shtakalkar – Tangible Interfaces

Expanding our Umwelt

shtakalkar — Fri, 18 Nov 2016 19:45:21 +0000

Concept: Using programmable material to expand the umwelt of an organism

What is Umwelt?

Each functional component of an umwelt has a meaning and so represents the organism’s model of the world. These functional components correspond approximately to perceptual features.It is also the semiotic world of the organism, including all the meaningful aspects of the world for any particular organism, i.e. it can be water, food, shelter, potential threats, or points of reference for navigation. An organism creates and reshapes its own umwelt when it interacts with the world. This is termed a ‘functional circle’. The umwelt theory states that the mind and the world are inseparable, because it is the mind that interprets the world for the organism. Consequently, the umwelten of different organisms differ, which follows from the individuality and uniqueness of the history of every single organism.

Semiosphere

An organism creates and reshapes its own umwelt when it interacts with the world. This is termed a ‘functional circle’. The umwelt theory states that the mind and the world are inseparable, because it is the mind that interprets the world for the organism.

Consequently, the umwelten of different organisms differ, which follows from the individuality and uniqueness of the history of every single organism. When two umwelten interact, this creates a semiosphere.

What if we could use different programmable material to expand the unwelt of an organism? Further, what if we could have different organisms connect in a semiosphere through a material?

Very powerful idea in expanded Umwelt. But to what end/why would we want to? Obviously it’s cool to experience more, but we also note that an animal’s affordances are perceived using it’s umwelt. Does an expanded umwelt imply expanded “pallet” of affordances available to us? Which are the most compelling? How is it bidirectionally interactive? Are these materials that we perceive directly, that we use as tools to perceive other elements of the world, or wearable materials that expand our senses all the time?

-Dan

Penny: I like the idea of being able to dynamically adjust your perspective, as a kind of empathy machine or tool for connectivity. I would suggest thinking about it it terms of HCI; for instance, what might a computer’s umwelt be like?

Sync In – Siya Takalkar

shtakalkar — Thu, 06 Oct 2016 21:59:00 +0000

MOVEMENT IS LIFE. Our heart beats and pumps blood, our lungs breathes. Movement is the essence and evidence of life and what the human bodies revolve around. When two people move in the same space, there is a strong connection between them. The medium being body language, eye contact, facial expressions, etc. How can we create the same connection between people who are not in the same space? Talking about movement, dance is the perfect medium through which people connect and bond. The question being, how can people dance together not being in the same space?

SYNC IN are specially designed dance shoes to connect people across distance. The pressure at any point on the feet is translated into vibration at the same point on the other pair of feet, maintaining the intensity. The modes are extensions as to what the shoes can afford to do!

shtakalkar — Thu, 22 Sep 2016 16:50:08 +0000

I’m currently in my thesis year pursuing MFA in Interaction Design at Massachusetts College of Art and Design; I did my undergrad in computer science. I love designing, crafting and building interesting user experiences. My thesis and earlier projects are based upon extracting humans out of digital space and enabling tangible interactions using their bodies in physical space.

Email : shtakalkar@massart.edu

Portfolio Website : siyatakalkar.com