Ghasemloo+Toloue

Lab 1

hysical construction
 * Compare and contrast a Sony Walkman with an Apple iPod, and describe the differences in their physical construction, interface design, technology and delivery of sound. Quick sketches are helpful for this analytical process. **

The physical construction of a Sony Walkman differs from that of an Apple iPod. The Walkman is larger in size, heavier, and has protruding control buttons along its side. The walk-man has no screen, and therefore information about songs/movies is not available. In contrast, the iPod is much smaller, lighter in weight and looks more elegant and sleek. The iPod has an almost hidden click wheel, operated with the touch of a finger, rather than a forceful push. The click wheel is located on the front of the technology, just under the 2.5-inch digital screen. The Walkman is constructed with an unattractive plastic material while the iPod uses materials such as hard plastic and aluminum. The interface design of the Walkman and iPod also differ. The iPod has a nice visual appeal, unique to other technologies. It looks very sleek and advanced. The click wheel of the iPod sets the technology apart from others. The Walkman does not seem appealing because of its size and materials used. The iPod can be purchased in several different colors and sizes based on user preferences, where as Walkmans generally cannot. In addition the earphones used for the Walkman are larger and limit the users ability because of its design. The Walkman’s earphones are conjoint by metal band holding the two earpieces together. The iPod’s earphones are smaller and more flexible. The most important difference between the Walkman and iPod is the technology used. The iPod operates on a hard drive, in which music can constantly be added, removed or revised. Information, such as the name of songs, the artists, and a pictures of the album can even be uploaded. The Walkman on the other hand relies on a cassette to store music. Songs cannot be added or removed from the cassette easily, and information on songs and artists cannot be added or seen. In addition, due to the storage capacity of an iPod, it can hold much more information and music than a cassette can. A person can have music from hundreds of artists on an iPod where as someone with a Walkman would have to carry hundreds of cassette tapes with them to change their music. Other differences include Walkmans being more prone to damage and the iPod’s improved delivery of sound quality.

Lab 2

__Shelter:__ The moneymaker block press project is designed to alleviate poverty by providing the poor with a means to build cost effective homes, schools and buildings. Block presses produce strong and durable building blocks at a low cost, through the input of soil and cement. The blocks created by the press are high in density (reliable as a shelter) and are standard in their dimensions. The press can be used by most people in poor countries because they are easy to operate and can be used by people of different sizes, and strengths. Since workers can produce many blocks in one day, more houses and buildings can be constructed, ultimately helping alleviate poverty.
 * Lab 2 **

Health: The Lifestraw is personal mobile water purification tool, used to convert unsanitary water, (unsafe to drink) into drinking water. This tool is used to remove particles from the water and is effective against such waterborne diseases such typhoid, cholera, dysentery etc. This is a very important tool because approximately half the world underprivileged, suffer from waterborne diseases, and over 6000 people die from drinking unsafe water daily. Poverty can restrict access to large scale water purification systems, and therefore clean water. This tool is critical for the health of many people around the world. This tool is low cost solution to a large scale problem.

Water: Water is essential for all forms of life and is critical to our survival. Water is used for many purposes such as drinking, farming and domestic uses. In India Water Storage systems are used to store and capture monsoon rainwater. This water is used for drinking and for small plot micro-irrigation during dry seasons, when rainfall is scarce. This initiative provides a 10 000 liter storage bag in a hand dug pit. This system is a low cost solution as it costs only a fraction of the existing ferrocement tanks. The Water Storage System is helping alleviate poverty by providing countries, such as India, with a low cost, efficient means of capturing and maintaining water through dry seasons.

Education: Education empowers people and provides opportunities for social and economic empowerment. Information around the world is becoming more accessible due to technology. The most efficient way to access this information is through the internet, and computers. The OneLaptop per Child initiative, is a way of educating children by providing them computers and computers in their schools These computers with can be purchased by government at a low cost of $100 each.

__Energy:__ Over 1.6 billion people lack access to electricity, and 2.4 billion people lack access to modern fuels used for common activities such as cooking and heating. In countries such as India, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and Bhutan a Solar Home Lighting System has been implemented in an effort to provide lighting in homes. This initiative was originally created to help those in India, to allow them to have a light source cat times when natural light is unavailable. This can be used, for example at night by children doing homework.

__Transport:__ The world bike movement is an effort to supply low cost transportation for the poor. Although motor vehicles are one of the most efficient modes of transportation of people, goods, and materials, they are often very costly and most countries do not have the infrastructure to sustain them. Bicycles are however efficient, light in weight, comfortable, safe, low in cost, has a high carrying capacity and can be used by many people. This can alleviate poverty by allowing people travel faster than they would if they were walking, and allows them to carry additional weight.

2 The analysis of stakeholders enable sustainable and socially responsible design because through this analysis designers can create tools that are wanted and needed by the stakeholders themselves. Esentially it should be the stakeholders who need to design the products they need. Designers need to listen to their needs rather than imposing their ideas on them. The designers must cater their design to the lifestyle and situations of their stakeholders inorder to make their product efficient. For example, since the people using the tools are poor, it product must be cheap. If there is no electricity in the area a product is being used it should run or solar power or some other form of power, and if the product is being used by the illiterate or uneducated, the use of the tool must be easy to use and simple.

3. Five characteristics of socially responsible product design: - Affordable- cannot be costly -Durable- must be able to withstand bad conditions. If scarce money is being spent on a product it should last a long time -Simple- Use should be simple and not complicated -Accessibility - people of different sizes, shapes and abilities should be able to use the product -Valuable- should be of value to the stakeholder

LAB 3:

 1.In three paragraphs, describe the role of Jan Chipchase in defining the role of cell phones in the developing world for Nokia, and the benefits of analyzing and defining their use in different cultures as part of their market expansion.

Jan Chipchase is a human behavior researcher for Nokia. His job is to explore different parts of the world to understand how people utilize their cellular devices, and ultimately determine what people want in a cell phone. Jan Chipchase job is to peer into the lives of other people, by examining the contents of their pockets, purses, homes and so forth, and accumulate as much knowledge as possible about human behavior. He then feeds this information back to Nokia and I is to market products.  Chipchase’s theory is that the cell phones are becoming a fixed piece of our identities. No matter where people are in the world, whether is at, or away from their homes, families, or computers, people tend to keep their cell phones on them at all times. Chipchase states the most popular items found in peoples bags pockets and purses are keys, money and phones. The reason for this is because they relate to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, physiological needs are most important to humans. These can include the need for water, food, and shelter. Keys allow people access to shelter, money for food and water, and phones used as a recovery tool. In some cultures cell phones are even used as indirect ATM machines, to exchange money (used to buy food and water, and to buy shelter), and in some countries cell phones are used as a source of income by practicing reverse engineering(also used to buy food water and shelter).

Analyzing and defining the uses of cell phones in different countries is very important, especially in a highly competitive technology industry, such that Nokia is in. It is important for these companies to constantly find what customers want and expect from their cell phones to maintain and grow their market share. Since all cultures differ, it is to no surprise that they demand different things from their cell phones. A person in North America may want a expensive blackberry with BBM and internet capabilities, whereas someone in a poor country, who would not even be able to access the internet may want a simple cheap phone with maybe just a calculator. Marketing teams must understand the different demands of different people to be successful. These companies designing cell phones, need to find out what people around the world find useful and unintimidating, and essentially what they are willing spend their money on.

individually, and not find what new The analization of different uses allows Nokia to understand what is important to users across the globe and what to incorporate into their cell phones to increase sales and market share. Nokia learns what is important to these people and caters to their demands. For example, since many of the countries Nokia is marketing their products to are poor, they know to make their cell phones affordable to these people. All aspects of user needs must be considered by Nokia if they want to expand theyr cell phone market to new countries.

 2. How does the idea of microfinance support two of the key themes of sustainability as outlined in the diagram posted on your class wiki '5 Key Themes for Sustainability'? Write one paragraph for each of your chosen themes.

Micro-financing also can support // Good Governance because microfinance actively promotes effective, participative systems of governance in all levels of society engaging people’s creative, energy and diversity. In Uganda there are no banks, and people have created a unique way of transferring money from one account to another. A Sente allows for the transfer of money using prepaid airtime. //

// Micro-financing can support // // achieving a sustainable economy // because through the act of financing people, they can make money on a long term basis ultimately leading to a more stable economy. With Microfinances, people who do not have access to financial services are able to use resources that were previously unavailable to them. This will lead the economy to grow and create jobs for more individuals ultimately creating more cash-flow in the economy. Microfinance provides financial services allowing businesses to grow and ultimately build the economy benefiting the society.

Lab 4:

Annie Leonard defines the material economy in five stages: Extraction, Production, Distribution, Consumption, and Disposal. Annie states that there are missing links in the system such s the people who make the products, the environmental repercussions, and the consumer as person. The people making the products are often in third world countries, are often paid less, work more hours, and work with harmful chemicals. The consumer is often unaware of the products used to make the goods they are purchasing and the harmful effects of the 5 stages. The environment is being harmed because natural resources are dwindling to create new products. Unfortunately the material economy is a linear process, which cannot continue forever. Since natural resources are limited they will soon run out. The material economy creates pollution, causing harm to our environment and to the health of people. For everyone bag of garbage created by a resident, 17 bags are created by industries. People are continuously purchasing new goods and disposing their outdated goods. The need to continuously purchase new goods is caused by the ongoing pressure from society, ads and commercials to purchase new products. For example, shoe styles change every year, therefore if you buy the new shoe every year everyone will know. 99% of “stuff” is discarded within 6 months. People tend to ignore the fact that resources are being used at a faster rate than it is being replenished, and that we will soon run out. People are not seeing the long-term effects of the material economy, and are rather focusing on their own immediate satisfaction.

Extraction: Extraction is the first stage of Annie’s system what “stuff” comes from. This stage involves collecting natural resources such as water and wood. Natural resources are limited, and we are quickly running out of them. Extraction often occurs in poor third world countries, causing poor living conditions for the people of those countries, and often destroying their homeland.

Production: Natural recourses are combined with toxic chemicals to create products. These products create pollution with are harmful to the environment and to the health of humans, animals. This is the second stage of Annie’s system.

Distribution: This is the selling process, when goods are brought into society. Distribution involves shipping products to stores and selling them to consumers. Some materials are sold cheap because of the losses imposed to the people and environments of developing countries.

Consumption: consumption is the heart of this system. It is the fourth step. Consumers are bombarded with commercials and ads for material goods and there is ongoing pressure for people to shop to make them feel good. Shoe styles change every year so that if you buy the new product, other will know. If you don’t purchase the shoe, others will know because they can see that you still have “old” shoes. 99% of “stuff” is discarded within 6 months. With smarter and less human consumption this process would be greatly minimized.

Disposal: Disposal is the final stage of this system. In this stage, consumers throw their goods out for one of two reasons: their product stopped working shortly after it was purchased or they felt pressure to buy a newer product to replace an outdated model. During the disposal stage, products are either burned, buried, or both, causing harm to the environment and the health of people.

Annie’s presentation uses cartoons to attract the attention of viewers. She also uses a linear timeline to represent the stages of the material economy from the stage of extraction to disposal. The images move along with her presentation, to give the viewer a vivid picture. Her images include labels and subheadings to clarify information to the viewer. Annie also includes a work-cited segment to allow viewers to research the information for them selves. She uses the Internet as a source to broadcast her information to the digital world.

LAB 5:
 * According to Anne Fairbrother, bodystorming “is a participatory method for demonstrating or developing ideas in a physical setting. Space and Culture said bodystorming is seen as “‘fun and tactile’ because it allows people to explore different qualities that an idea may have when applied in a physical setting.****”**


 * Bodystorming is like brainstorming, however, it is more creative and “hands-on. It is more effective because, it reveals how the relationship between** It allows people to act out the idea in different context, giving the idea a physical form. Bodystorming allows people to bring abstract concept into physical experience.


 * There are several different types of bodystorming. These types include, working in the space/place where your product will be used in, strong prototyping the space/place your product will be used in, and use the case theater. Each type requires the interaction with the physical situation and the real world.**


 * Bodystorming is effective because it does more than what brainstorming does. It reveals how the relationship between people, locations, and things affect ideas** **Bodystorming helps researchers test assumptions and creates limits of physical objects. Through the process of reviewing these physical experiences, researchers can understand relationships technologies and physical objects and people in an in depth fashion.**

Lab 7:

Physical computing is a way of interacting with the analogue world using hardware and software. It determines a human relationship and one with the digital world. It uses sensors and other microcontrollers to convert analogue data to software or control devices.

Physical computing allows for users to interact with the digital world, and to control its outcome. In essence, physical computing makes the intangible, tangible. For example, motion is intangible. With physical computing, motion can be recorded with a computer, and later measured in wavelengths. This allows for visualization of something that is intangible.

A second example of physical computing is that of a touch screen of a computer. Instead of using a mouse and keyboard, computers now allow you to use your fingertips to navigate the screen. The use of motion sensors allow the user to interact with the device in a 3D way.

Lab 8: == 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 four favourite product designs. (4 paragraphs) ==

Columbia Forest Products created a non toxic glue, used on cabinetry, furniture and numerous flooring surfaces. The glue simulates the secretion mussels use to cling to under water surfaces. Columbia Forest Products glue is strong, durable, toxin-free, and is not harmful to its users.
 * 1) Toxic Free Glue: **

2) ** High Speed Train ** The high-speed train has the ability to reach top speeds of 200 miles per hour. Engineers and designers attempted to mimic the owl in their design of the train. Designers created “small serrations” which mimic an owls feathers, causing the train to run quietly and efficiently. It reduces the noise generated by the train’s pantograph, which collects electric current. The train’s nose-cone, was created to imitate a kingfisher’s beak. A kingfisher can dive into water with little resistance. This allows for the trains aerodynamic shape, reducing noise pollution.

3) ** Self-Healing Pipelines ** The “Self-Healing Pipeline” technology, developed in Scotland, is modeled after human biology. When a person’s epidermis is exposed to deep penetration and the skin is wounded, blood rushes to seal off the wound. The self healing pipeline is similar to the human body, in this sense. The flow inside a pipeline delivers "platelets" to cracks and leaks in industrial pipelines within the system. The material also contains a radioisotope to mark the location of a leak or crack to better reinforced the area in the future.

4)** Skeleton Key ** The Bone furniture designed by, Joris Laarman, imitated the structure of bones. These pieces of furniture are created by monitoring the growth of bones over time. The furniture is strong and durable, despite the fact that it is partically hallow.


 * Write three paragraphs defining how, according to Janine Benyus, "the simple, elegant mechanics developed by nature often make sense in a human context, too". (3 paragraphs) **

Janine Benyus, is a biologist who has devoted her life to creating a revolutionary environment of bio-mimicry. The environment she promotes, is one where the technology is inspired by “ the simple, elegant mechanics developed by nature”. Benyus proposes that biologist work with engineers, and architects, to incorporate ideas into large corperations, small businesses, and everyday life.

Benys talks about the concept of domestication, in which we gain insight and learn from different organisms. The mechanics developed by nature have been preformed for millions of years. For this reason if the mechanics are undoubtedly effieint. Therefore, when she wanted to find a solution for mineral build up in pipelines, she looked to nature to find the answer. She looked at seashells and found that they were composed calcium carbonate, the same material that was building up in the pipelines. She also found that seashells use a natural occurring chemical to stop the growth of calcium carbonate. This natural chemical is now used to clean our pipes, rather then the harmful chemicals used before.

Overall, we must realizes that mother nature has been around much longer then we have, and has already solved problems that we spend decades and centuries looking for. Instead of spending this effort finding solutions that will cause toxic harm to our environment later in time, we simply should look to nature to find a environmentally friendly solution. In conclusion, we must look to have a healthier environment to potentially lead to a healthier life in sync with nature.