Group Research Project 3: Reflect

Life Tracker

Performance of the Life Tracker

In the fictional story, Fish of Lijiang, the protagonist was undergoing mental aging and unconsciousness due to the unknown exposure in the new hazardous technology, time sense compressor, inserted on the lower and middle-class workers. In the book, he “wakes up in the morning, but not knowing it is the second or the third day” (Chen, 6). His life was just like the fish in Lijiang, numbly maintained in the same situation in life, like an unconscious robot with no rights, no choice, no personality, and no awareness. There was an extreme sense of absurdity when he realized even the fish that he considered “good” was fake – a mere projection. 

To prevent this sense of meaninglessness and unconsciousness of time and life for the people living in that universe, we created the Life Tracker. It will be the life-long companion of the user, following them, recording every detail of the user’s life, providing timely feedback according to the calculation of data collected from the daily records. The Life Tracker is a circular device floating behind the user. It contains a unique infrared camera, a projector that shows the information on screens, a chip groove to insert the chip that biologically connects the Life Tracker with the user, and microphones that allow the device to “speak” with the user. 

Front View of Life Tracker “Shadow”
Backview of Life Tracker “Shadow” With An Inserted Chip
Projected Screen That Shows Data

The recorded information includes nutrition, physical conditions, emotions, memories, and all aspects of life. If the user’s body lacks some nutrition, Life Tracker will warn them for safety; if the user is lost in time and self, Life Tracker will show their memories. The user might not have a happy life with this interactive artifact. Still, at least Life Tracker will help avoid the unknowing exposure to detrimental technologies, which will be increasingly common in the future years, by constantly staying aware of one’s emotional state, physical condition, time, etc. 

According to our research, the current technologies have developed emotional trackers that can record human mood through heartbeat frequency, depth of breath, brain waves, etc. Some trackers record the motions, such as steps. However, no existing technologies merge all the information into one device, including tracking nutrition levels and storing memories. Moreover, as a lot of the current products are portable devices, which to a limited extent are convenient, we consider a floating device that can automatically follow the user will be even easier to use as the user does not need to remember to carry the device around. 

Our project highlighted the advanced technologies that Life Tracker provides to help users adjust the mood. When the user experiences a lousy time in socialization, the Mood Adjust Glasses will automatically erase the people that the user does not want to see. Besides that, we intend to incorporate the technology to collect data on the user’s health condition without going to hospitals. 

Life Tracker and Mood Adjust Glasses

Designed closely according to the definition of interaction during the research phase, the functionality of our group’s artifact is purely relying on both noticeable and unnoticeable interactions between the Life Tracker and the user. The Life Tracker first collects data from the user as inputcalculates correlations, and outputs the results and suggestions to the user. While the user is actively and purposefully engaged in this interaction process, they receive the suggestions from the Life Tracker to mitigate mood, consider the changes and responses, and perform the adjustments with emotions. The two actors involved create communication through verbal language and the mutual exchange of information going through the core process of input, process, and output

However, the problems that the existence of this invention will potentially cause are immense as well. As Life Tracker records and stores all data of individuals digitally, including private information such as memories, physical conditions, etc., security will become highly significant. Yet, no security system can be one-hundred percent unbreakable; personal information privacy will be at significant risk. This will also raise questions: Who can manage all the Life Tracker devices and individual information without exploitative intents or power insertion? As the party managing the Life Tracker system will unavoidably be in power, how will the users not be manipulated? When the users are dead, who will be in charge of the data? Is the data going to be destroyed or permanently stored? If it is stored and viewed by other people, aren’t human life ultimately materialized? Considering the ethical issues, when human lives all become digital, recording with many codes, are we diminishing the uniqueness of human nature? 

Reflection

I think the idea that our group came up with is unique. We jumped out of the boundary of feasibility and the technologies already mentioned in the stories. Instead of just a simple dissipative product, we designed a system that can follow the user for a lifetime. What’s more, I think the design is strictly focused on interaction, including the verbal communication between the user and the device and the mutual exchange of information. Considering the presentation, I think we also did well in using various materials to make our props, creating an excellent visual representation of the functions. Besides using cardboard to create the Life Tracker device, we also used acrylic paint on screen-sized resin-glass boards to represent the transparent projected interactive interface screen. 

However, I think our performance did not concisely present the significance and the purpose of our artifact. We repetitively highlighted that this device aims to “help people have a 100% happy life” in the performance. Yet, we intended to mean that the user can have a “conscious and meaningful life.” Our expression was misleading, unconvincing, and imprecise as no technology consisting of mere data can perfectly ensure the happiness of an unpredictable human life. 

Sketch of Life Tracker
Sketches of the Projection of the Screen
Sketch of the User Experience

During the project, I was mostly taking the role of lead in discussions, generating the final idea, and assigning works. In our first group meeting, we shared all our ideas of imaginary interactive artifacts, and for each one, we gave suggestions. Based on the ideas, we grouped some that shared similar functions and purposes. We selected the final idea by merging some similar proposals and set the base on Life Tracker. In our second meeting, we discussed the details of our performance:

  • The props we need.
  • The characters involved in our story.
  • The materials we need for creating props.

Then, we assigned the work to each member responsible for a few props so that no single person would have to do all the job. I was responsible for drawing the sketches and creating the transparent projected screens with Yunhe. I also helped with the creation of the Life Tracker device with Cathy. On the day before the performance, we rehearsed with our props. 

Projected Screens of Memories

Critical Analysis and Assessment of Another Group

Time Sense Controller

This group created an interactive artifact called Time Sense Controller, aiming to control time by compressing or prolonging the sense of time. It is a wearable device in a shape of a belt with a card slot to insert cards that accordingly compress or prolong time. The system also includes a separated device in satellites (presented as a box) as the terminal controlling the level of time sense.

I think this interactive artifact is very relevant to the Fish of Lijiang. Their design can merge into the context of the Fish of Lijiang, as the story mentioned about the technology. Based on the technology of “time sense compressor,” they expanded the functions to the flexible control over the level of time sense through a wearable device.

In terms of meeting the criteria, first, I think the artifact is part of the universe in which the narrative takes place because of the connection of similar technology. They also have identified the underlying severe social and ethical problems caused by the artifact’s existence: only a few people in power can get access to the time sense controller. This limited access to advanced technology represents that more social resources incline to the privileges, ultimately intensifying social class relationships.

However, I think the level of imagination is limited because the artifact is based mainly on the “time sense compressor” mentioned in the fictional story. I think it would be more “unique” if they could think beyond the known technologies and adding some novelty into the artifact. There is also lacking connections with the existing real-life technologies. I think the context and significance of the device are a bit too weak since it applying the time sense compressor mentioned in the fictional story into ordinary life as a well-developed technology.

Regarding their performance, I think the group has presented the artifact very clearly through several scenes showing the use of the time sense controller in different scenarios and their different effects. The most memorable part was the protagonist in their performance prolonged the time sense to avoid a car crash. The contrast between their emotional expression of terror during the car crash and the relief after prolonging the time sense concisely conveyed the function of their artifact in real life.

I think their device chose a creative manifestation of the functions through the belt. Rather than the commonly-seen wearable devices such as wrist bands or necklaces, this design is a breakthrough. But I think their design can be better if they can consider other ways of changing the level of time sense rather than inserting different cards as the users would have to carry the cards around, which is not very convenient. Also, during a car crash or some urgent situation, there might not be enough time for inserting cards. I think using a switch or a few buttons might be better. Besides that, as this artifact could only be accessed by the privileged, I think it would be more reasonable if this interactive artifact could be transparent. That will ensure that no other ordinary people will see the private use of this device.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *