Reading Response:
I resonate with the reading’s premise that disability design must evolve from mere practicality to an embrace of fashion and artistic expression. This shift not only empowers users but enables them to sculpt their identities—both in how they see themselves and how they are seen by others—through distinctive, personalized devices. Take eyewear as a poignant illustration of this concept: its triumph lies in the diversity of choices, such as an array of frame styles that resonate culturally, enabling individuals to exude confidence rather than embarrassment. In the same vein, Mullins’ prosthetic designs highlight how aesthetics can harmonize with personal flair, bolstering self-worth and enhancing social engagement, much like the way we choose our attire or adorn ourselves with jewelry.
To further this dialogue, I suggest harnessing innovative, interactive design tools like p5.js to create dynamic platforms where users can tailor assistive devices in real-time. By allowing them to select shapes, hues, and materials that echo their personal tastes and lifestyle choices, we align with the reading’s call for user autonomy. This transforms design into a participatory experience where individuals take an active role in shaping the aesthetics and functionality of their devices, akin to selecting outfits that express their unique style. Such tools have the potential to democratize the design process, making it accessible and inclusive while cultivating a culture that celebrates disability as a vibrant expression of individuality.
Moreover, this approach tackles the reading’s concerns about universal design by emphasizing personalized solutions. By incorporating sensor-driven inputs like gesture or voice controls, these platforms can cater to a broad spectrum of abilities, reflecting the user-friendly elegance reminiscent of the iPod interface. This not only fulfills the reading’s vision of design as an act of empowerment but also positions technology as a dynamic intersection of art, fashion, and disability, resulting in devices that are not only functional and beautiful but also deeply personal.
Final Project Preliminary Concept:
My concept combines generative music and art with arduino through a new type of sensor (Heart Rate Sensor). This would connect to the radial artery on the wrist, and the user’s heart rate will be sent to arduino and then through a serial connection to p5.js in real-time. p5.js will have a pre-defined set of musical nodes and visual graphics which will respond to the user’s heart rate, this is effectively a visual data representation of BPM.
The output then is the generative artwork (in synch and contributing to the experimental generated music). The experience would last 2 minutes and the user’s input to change the visuals and music.
I also want to incorporate 3 midi style touch sensors which facilitate the person’s interaction with my project. To make them intuitive , I will place them vertically (left for back, middle for pausing/continuing, right to go forward) which will allow the user to filter through different algorithms of how the musical nodes and visual representations are produced.