Meeting with tutor 1

Post no.5

This tutorial session was rather enlightening. I was pretty excited with the new ideas and perspectives that Daniel and I discussed.

First things first, things to improve on my really drafted essay:

- There's a typo on the theories I put in the essay, it's not John Bilton. It's George Herbert Mead.
- I need to research on the legitimacy of their statements and backgrounds.
- The quality of my reff need to be improved. My references should have more edu. and books. I should remove the blog links.
- The relevance of my essay to my final year project only needs to be mentioned in the proposal, not the essay itself.
- There should be in-text citations in the proposal as well.
- Input task words. There's a sentence which is too definitive. "The wearable media is categorized under Infotainment where its purpose lies with mass communication." The way the sentence sounds, it appears that wearable media is correlated with infotainment. Use words like 'Explore' or 'Evaluate'. 
- Focus on synchronicity (in scope) cause its too wide. Its okay to mention diachronic briefly in the essay.
- This will be an exploration/evaluation essay.

Now that's done, on to the more contextual part of the tutorial.

- Explore the Cyborg culture, the Transhumanism, which is the belief or theory that the human race can evolve beyond its current physical and mental limitations, especially by means of science and technology.
- Explore private and public uses of wearable tech.
- "Ubi computing reverses virtual reality."
- ICT has transformed from IT. Information and communications Technology.

I will borrow those books and look into it further. Very intellectually stimulating.

Draft for Proposal

Okay so I have begun to write my first draft of my proposal. Here it is!

PROPOSAL DRAFT

TYPE : ESSAY

TITLE: The synchronous existence of wearable media and its future in technology.

Research Question:  What is wearable technology's socio technical relevance and its purpose for the future?

Intro:

 - Purpose of the proposal, assessment to the feasibility of future conducted research and execution of the essay. Planning of the essay.

Scope of inquiry

This essay would address Wearable media in its synchronic and diachronic processes. It would begin with the diachronic process of wearable media in its evolution throughout history from the first wearable tech to the present and future of the wearable technology. It aims to distinguish the differences and common misconceptions of Wearable Computers, Wearable Technology and Wearable Media. The essay would also break down Wearable Media into debatable topics with theories, common arguments and ideas. I would then begin to answer my research question on how relevant wearable media would be to the social technical system. After introducing and re-evaluating Wearable Technology  and its purpose of existence in the timeline of technological evolution, I would then briefly state how this paper would relate and help with my research on my final year project. Finally, the essay would discuss predictions on the future of wearable technology and it's common worries it brings.

Relevance to FYP

I will be executing a project that uses Wearable Media for entertainment purposes. It will be used to study feedback and relationships between the crowd and the performer. The wearable media is categorized under Infotainment where its purpose lies with mass communication. It merges gestures and wearable tech where users are to respond to the music of the DJ by performing gestures like fist pumping or clapping. The higher the participation, the more rewarding their experience will be in terms of music, visuals, stage lighting and effects. I will be studying its practicality and how it would be convenient for them to use them during raves/concerts.

Feasibility

- "Symbolic Interactionism" by George Herbert Mead, "Extensions of Man" by Marshal McLuhan, "Socio Technical Systems Theory" by John Bilton.

- Content will be confirmed and referred from detailed market researches, open-source content, university research papers, opinions from highly influential related field experts and on site interviews with people who had experience with media crowd participation or wearable media.

Timeline

July 14th and July 21st will be the dates where the proposal drafts are submitted and reviewed by the tutor. Tutorials are conducted to allow feedback and opportunities to refine and make amendments to the proposals. July 30th would be the final submission the proposals. To record the overall process of research and development, I have updated my blog with posts relating to the topic. In-depth research on the topic would take another week after the final proposal submission and the draft of the essay will be executed a week after that. Tutorials conducted via-email and face-to-face consultations would take place in the final semester to ensure the quality of the essay. The final essay submission will be at the final week in the final semester AB.

Conclusion

This preparation and research in the proposal would allow the execution of the essay deem very feasible.

Hopefully it would make sense.

Essay Structure

Intro:

- History of communication and how/when we started to be so be intrigued by technology. Inventions expand - Frankenstein Syndrome. We want tech to be more seamless, immersive. We wouldn't want to see the medium. Hence, the idea of Wearable Technology.

- Wearable Tech is inspired and invented by sci-fi movies/the need to solve problems.

1.  What is wearable tech?

 - Wearable : something, an article of clothing or device where you could put on or wear and could take off.

- Differences between wearable Media and Wearable Technology.

 - Media is the main means of mass communication, a subcategory under Technology.

-Technology itself is the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes, especially in industry.

- John Bilton(2010) Technology is classified into 5 classes. Technology as objects, technology as knowledge, technology as activities, technology as a process, and technology as a socio technical system (interactive media).

- Wearable Computers and Wearable Technology.

-Technology may not be correlated to computers. They are different entities. A computer is just an electronic device for storing and processing data, typically in binary form, according to instructions given to it in a variable program.

Examples of wearable computers: Google glass / Samsung Galaxy Gear

Examples of wearable technology: Nicole Sherzinger's Tweetdress / Drum pants / Wearable Health monitors

- Wearable tech is not new. Diachronic processes of wearable media will be stated.

The first Wearable Tech: The Pocket Watch

First Wearable Computer by Claude Shannon and Edward O. Thorp was invented to predict   where the ball would land on the Russian roulette wheel.

- Wearable Technology is classified into two: Utility & Entertainment

- Health, Military, Infotainment, Fashion, Fitness and Wellness

- Gestural Tech and Wearable Tech is often confused as there are tech which merges the two. They are different entities as well. Differences will be stated. Example: Wearable media requires users to put on gear whereas Gestural tech do not.

           

2. Arguments section. Is it really necessary?

- What tech is considered a need now? (mobile phones) Will wearable tech with their specified purposes eventually replace phones with its limited interfaces and functionality? Wearable Computers are more limiting than mobile phones.

- We have short attention spans, (maximum 8 Seconds) and have the need for flexibility.

- Wearable media is in what part of the timeline of evolution of technology? Is it a necessary evolution which will bring us to a better understanding of inventing greater and more intelligent tech? Is it just a transitional stage to advanced implant technology?

- Will it be practical, safe, healthy? Will it be compulsory?

Examples of future wearable tech : Smart Contact Lenses, Smart EarBuds,  Blood Tattoo Computers.

3. How will it be related to my Final Year Project

4. Conclude scope: Extensions of man. Humans will be their own superheroes.

These are a couple of references I got my sources from:

http://www.bigfishgames.com/blog/google-wear-history-wearable-technology/

-brief history of tech

http://www.studymode.com/essays/Technology-In-Our-Life-956238.html

- 5 classes of tech

https://blogs.ubc.ca/etec540sept10/2010/09/23/technology-many-facets/

- Student blogs about 5 classes

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/pocket-watch-was-worlds-first-wearable-tech-game-changer-180951435/

- pocket watch

http://www.saggezza.com/from-databank-to-glass-the-amazing-history-of-wearable-tech/

- history of wearable tech

http://www.saggezza.com/from-databank-to-glass-the-amazing-history-of-wearable-tech/

Market research

http://www.hfidtc.com/research/command/c-and-c-reports/phase-2/HFIDTC-2-1-1-1-2-command-paradigms.pdf

Report for technology as a socio technical system

http://www.academia.edu/7092537/Witnessed_Presence_and_Wearable_Electronics_the_design_of_trust_for_sociotechnical_systems

Witnessed Presence and Wearable Electronics: the design of trust for sociotechnical systems

Some Slides to further increase my research

Post no. 3

MY PREZI ON WEARABLE MEDIA

Here's a link to my prezi on the future of Wearable Media. I did this presentation for my EMM class, but it has it relations to my essay as well.

Here's the script to accompany the slides.

Slides 1 and 2: Hello and good afternoon, my name Charissa.

I will be talking about Wearable Media and its future in technology.

3:

But first, a little summary on the history of communication. Humans first begin communicating with gestures, then oral, then text, broadcasting and digital.

4:

What is Wearable Media you might ask?

It's basically tech which you could put on or off. They seem cool at first, but how is this technological evolution going to be a necessity? What are the real functional uses of wearable media?

5:

Wearable Tech now could be separated into two main functions. Utility and entertainment. In the present, we have wearable tech in different fields such as

Military: Exoskeletons for rehabilitation or to preserve body durability and energy

Healthcare : Armbands To measure heart rate and blood pressures

Fitness: Smart Clothing, Sleep Sensors

Infotainment: Samsung galaxy gear, Google glass and MYO, which all requires wireless bluetooth connections to mobile devices and computers.

6:

There are different misconceptions between wearable media and Gestural Tech.

Both are different entities, although some tech merges the two.

The differences between Gestural Tech and Wearable Media..

Like wearable MYO armband, it requires the user to wear the armband, perform the gesture and then it translates them onto your device. Which brings me to my next question.

7:

All this talk about Google Glass and smart watches got me thinking. Will it ever replace Smart Phones? Mobile phones are considered a necessity for us, the digital natives.

 Are they just an extension for mobile phones?

Wearable media has their limitations.

When we switch between apps.

However, Flexible screened mobile phones are soon to be sold. Will they be wearable as well? Therefore, it would breach a gap between handheld devices and wearable media.

8:

Will we ever be able to take them off?

Take the electronic tattoo display concept for example. Silicon is slipped under the skin. Two small tubes on the device are attached to an artery and a vein to allow the blood to flow to a coin-sized blood fuel cell that converts glucose and oxygen to electricity. 
Uses tiny microscopic spheres for the display.

 “Ophthalmic Electrochemical Sensors,” The sensors are designed to read chemicals in the tear fluid of the wearer’s eye and alert the user through a little embedded LED light, when user's blood sugar falls to dangerous levels.

Thermoelectric Bracelets inventions by MIT enable individuals to control their own body temperature, so they would not need to use large cooling or heating units to achieve 'thermal comfort'.

Microsoft is developing an Earbud mood detector where it detects the mood of the listener via heart rate and thermometer, to play music that suited your mood.

Ironically, these wearable media are invented to solved those problems.

Conclusion:

Are we reversing the history of communication? Verbal communication and gesture recognition with technology is expanding. After all, they are our primitive ways of communicating.

Comments were:
- Include display methods.
- Add in how wearable media helps the disabled.
- Start the predictions earlier in the slides.
- Conclude with the topics relating to the subtopic at the first slide. Is it really necessary?
  Well it is, as I believe wearable media is just a transition to mainstream implant technology. It's an important part of technological evolution if I might add.

Gesture Tech And Wearable Media. Are they two separate entities?

Post no. 2

Consultation
From the consultation with Daniel, I seem to be confused with both Gesture Technology and Wearable Media. I have always thought that it was the same; that it correlates and exists with each other.

That by wearing a wearable device, our gestures become a part of the triggering system, the input if you will. 

Anyway, these are the content of our discussion:

Essay Topics/Arguments:

- How mandatory will it be for us humans to use Wearable media?

- Could it replace mobile phones it being already an all-in-one device? (Mobiles have multiple functions embedded into them be it cameras/video cams/editing software/ calling features/ apps) 

- Will it be reliable enough?
- Exoskeletons, MYO armbands --> Will we be like Superheros/Jedi's/Inspector Gadget?

Are they a necessity / accessory?
Are they used for Entertainment / Utility?
Would they belong to a category of Popular / Professional use?

Further Research

Right now, after being enlightened by the consultation, I have come to the conclusion to break the technologies into several parts, addressing both their differences and then bringing in technology that joins both tech together.

Gestural Tech (No need of putting on any sort of media - physically)
- Kinect
- Motion Tracking
- eyeSight

Input devices: Cameras (Depth-aware Cameras, Stereo Cameras)

Wearable Media (Necessary to put on a media device to communicate with the computers)
- Exoskeletons
- Fabric Tech
- Sixth Sense
- Sensors
- Snappers Mocaps
- Google Glass
-Blood pressure measuring arm bands

Technology which incorporate both Wearable Media and Gestural Tech
- MYO arm band
- Livetags Gloves (yeah, I just referenced my own project)

Concept maps

Post no. 1

These are concept maps I made from LV4 and 5 contextual studies. I found points most relatable to the subject I'd write about which argues about the seamlessness of gestural tech between the physical and digital world. It would talk about future technology.

Below is the selection of traditional interactive media photos that we were instructed to find as homework.

The way the poster folds on itself represents the basic characteristics of the ice cream cone itself.

K2r advertises by painting silhouettes of clothes onto dirty pavement grounds to show that this clothes detergent could clean off any stain.

Daniel gave us a list of theories and contextual words to help us out too: