Imagine you are writing a story longhand. The pen hits the paper and you’re just going. Not every word is perfect, the phrasing isn’t on point, and you’re not sure how to spell every word. But it’s not about that. It’s about getting it on the page. Once your done, you have all these marks and scratches and weird stuff that doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. But it’s there. Why can’t we get that satisfaction on a computer? We have to go to a tab to figure out the changes we’ve made along the way. Even then, there’s no emotion to it. It just outlines when you made changes. Why can’t the way we write be like the way we write? So here’s the pitch: an interface that mimics the visualization of an artist going insane. Actual marks on the page. Imagine microsoft word, but every time you hit the backspace, the letter doesn’t go away. A line just goes through it. You see the changes you’ve made right there as though you have written it longhand, except for it’s accessible to everyone. You don’t have to deal with your own garbage penmanship. All that chicken scratch is right there for you.

This inkling first came about while we were reading something I’m not allowed to talk about on the internet, but those in the know will know what that is.

But this really relates to the Kari Kraus reading. That was all about how the way we’ve read in the past and the way we read now and the way we will read in the future are all connected. In order to innovate, we have to manipulate, make new things happen. But what of the old way? One could argue the way we track changes in word processors is more efficient and less messy. But what happens to creativity? Isn’t that supposed to be messy? What I’m trying to do with this idea is make computing less robotic and more human. We don’t think by separating our mistakes and our final outcome. We think about all of the at the same time. Whether it be for research or the next young adult novel, the most important part of writing is rewriting. With the system we have now of looking at revision, there’s no soul. The objective is to hide the mistakes and provide a perfect piece. But the problem is in our mistakes we find the best work. Young writers have a tough time with editing themselves. This new system would make it easier to visualize the editing process and learn from the natural cutting and adding that happens in writing. The current system is taking away from the old system of editing effectively. Learning from our mistakes rather than getting rid of them. Nothing shows that humanity isn’t perfect like chicken scratch in a moleskin. Why are we going away from that?

Education is in need of and always will be ready for positive changes. All too often do we find young children struggling to grasp the most basic material, and once they’ve fallen behind they end up staying behind and below for no good reason. In recent times, focusing on one sense and one task at a time has become so very difficult for the general populace: no longer can we sit quietly to work… We must be relaxed in some ‘calm’ setting while music blares from within our headphones and we simultaneously attempt to read, write, and browse the internet on our computers. The best way to fight this collective jumbling of the senses is simple: if you can’t beat it, encourage it and develop it in a beneficial way. I present to you the brand new Synesthizer and with it I hope to cure the population of human beings with attention deficiency by discombobulating you all even further than ever before imagined!

Essentially the device is a learning tool for young children and even adults. We hope to cater to schools around the world, parents with children who are particularly in need of assistance with schoolwork, and any adults who wish to have the experience of synesthesia. It serves to grant one with the bewildering neurological phenomena of synesthesia in any of its forms. Many studies have shown that multiple types of synesthesia (rightly named ‘union of the senses’) can produce helpful responses in cognitive and perceptual processes of the mind. The device aims to provide one with access to 7 basic forms of synesthesia including:

• Grapheme-color – Though it is already one of the most common types of synesthesia, it involves the association of certain letters or numbers (any character) with a particular color. Grapheme-color synesthesia is most often conducive to the learning of reading and writing, allowing children to more easily spell and put together words.

• Chromesthesia – Also quite common today, chromesthesia is defined as the linkage of sounds and colors or distinct visual experiences. This form of synesthesia is most capable of producing stronger musicians as many individuals who already have it are reported to more easily discern musical notes and pitch.
• Spatial Sequence Synesthesia (SSS) – SSS creates a bond between numerical sequences and points in space and time. Though every case varies, often people with SSS have stronger and more detailed memories of specific events.
• Number form – Allows one to view numbers as a mental visual map.
• Auditory-tactile – Sounds produce kinesthetic responses by the brain and body.
• Mirror-touch – An odd form of synesthesia in which one experiences the same sensation that another noticeable human being is feeling. This can be quite conducive to the empathy levels of young children.
• Lexical-gustatory – When one experiences certain tastes in association with a word.

These sensations (or mixing of) range from associating letters, numbers or other characters with a color to feeling a mirrored sensation of what one views another human experiencing. All of these may not be quite as accommodating to adults as they would be to children. According to Vannevar Bush, “every time one combines and records facts in accordance with established logical processes, the creative aspect of thinking is concerned only with the selection of the date and the process to be employed and the manipulation thereafter is repetitive in nature” (4). I don’t suggest we relegate all tedious tasks to machines, rather I believe it would be more beneficial to the human race if we could make the mundane interesting and creative just by changing our own train of thought. Fortunately,it is known that after enough usage of the device, young minds will continue to have these combinations of the senses on their own, which isn’t exactly a bad thing. Considering that the entire point of this device is to establish a simpler blend of senses that allows children to ease into and develop sturdier methods for going about daily tasks with less confusion, it may in fact be a very good thing that the brain will take on the forms of synesthesia after a month long period of activity. Most studies find that synesthetes consistently score better in experiments testing one’s reliability of associations. With this in mind and the knowledge that most people already experiencing synesthesia view it as an at least somewhat pleasant quality, it only makes sense that this phenomena should be (carefully) taken advantage of.

In reference to the physicality and materiality of the Synesthizer, it solely a tiny computer chip which can do a multitude of things. For production it requires a quite complicated interior of computer programming and the works, yet it’s a simple rectangular figure made mostly of copper wiring, integrated circuits, and a plastic covering (‘Made In China’ is sure to be engraved upon every single one of them). The petite nature of the device is in part due to the fact that much of what it does is immaterial (i.e. a reaction in the human body). In this case, Jussi Parikka was correct with his definition of digital culture “as an immaterial sphere of information where ideas become coded into zeroes and ones, independent of material substrate,” though this device specifically is not linked with the internet and really has no reason to be at the moment. We plan to distribute the technology as either an attachment for devices that already exist worldwide such as the Oculus Rift, Google Glass, Android Wear, and even for smart phones in general (with an app). To get the most out of the technology it’s recommended that you purchase the entire set that comes along with the Synesthizer, which will include a custom fit virtual goggle set of our own craft (with attachable scent chamber), a body suit for tactile response (optional), and a state of the art headset for all intensive listening purposes.

In the end, we here at Go-Bod Productions hope our device shall aid anyone willing to utilize it. For educational purposes and for the future health of our children, we ask you to please use this device wisely.

Slogans and Mottos:

The Synesthizer – Working today for a united tomorrow!

The United Senses Project – Synthesis is what we hope to achieve!

Works Cited

Parikka, Jussi. “The Geology of Media.” (n.d.): n. pag. The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, 11 Oct. 2013. Web. 16 Nov. 2014.

Bush, Vannevar. “As We May Think.” The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, 01 July 1945. Web. 16 Nov. 2014.

Lev Manovich, expert in new media theory, once wrote that “new media technology acts as the most perfect realization of the utopia of an ideal society composed of unique individuals” (Manovich).  White Space aims to extend that idea to the word processor.  Over the years since its origin in the 1960s there have been innumerable features that have come and gone from word processing, many of which have been lost over time due to either non-use, user preference, or simply because of new technology.  With White Space, the user can bring them all back, or keep them all gone.  In recent years there has been a trend towards spartan, disconnected devices that allow for keys to make letters appear on a screen and nothing else, White Space will afford the user the ability to turn their own computer into such a device as well.  Through an initial setup that requires the user to select or deselect a number of features, anything from spell-check to condition-based internet connection, White Space will be fully programmable in an extremely user friendly and intuitive manner. 

Not only will users be able to essentially custom design a word processor of their own, but they will be able to save any number of these presets for use on a range of documents or projects; document specific presets and configurations will also be available for those that would rather not set up their own.  To bring this image to life, the software may appear in a variety of different manners, again depending on user preference; anything from a spare white screen with black text or white text on a black screen, to text editor formatting, to a traditional wordesque look, White Space aims to accommodate any and all users of word processors, even the notoriously stubborn George R.R. Martin.  Numerous fonts will also be available, and downloading new ones from the internet will be made as simple as possible by integrating online databases of fonts into the system’s user interface.  With the ability to redesign the way the toolbars and features work and look, White Space will be able to serve as a way to recreate word processors of the past while at the same time allowing for new user-generated creations to take hold.  In regards to internet connectivity, one of White Space’s unique features is the ability for the user to allow the program to control the computer’s online access.  For writers who wish to remain distraction-free but need to write on their computers, White Space will have the ability to restrict internet access unless certain conditions are met.  These conditions may range from needing to reach a specific word or page count to password protection (theoretically generated by someone else, a friend perhaps).  

 As Matthew Kirschenbaum explains in the opening paragraph of his upcoming work  Track Changes, a book dedicated to the word processor, there are already a number of word processors on the market, however I believe that White Space’s elegant design and ability to cater to both casual and deep users will make it popular among a very wide range of demographics.  Not only will users be able to to have their word processor look and act the way they want it to, but White Space will play nicely with other existing software including cloud-based systems.  This means that anyone who currently uses Pages, for example, will be able to easily convert all of their documents into  White Space documents, and anyone who has White Space as their default word processor will be able to automatically open any document sent to them, no matter the format.  In this way White Space is universal in both user interface and in the realm of document sharing.

If an ad campaign for white space were to be launched it would revolve around the overall simplicity of the software while at the same time conveying to consumers the wide range of customizable features.  The title at the top of the first page would be more or less what the add consisted of, with the right side a black background with white text.  The letters themselves, however, would be made up of interconnecting designs and formatting icons, speaking to the underlaying complexity of the program.  Other ads might also feature the two-tone layout, however rather than the patterns existing within the letters, the white half would be filled with black designs and symbols around the text while the black side simply displayed the white text, or vice versa.  The initial word, “w  i t e” also allows for intentional misinterpretation in that it may be read as both “white”, speaking towards the programs default layout and overall simplicity, or “write” an equally descriptive word. On this note, great efforts would be made to have a strong online presence in both ads and in google searches.  I understand the risk involved with having a name that may be easily misread, and therefore searches for “white space”, “write space”, and “wite spce” would lead to the website. Thinking past the initial launch, the program would be kept in order as bugs are discovered via online patches and updates.  A user help line, or online chatroom connecting users with those who understand the software deeply would allow for streamlined and efficient trouble-shooting.  Lastly, in addition to these updates, new suites of features or crafty user-generated preset combinations would become available as they came to the surface. 

At the same time the PC, Mac, and Linux versions of the program go live, there will be an accompanying app on both iOS and Android dubbed White Space Mobile.  Download codes would be included for any who purchased the parent program, and others would be able to buy the mobile version on its own.  The app will also support the same simple programmability as the the parent version, but with features catering towards hand-held devices.  The key aspect of this mobile version will be the option to have an extremely fast start-up, putting the user directly into a new document, enabling them to get ideas down as quickly as possible, no matter the situation.  Ideally, iPhone users will be able to affix Word Space Mobile to the lock screen along side or replacing the camera function, thereby getting them into a document with one swipe without ever even entering the home screen, though if the user has a passcode on their phone they would remain locked out of the rest of their documents until they input their device’s code for safety purposes.  The app will likewise have the ability to disconnect the device entirely from the grid, blocking phone calls, alarms, text messages, or any number of other distractions one might encounter, all at the user’s discretion. 

White Space Mobile is a perfect example of the idea at the core of what White Space does: it facilitates writing in as many ways as possible.  By removing any friction a normal word processor might create during the writing process the product allows the user to focus on creating alone.  This principle is reflected in the design of both products, as each of them aim to get as many words on the page as possible in a shortest, most natural amount of time.

Though White Space would undoubtedly be an online download, available via a website, there would naturally be physical and environmental impacts of its creation.  As Jussi Parikka writes in his article entitled “The Geology of Media”, it is a “fallacy that media is increasingly immaterial, wireless, and smoothly clouded by data services” and in regard to this need for sustainability-focused software products, any discs, packaging, or transportation of materials would have an inherent effect on the environment.  In balancing this impact, White Space would be developed using as much renewable energy as possible, and any internal waste created would be disposed of in an environmentally sound way.  When searching for a company to mass produce physical copies, (if needed) I would endeavor to find the most earth-friendly and ethical company possible. 

In summation, White Space is simply something I have always wanted.  I myself  am easily distracted and appreciate the simplicity some word processors present, but buying a machine simply to run a word processor is extremely inconvenient as well as cost prohibitive, and many other word processors either lack features I want or have features I don’t and can’t turn off.  After asking around I know I am not the only one who is dissatisfied.  Being able to force oneself to write, regardless of the quality of the writing is always important in getting started; once the ball is rolling, writing only becomes easier, and that’s what White Space will do, make writing and sharing easier than ever.

W  r k s   C i t  d :

Hayles, Katherine. How We Think: Digital Media and Contemporary Technogenesis. Chicago: U of Chicago, 2012. Print.

Manovich, Lev. The Language of New Media. Cambridge, MA: MIT, 2001. Print.

Parikka, Jussi. “The Geology of Media.” The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, 11 Oct. 2013. Web. 13 Sept. 2014.

As students progress in the education system, they are faced with complicated, lengthy texts that they often have trouble comprehending. Students find themselves reading these complex academic texts and realize that, without knowing it, they have sped through four pages and did not absorb any of the information. As digital technologies have started to overtake print, our attention spans have shrunk and become “a limiting, scarce resource” (Hayles 16). Everyday we read and write in short-form through digital technologies, like texting, tweeting, etc. We no longer have the attentiveness to read and comprehend extensive texts (Kirschenbaum 6). Because of this, I am proposing an application that connects to e-readers to reduce distraction and encourage focus and comprehension while reading, called the Comprehension Coach. When opening an academic text on the Comprehension Coach, all that can be seen is the first chapter. In order to see the next chapter, the reader must “unlock” it by answering critical questions about the content of the first chapter. The application will be accessible through students and teachers. This way, the teachers can compose the questions and guide them toward the information or topics most relevant to what they are teaching in class. The questions would be answered in short sentences and would be gaged correct or incorrect by if they include key phrases originally input by the teacher. If a student answers incorrectly, a summary of the chapter, also inputted by the teacher, will pop up. The student must verbatim type this summary to unlock the next chapter. In order for students to be sure they have the questions that correlate to their teacher, there would be a drop down menu on the homepage that have them put in the name of their school and then gives them a list of teachers.

Much of this application is built upon the current technologies of gaming and Quizlet. In video games and smartphone game applications, the next level is not accessible until you get through the current level. Why should reading be different than this? If a student cannot get through to the next chapter without finishing the current chapter, this forces them to fully focus their attention so that they can completely understand the content of what they are reading. Although it is common for authors to have critical thinking questions at the end of a book or text and for teachers to hold class discussions, these questions and discussions always come after the completion of reading. These questions and discussions would be much more beneficial if students had something of the like while actually working on the reading. Having questions at the end of a chapter not only focuses the student, but further engages them in the reading. The Comprehension Coach is also built upon Quizlet in how it gages whether an answer is correct or incorrect. In the “learn” function on Quizlet, students type the answer that they think is correct and if they get part of the definition, or a key phrase, correct, Quizlet highlights that phrase. If they get it wrong, the website has them type the definition word for word before they can move on. This heavily inspired the logistics of how to unlock the next chapter.

The Comprehension Coach would be useful for students and teacher starting in elementary school, however it would be extremely useful for university students and professors. In this day and age, university students have many other time commitments besides their classes and often try to equally focus their attention on all of them. This application would compel them to comprehend and concentrate on what they are actually meant to be reading, rather than allowing them to skim through it. It would also let professors guide the reading in the direction most suitable for what they are teaching.

While this application could be beneficial to all students, it would be particularly beneficial to students with attention problems, whether this means an actual learning disability or just someone who gets distracted easily. Because our society has become so technical, the products of our society need to recognize the way this changes human cognition and makes us less attentive (Hayles 86).The application has the text and questions in one place so that there is no need to turn from the text, creating distractions. Because it makes you think about what you are reading while you are actually reading the text, rather than completely after the fact, you are more likely to absorb the material.

Logistically, the Comprehension Coach would connect to e-readers through an email account. The application would be downloaded on a smartphone, tablet, or laptop and you would need to create an account through an email address. The e-reader would have a login section that makes the application directly accessible. In order for this to work, either Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Apple would have to be willing to collaborate to use the application on either the Kindle, Nook, or iBooks. Then, a technician from one of those companies will embed two versions of the application into the e-reader: one for educators and one for students. The one for educators will allow them to simply upload questions and key terms for each chapter while the one for students will just allow them to answer the questions.

This product would be marketed towards students, teachers, parents, schools, and any other institute of learning or education. Since the point of this application is to promote attentiveness and it does this through “locking” chapters of a text, I have come up with the slogan of “unlock your attention”.

Advertisements will be placed on websites catered towards students, like Sparknotes, Schmoop, and Gradesaver. Students gravitate toward these websites when they do not understand what their reading, but with the Comprehension Coach they will not need these websites.

Works Cited

Hayles, Katherine. How We Think: Digital Media and Contemporary Technogenesis. Chicago: U of Chicago, 2012. Print.

Kirschenbaum, Matthew. Track Changes, A Literary History of Word Processing. N.p.: Harvard                       UP, 2014. Print.