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?