BCNM in Made @ Berkeley
We are so delighted — but not at all surprised — at the array of fascinating projects that members of the BCNM community have created. Here are just a few pieces that were featured on Berkeley Arts + Design Gallery's "Made at Berkeley" collection.
Julia Park
ThermoGloves, 2018
ThermoGloves are a pair of gloves attuned to the surrounding environment, changing the temperature based on what the user visualizes through a VR headset. This project questions why current VR systems primarily focus only on visual and audio immersion while neglecting other senses.
Students from BCNM faculty Eric Paulos' Critical Making course
Together, 2019
Together is a wearable device designed for caretakers of people with severe autism, connecting them to external support networks such as school taechers. The wearable has two components: the electronic housing and the latching mechanism that works with a corresponding phone app.
ABC Toy Dolly, 2019
Reimagining the definition of PLAY, ABC Toy Dolly is directly inspired by children's toy dollies and furtniture dollies. Utilizing materials such as LED lights and an accompanying app, ABC Toy Dolly provides a wide range of games for users to partake in.
Sonia Uppal & Soravis (Sun) Prakkamakul
Toxic Tie, 2019
This necktie has been trained to recognize when misogynistic words or phrases are being spoken, and reacts by folding up and tapping the wearer on the face as a way to incite reflecting on their actions. When the wearer says something complimentary, they are rewarded. As a specualtive design piece, the Toxic Tie was created to take action on workplace misogyny without having victims worrying about facing consequences for standing up to a perpetuator.
Fang Fang, Rashad Timmons & Sonia Uppal
Bubblo Picasso, 2019
Augmented as a standard baby walker, Bublo Piccaso attempts to demonstrate a responsiveness to parents' separation anxiety from their children. A Leap Motion Controller is used to read the baby's movements, which can convert these motions to art so that family members can remotely view them in real time. Additionally, music and bubbles are played to enhance this digitally artistic experience.
Eleni Oikonomaki, Rashad Timmons, Lian Song & Bryan Truitt
Obscura Collective, 2019
In an age of enhanced surveillance and identification, the Collective Obscura have created a fashion line meant to be both aesthetically forward and technically subversive, disrupting the idea that the body is profitable data. Utilizing the materials of different properties to achieve "camouflage, obscurity and opacity," the Collective aims to provoke resistance and a larger movement.
Elnaz Tafrihi
Jester, 2019
Jester is a wearable communication device, relying on arm movements to define mappings between gestures and meanings. When a user repeatedly performs a gester, the Jester absorbs this information via machine learning. The product would include a feature that tracks habitual movements like shaking legs, and issuing immediate reminders to halt them.
Isha Patel
"Fact Filtr" App Product Pitch, 2019
"Fact Filtr" is an imaginary app designed to tackle issues of mis- and dis-information in the media. In a 1:30 product pitch, Isha delves into the societal issues the app hopes to solve.
Vivian Liu
Social Butterfly, 2018
Social Butterfly are wearable wings that encourage its users to socialize, using a motor-actuated fluttering motion to attract potential playmates. The six panels on the wings invite children to interact with the device directly, whether by illuminating one of the mosaics or simply drawing and writing on them.