Listning Post

Listening Post is an art installation that culls text fragments in real time from thousands of unrestricted Internet chat rooms, bulletin boards and other public forums. The texts are read (or sung) by a voice synthesizer, and simultaneously displayed across a suspended grid of more than two hundred small electronic screens.

Listening Post cycles through a series of six movements, each a different arrangement of visual, aural, and musical elements, each with it's own data processing logic.

Dissociating the communication from its conventional on-screen presence, Listening Post is a visual and sonic response to the content, magnitude, and immediacy of virtual communication.

Concept cars from MIT

Mitchell Joachim is a PhD candidate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Architecture: Computation Group). Prior to MIT, he completed two master’s degree programs; at Harvard University (MAUD) and Columbia University (M.Arch). Currently he is a researcher at the Media Lab Smart Cities Group, collaborating with his advisor William J. Mitchell on the General Motors/ Frank O. Gehry Concept Car.
Follow the link to find out some amazing concept cars from Mitchell.

Digi wall

Digiwall looks like a traditional climbing-wall but it’s actually a computer game you climb upon.

Every climbing-hold is equipped with a sensor that registers hands and feet. In that way Digiwall can keep track on where on the wall the climber or climbers are. This opens up for a large number of games, exercises and competitions of various kinds.

Digiwall is also a musical instrument. The climbing-holds act as keys on a keyboard and music is played according to your climbing. The grips can be lit up from the inside and behind the wall there is a large hi-fi system. Together this gives a climbing-wall with new possibilities. In games, competitions, for practicing co-operation and for music creativity the experience intensifies with help from the music and the sound. The built-in lights in the holds show you the way and rules for competition.

Beating the Devil's Advocate !!

Are you a Cross-Pollinator? Do you work with a Hurdler? Or a Storyteller? These are just a few of the roles that Tom Kelley, author of the bestselling Art of Innovation, suggests that people can play in an organization to foster innovation and new ideas—and fend off creativity-stifling naysayers. Inspired by the roles that Tom has seen emerge at IDEO, the leading design firm where Kelley is general manager, The Ten Faces of Innovation is filled with engaging stories of how businesses have used innovation and design thinking to transform customer experience.

Also look at http://www.thoughtlessacts.com/

Interesting though-less thinking by IDEO.
Thoughtless acts is a book by Jane Fulton Suri and IDEO that invites you to notice the subtle and amusing ways that people react to the world around them. These thoughtless acts reveal how people behave in a world not always perfectly tailored to their nedds and demonstrate the kind of real-world observational approach that can inspire designers and anyone involved in creative endeavors.

Yahoo !! WIDGETS

I am in love with the widgets. I remember at NID we developed some sort of widget/desktop application, where I had explored the scenario of advertising agency where user has an option of looking at various accounts handled by him and hours spend on them. The user could also allocating time to various project accounts and sending the hour sheet to the accounts department for the billing purposes...etc...etc. Dr. Vinod Vidwans was the guide for the project.

I remember Jerry's calendar project...
Coming back to YAHOO !!
Visit the widget gallery- Good collection of widgets to brighten your desktop and manage your digital life.

Navigating from left, right or top?

I am at the verge of finishing one of the client projects where I was involved as Interaction Designer to carryout User Research / System Design / User Interface Design. The project was extensive and helped me to build my knowledge base of how to fuel research findings into product development cycle.
While developing user interface I came across many unwanted circumstances. I designed the interface keeping all the navigation on the left side of the screen to make it intuitive and avoid any visual clutter to the screen. I was not very well prepared when my respected client asked me to put all the navigations and controls on the right…

So I though of preparing myself for next presentation where I could present some facts and figures about the basic principals of UI design and some research findings that can support my UI thought. J


Eye track was a very good resource as far as above issues are concerned. Comment if you know any better.

www.poynterextra.org

`Designed in India' welcome 2006

THE Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion is all set to roll out the National Design Policy as a new-year gift to Indian designers in January 2006. As per the policy, those products coming under its ambit will require to meet certain minimum quality parameters before using the `Designed in India' label in the world market.

"The National Design Policy will be announced in January. Merely coming out with a policy statement will not suffice, as it will have to be followed up with implementation. Among other things, the `Designed in India' label will have to be linked with a certain quality specification," Mr N.N. Prasad, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, said.

The attempt would be to position `Designed in India' as a label that assures quality and utility. This could be in conjunction with other labels - `Made in India' and `Served from India'.A mechanism will be worked out for creating a brand image for Indian designs through the award of an `India Design Mark' that satisfy certain criteria such as appeal, centricity, ergonomic features, safety and environment findings.

The tenure of the design policy will be three years and the Government is planning to come with a second design policy by that time.

3rd BW-NID Design Excellence Award 2005

The Third BW-NID Design Excellence Awards were announced on 3 December 2005 . A grand and glittering ceremony at Uppal's Orchid marked the evening as participants, guests and celebrities braved Delhi 's chill to be part of the fiesta. This year, the awards celebrate excellence in consumer product design, a key aspect that makes products more desirable to the end consumer, boosts sales and plays a vital role in fuelling the growth of the economy.

The jury selected the winners from over a hundred entries from both multinationals and Indian companies. A number of lesser-known Indian companies, with their innovative products and commitment to design, emerged winners. Vignettes from the glittering evening.

I am in

The new intruder has entered this blog.

Dave Werners Portfolio !!

A teaser video release before actual portfoliio....
Portfolio by Dave Werner: " Different kind of design portfolio " :)

Imaginative way to showcase your design port.

Interactive Sound Installation at CSM

Passers by become participants on the South Bank

Arlete Castelo and Melissa Mongiat students of the Creative Practice for Narrative Environments MA at Central St Martins, UAL, have created an exciting interactive sound installation that is changing the atmosphere of Hungerford Terrace and keeping the spirit of 'Education at the Royal Festival Hall' alive while it is closed for refurbishment.