Heavy work load

I try to start from somewhere but seem to hit more challanges everyday and I'm getting pretty worried.

Problem 1: Umm... I don't know how to do screenprinting..
Solution: Well, learn how to! I started messing around with my extra tshirts and paint them. Also Becky is giving me a hand and sneaking me in to her class. *yay*
It feels quite addictive, I'm scared I won't have any solid color tshirt anymore.







Problem2: Where is the ink man? How can I get my hands on it?
Solution: Why not order? The thermochromic inks can be ordered from Japan and takes a nice one month to come here. This is quite a disaster, I will be asking around to find some samples so I can show the effect in the midterm

Problem 3: You absolutely forgot the pattern!
Solution: um.. yeah I did. So I will find some patterns and designs to print on the blanket. The pattern I'm thinking is bubbles and happy happy shapes. Another one is to have a illustration of a story, like Robin Hood or Alice in Wonderland.

Julia Schwadron











Jimmy Lee













Not only problems, I have some thoughs as well.
Thought 1:Since I have a system working with vibrating motors, maybe I should integrate them in a blanket and see how that works out.

Though 2: I have a simple audio as well. Maybe put that out as a sample too?

ugh.. dizzy.. a lot of work..

Domains and Precedents

Domains:
- Psychology (Loneliness, Child Patients)
- Communication (Child Patients)
- Product Design (Toy Design, Textile Design)
- Physical Computing (Wearable Technology)

Precedents:
-Andy the Robot, The Robotics & Multibody Research Group (Brussels University)
The Robotics & Multibody Research Group (Brussels University)is working on Anty, an intelligent soft robot that will entertain long-term hospitalized children. When developed the robot will walk, talk and show feelings. According to the creators, Anty will be able to develop different personalities, so kids won't get bored with him. It's nice to see what other creators are doing and how they are approaching to the same problem.

- My Beating Heart, Yury Gitman
A nicely textured pillow with vibrating motors in it, which when hugged, gives a sensation of hugging another person. The idea is strong and the design of it is actually very simple. (which is one of the base principles of my way of thinking/doing). Till the time I've held one I never thought it would be this comforting! The idea of using simple techniques like vibrating motors have a great strength and I would like to carry this idea to my project

- HugShirt, CuteCircuit

The Hug Shirt is a wearable Bluetooth accessory for your mobile phone. The Hug Shirt allows to exchange the physical sensation of being hugged over distance through telecommunication networks. When the user sends a text message to the shirt, the user who is wearing it can feel a hug with the motors sewed inside of it.


- Zaky, M. Terese Verklan - University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
These two hands are created to give support to the baby when their parents are away. The soft tactile feedback is something that I'm primarily interested in this aspect. Even though it is a good way of thinking, the hands are too literal and seem to be a little repelling.

- Tamagochi
A sensational toy that is programmed to be a small pet that has to be fed, slept and taken its' potty taken care of. Both the Psychology and The Product Design cross their roads here. It can be used as a companion for loneliness because it's possible to play games with it. Also it has a simple task to do: hold the keys together (a keychain). The way the toy communicates it's messages is through sound and images, which is not a style that I'm not really interested in.

- Quiet House, Orhan Pamuk
This Turkish author has inspired me a lot in the ways he builds characters and daily events around them. Also the characters are very lonely in work, love and life. The style of writing is very interesting as well: even though the narration is going on, sometimes the writing switches to the first person. The way the characters handle (or can't handle) loneliness falls in to the Psychology Domain.


-Orisinal

Orisinal is a website with different and simple games. For example the player is squirrel trying to collect as much nuts as it can. The design is very cute, and the rules and the characters are very original and simple. Besides all of the simplicity, the color palette is something that I'm very interested in this project: It's bright enough to get the player's attention but still subtle enough to not to tire the eyes.


- MusiCure Pillow,

The MusiCure pillow, a pillow with built in speakers that plays soothing instrumental music and nature sounds, is now being used experimentally with soldiers in the Danish military. The pillow is being used to help soldiers relax and get needed sleep.

-Needies, Amos Bloomberg, Daniel Perlin, Brett Schultz – ITP/NYU

Needies are three friends who need attention from their users. They have their own characters of showing their "neediness". At some point Moomi tried to serve to this aim but yet it seemed like adult companionship is not as sensitive and important than a child support.


- Superpatata, Hector Serrano
Superpatata is a stress-reliever bed warmer pillow. When squeezed (the input is thought to be stress), Superpatata starts lighting. It can also be used a s bed warmer. The idea behind the design seems to be adjustable for many uses, which is something I'm very interested in.


- Think Geek Toys, www.thinkgeek.com
This website is based on toys that are not only created by their crew but also by their customers! They are geek, yet cute and most importantly they are very simple as well.


- Web Articles:
-Video Games for Healing
-Child Hospitalization may heal body but hurt mind

Peer Evaluations

After a long week, I ended up presenting the one before the last person on Friday. To be honest I wasn't really expecting any feedback.
Like always, I was wrong! Everybody commented and suggesting interesting points:

My fear of thermochromic inks was broken by the help offered. I will get my hands dirty on the technique by thursday. If I get the inks by this weekend I'd like to paint all of my tshirts. *Thanks Becky and Mike*

Also Eric suggested some interesting point of views to start the interaction of the electronics - for now I'm keeping them for myself!

Also it is time to get my hands dirty on the design of the characters on the blanket. get that pencil and start drawing girl!

Everybody likes Michel Gondry

Parts of the project

For a while I've been looking in some different ways to approach to my blanket. the washability and the hygene is my important subjects: for that one of my main design concepts is coming in: modularity. The battery or different characteristics of the blanket can be separated easily from the blanket.

First of all I'm looking for ways to integrate what I have into a blanket.
Right now I have a module that can record and playback one sound clip. I sew it in a pouch with snaps on it. Since the blanket has snaps on it as well, it's quite attachable.
With this I realized that using a fleece blanket is not going to work in embedding electronics, so I will build up a comforter-like blanket for this.
Another idea for embedding is , to have two layers of fleece and saw them with patterns so what they will be hidden between two layers and won't disturb the user.


Technologies that will be integrated:
1.) Audio: the old project. To listen to the messages of the loved ones. - This is almost done.
2.) Thermochromic Ink: This tool has a very magical effect on children (even grown ups). So I would like to use this for two reasons:
a.) A feedback for hugging the shirt: Since the blanket changes color with heat it will give a nice feedback for choke or hugging the shirt.
b.) Temperature update: To keep an eye on the temperature of the child.
3.) A hoodie: Using the blanket is a hoodie is pretty common so in this sense I'm looking into:
a.) Have a small patch of thermochromic ink on the corner of the blanket so maybe when it's worn as a hoodie, it will get the overall temperature of the child.. maybe
b.) Vibrating motors: If some vibrating motors along the back of the blanket, it will give a sense of patting/hugging/carressing.

++ The main thing I would like to investigate a way of comfort during injections or IVs.

Soon I will be meeting some psychiatrics to get better feedback on the project.

Target Audience

Even though I was happy with working with my target audience, but after situating the project in different scenarios, I’ve realized that it wasn’t the best choice. As the project changed, the target audience changed as well.

The project is a security blanket for kids who are hospitalized to undergo tough surgeries.

With the research I've made online and some readings about transitional objects (teddy bears or security blankets) by David Winnicott, my target audience is shaping in a certain age range.
The security blanket is used intensely by 2 or 3 year olds and by the age of 5 the connection with the blanket is slowing down. At the beginning I though this might be an obstacle for me. Now that I'm focusing in a special situation, I guess it won't be that tough. Since the situation they are in is very sensitive, I might pull the target audience I a little up, to ages of 5-8. Soon I will speak to a few doctors concentrating in this area.

Project Linus

This project is focusing in giving out blankets for small children who are scared of medical examinations. When I read about a small boy snuggling to a blanket when a blood sample was taken, I felt my eyes filling up. This topic I've chosen is such a delicate and sensitive topic, everybody feels like adding to it.
I'm hoping to contact this project and seek some experience.
http://www.chomp.org/pulse/2003/winter03/linus.aspx

components

I am absolutely digging the idea of creating a security blanket. Since my target audience is usually in hospitals, I'm focusing on ideas that can help everybody to make the experience easier.

-Changing the color of the blanket is one of my focuses. It can be fun and also it might help the staff and family to monitor the temperature of the child. In this sense, I'm looking into thermochromic ink. But before all that, I want to know if it's ok to use it in a sterile environment.
http://www.geminnov.fr/
http://www.thermochromicinks.com
http://www.solaractiveintl.com/index.htm
http://www.siltechlimited.com/
http://www.pburch.net/dyeing.shtml


-Make syringes easier. This is an area that I'm not sure how to solve. Some children have to be on IVs, which is another hard experience. How can I integrate the IV needle into a blanket?

-The audio component: I already have a system of recording and playing back and it can be integrated into a blanket. At the moment I'm thinking about building a small audial system that might trigger the nurse staff when the child need help. Simply it is the same system with the nurse button by the bed.

-Smell: Jon pointed out a great aspect that I'm really excited about: the smell of the blanket. When it gets washed, the user it not happy with the outcome of it. What if there's a certain smell that never leaves the blanket?

-Washability: serious topic..

-Playable: Of course the material is very important for the child to feel all comfy and cozy. Besides it should carry some fun aspects to it. What if it's worn as a hoodie? What if the user squeezes the blanket that it gives a vibrating tactile feedback? What if it turns into a tent where you can play games inside? What if it has a teddy bear intergrated inside of it?

awwww

Doing research for my current topic is great! A lot of cute toys and blankets! This is a security blanket with a teddybear in the middle. Looks a little creepy cuz of the bear being cut off from the neck down... still cute!

Methodology Outline

Know your concept

1. Construct Thesis Statement


2. List the buzz words


3. Present the timeline of the idea
   

• the concept


• the iterations


• the technology


• the design

Know your audience

1. Research for hospitals


2. Visit hospitals


3. Speak to staff & doctors
• hospital rules for toys


• technology restrictions


• hygene restrictions


• sound restrictions


• common problems


• obvious suggestions


4. Research the current situation in the area


• toys


• books


• gadgets


• games


5. Research for common diseases


6. Research the effects on children

Sketching for design and material

Build up the technology

1. Look for projects that are already done in the field
• Interview the creators


• Interview the Users




2. Research available technology


3. Integrating technology with design

Thesis Statement

Since the project has changed a little, it seems like this is my almost final thesis statement:

Moomi is a tool of happiness, security and support fir children admitted to the hospital to undergo dangerous surgeries.

With this statement, I have new buzz words:
Kids, hospital, sickness, misery to happiness, lonely to supported.

to the left.. to the back now yo.. .one hop this time..

This time we're gonna get funky

Progress Report

So here's what happened:

Wednesday: Stephanie asked me to situate the project in a social content and also build a relationship between the keychain and the pillow.

Thursday: I went absolutely bipolar and starting changing my thesis into antithesis.

Friday: I got a nice kick in the head by my advisor and he commanded me to get the recorder all done by tuesday.

Weekend: Situating the project:
1.) A friend for users who are far away from home
2.) A Networking tool for kids./ A journal
3.) A supportive character for kids who are admitted to the hospital (listen to other kids' journal)/ staying with their babysitter for the first time/have divorced parents.

Tuesday: Yeah... The recorder is ready for some user testing. So today I will be working on the pillow and ways to get them to connect to each other. So that on Friday I will have some user feedback.

Bipolar Cheecheee focusing on her work

After going back and forth on my statement, by the help of my thesis advisor I started focusing on my work back again... but I have to admit, it's so cold I can hardly think!
brrr!!


The first prototype is inspired by a character I've made. The idea is the same: there is a big one and a smaller one. This is the small keychain recorder that records sounds and so on.
The minute I got this done I understood what Stephanie meant by asking "What is the relationship between these two?". Ok, the mommy and the baby relationship is ok but it is lacking something that I couldn't put my finger on. But later, I came up with a newer version: a heart.

The scenario of this object is more solid because it is easier to understand the relationship between the keychain and speaker. The heart is the recorder and without the heart my dear plushie Moomi doesn't do anything but sob for the heart. (LED's dimming in and out) Sketches are coming up soon.

Working more on the kids side.

If I happen to work on a smaller audience, the situations are a lot more that i imagined. (I'm getting better impressions on children's audience than an older audience)
A couple in their 50s (dont even ask how we ended up talking about moomi) suggested to widen up the possibilities of the usage. Apparently both of their kids had problems with their first month with the babysitter and received calls every 5 minutes, so they've wished they knew me 30 years ago and be my target audience. :) Cute!

Planning the week

Since I've been struggling in focusing on my project, I'm planning things out now.

I will have the keychain recorder prototype done by tuesday. On Tuesday I will be working on my pillow and by the end of the week I will have some user feedback with grown ups.

I'm planning to speak to a couple of child psychiatrists to see if this might be a good way to get sick kids to feel better.

Scenarios

I've been thinking about some scenarios for Moomi and the users.
1.) Moomi is a social networking tool for kids in the age range of 5-12. When Moomi glows it means a friend is around. It sends recorded messages when the friend of the user.
(Here Moomi turned into a one piece toy. Rather than being a relief of loneliness it turned into a tool of communication.)

2.) When the idea of having the kids as a target audience married the idea about giving temporary relief to loneliness, this idea came out. What if Moomi is a companion specially designed for children admitted to the hospital with a tough disease (such as cancer). They are lonely and they do feel a need of support, even if their parents are there for them all the time.
Here another idea popped into my mind. What if Moomi had a story of a kid previously dealt with a similar disease and became a healthy child? So the sick kid would get support from a person who actually been through from the same suffering.
-I'm working on the tech spec map of this. It sounds like a good deal.

3.) The third option is to keep things the way they are, and relate the whole project with the age range I had before, 17-30. It feel random to have this age range.

ok.. keep focused..

So after thinking about it, it seems like I'm going to stick to my original project. Even though I'd like to see the other side of the medallion and make fun of these upcoming toys, it feels like I don't have enough time for it right now.

So what I'm going to do is to fake a prototype and bring out 3 narratives/stories/strategies to my original idea.

(I'm a crazy person, changing her mind every minute.. sorry!)

Switching thesis with antithesis

Just came out of a pretty productive class.

In this past few months I've been looking for ways of technology to substitute the feeling of loneliness... Temporarily. I've done a great deal of research of the products out there and bet there a lot more that I haven't come across yet.

But with the Boyfriend's Arm Pillow, I came to a point where I realized that, some things can not be replaced. The Virtual Girlfriend in Korea (is basically a program on a cellphone, where the character dances and jumps and throws kisses) is another project that creeps me out about the relationship between technology and emotional relationships.

It's nice to have robopets keeping the elderly company and have some therapeutic effects, but what about people of my age? Aren't they supposed to go out and experience relations with other people? How come technology is thought to be substituted with human emotions?

In this sense, Noam Toran's project of Accessories for the Lonely Men is questioning the psychology of emerging technology and in a way criticize these technologies in everyday life. It's nice to have temporary relief but what about long term effects? Can it be healthy?

installation?

maybe what i want to do is a room of a lonely person trying to substitute loneliness with gadgets?

or mock with the idea?

hmm.. plush?

Just figured out another obsession about this project: plush. What if the world was full of plush gadgets and no sharp edges or hard surfaces?

How can this fit into the idea about preventing being lonely? Maybe everything is huggable and full of love and feedback? What if there was a room of everything that is made of plush?

This kind of mocks with the idea about securing everything in the house (when a new baby is born or when an elder is present) and also kind of mocks with solving loneliness with plush. What if my project is actually trying to exaggerate with the idea about being lonely and having teddy bears around?

I'm liking this idea..

so rather than having a consumer product, maybe I'm trying to mess with the idea of trying to solve the problem about being lonely without the presence of a human being? (which is kind of awkward). Noam Toran's project is in that way.. and I guess, I'm gonna follow him.

Here's the problem tho: How am I going to get this done?

The hug and Sense Chair

I just realized that many people who are focusing on the problem that I'm researching and working on, end up making pillows. I guess it is a common belief that tactile feedback is very effective and positive. (Well, the skin is the biggest organ right? (What does that have to do with it?)

These two projects concentrate on the target audience of babysitters and the elderly about what is going on around the house.

another pillow, another communicator

"no more communicating with loved ones"?

hmm..

http://www.engadget.com/2006/01/18/the-sound-pillow-tampering-with-a-classic/

Boyfriend's Arm

This product is cracking me up so much! Actually I would really like to change my thesis in this way. Simple tools for girls/women that will substitute a boyfriend, or tools for ladies who dont need/long for a boyfriend.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6141895/

Thesis Statement

As I'm looking for words to explain my thesis, I'm going back to the basics and trying to find a better thesis statement.

So I'm listing the concepts of my current statement:
- Temporary Relief
- Homesick / lonely
- Hearing voice
- Remote
- Previously Recorded
- Cute, fuzzy, cozy

The depression of loneliness and homesickness experience by many people can be temporarily avoided by hearing the voice of a loved one.

This doesn't contain the fact that it is a pillow and carry a fuzzy and cute idea.

By hearing a small sound clip of the loved one and hugging the source of the sound, the lonely and homesick user can have a temporary relief of missing their families, friends and so on.

The thesis statements above don't say who the target audience is. Also they (and the project) are too wide. This is a general problem of the project that I have to solve soon. I thought it would be a project for people at my age and situation: 17-30 age, living far away from home.

I am studying the situation of being homesick and lonely, and finding way to give temporary relief with tools of technology such as tactile feedback and audio album of loved ones because the idea of being alone effects the productivity of the age group of 17-30.

Thinking again

Going back to my concepts, I started thinking about jumping to a different project. This has been in my mind and I was very ecstatic when I saw the male version of it.
Objects For a Lonely Man by Noam Toran os a project that is made of eight accessesories for Men who are living alone. Very inspiring. http://www.popgadget.net/2005/07/accessories_for.php#014911

I can't stop myself from thinking to make a female version of this project and I've been thinking about this since my glorious break-up (been a year). In a way it related to my concept of being lonely and substituting loneliness with a "companion" for a small while.

So now, I'm stripping down my concept to it's very basic norms and adding words that I'm interested in.

Loneliness
Temporary
Gadgets
Feminine
Cute
Fuzzy
Alone
Cozy
"Ridiculous"
Exaggerated
Funny

(I am adding to it soon)

Havidol and Scream Body carry the same exaggeration that I'm looking for.

I better focus soon!

Daily Journal 03

In class Thesis Statements:
- Moomi is a project that aims to serve the need of the user to hear the voices of the loved ones.
- Moomi is a voice recorder, a keychain, a speaker and a pillow at the same time.
- Since the recorder is a keychain the user is able to record sound clips from all around and can listen to them at home hugging the pillow/speaker.
- The outcomes of being homesick and lonely are aimed to be eliminated by listening to the sound clips of the loved ones.
- Moomi is a speaker pillow that hugs the user and talks in the sound of a loved one.
- Moomi is a photo album in an audio form.
- To give temporary relief of being lonely/homesick, Moomi plays clips of the loved ones that are previously recorded.

In class word vomit:
Soft vs plush
relaxing
soothing
simple
emotional
alone yet together
cute
fury
goofy
memories
smile, grin, giggle
personal
private
encoded
awww..

Revised Calendar

= Design Issues
* Technology Issues

February 6-8 :
= Research for Copyright Law for “Moomi”
= Sketching a family of Moomi.
* Research Technology Options
* Building Circuits.
= * Meeting with Thesis Advisor

February 13-15 :
= Working on the design of the plush family.
* Building Physical Prototypes for Design
* Building Circuits (Cont.)

February 20-22:
* Building Circuits (cont.)
= * Integration possible circuits in design
= * Sketching a working structure for presentation
= Resolving the name issue.

February 27-29:
* Building Circuits (cont.)
* Integrating possible circuits in design.
= * User Testing and Feedback

March 5-7:
* Building Circuits (cont.)
= * Evaluating Feedback
= * Building a working structure for presentation
= * Changing Design/Technology with feedback

March 12-14:
= * Midterm Presentation

March 19 -21:
= * Evaluating feedback
= * Re-planning production

March 26-28:
= * Re-iterating/ Finalizing sketched of design
= * Re-iterating/ Finalizing sketched of technology

March 2-4:
= * Sketching for Exhibition
= * Finalizing the product
= * Building presentation

March 9-11:
= * Final Presentation

March 16-18:
= * Evaluating Feedback
= * Re-designing product

March 23- Mid-April:
= * Finalizing Product
= * Designing Exhibition

Daily Journal 02

Success! On thinking about words that define my thesis project, I've found one word, one simple word that adds up a lot in the definition of the project: Feeling Secure. More coming up.

Daily Jounal 01

Growing up in a different language and staying away from academic writing for a month left some bad effects on my writing and my interest in the thesis.
A trip to Carnegie Hall and see the writers of Family Guy, Seth Macfarlane and Alex Borstein singing a huge range of songs made me realize how people can be creative in the topic they enjoy.

I'm back on track and gonna rock it again!

Just in case if u're wondering
http://youtube.com/watch?v=S-AlM5hbuoI