is the glass needs to withstand pressure of flight at 10,000 ft - 15, 0000 ft.

For Navigation I chose Internet. Because all our routes are predetermined, the craft would always be connected to radio, GPS and the internet so that customers can keep track of their location and time left on journey as well as weather reports and assistance from a personal service provider linked and always in contact with each craft.For Sustainability I chose the Hot Air Balloon and Propellers to keep the craft moving with little technical problems and be a long running form of flight.

References:

http://inhabitat.com/hot-air-balloon-engine-by-solartran/

https://nz.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081126030520AAQtNJx

http://books.google.co.nz/books?id=-a_b_KtYJNQC&pg=PA19&lpg=PA19&dq=solar+powered+aircraft+negatives&source=bl&ots=QC2jTI56-7&sig=OWDYTI8B6QQSfIQMH0GzvXKwj4M&hl=en&sa=X&ei=vTd1U6SvCMLr8AW4woDgAQ&ved=0CDAQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=solar%20powered%20aircraft%20negatives&f=false

https://nz.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110222165740AANsLl7

Contextual Statement

I am designing a form of flying accommodation that can house 1-2 people and travel on predetermined routes around scenic and attractive parts of the world. Customers could choose their destination from a selection and stay for up to 2 weeks  in the air where they could relax by (or in) the glass-sky pool or simply enjoy the views on there adventure.

Our video sits in the theme of cyclic events with many other stop motion animations. I was influenced by "Getting aHead" in which the characters swap roles at the end of the video, foretelling the constant cycle of role swapping. This influenced our video as our characters go through the same process.

An article which resonated with me was "Consumerism: Driving teen egos —and buying—through ‘branding’."   ""It's the meta-message that you can solve all of life's problems by purchasing the right products that's having the most profound effect," Kanner explains."" (American Psychological Association, 2004). I find this so interesting, the fact that people constantly buy things to extend themselves, their identity and their representation of themselves to the world is fascinating to me. Most people are never truly satisfied with what they have, and this drives the market forward to produce more and more of what people don't necessarily need. This is similar to the protagonist's actions in our video. The pursuit of the black blobs is similar to how society reacts to new products on the market. Be it technology, clothing, vehicles or intangible things, the incessant want of what you don't have is ever-present in the 21st century and in our protagonist's world.

References:

American Psychological Association. (2004). Consumerism: Driving teen egos —and buying—through ‘branding’. Retrieved October 22, 2013, from http://www.apa.org/monitor/jun04/driving.aspx