Today I went to the Design Museum to have a sense of what products have been made and what are being made for the future and hoped it could spark off some ideas in my head for developement. Currently showing is the Brit Insurance Design Awards which showcases innovative designs from around the world. At first I come across a massive installation, by Dilight (Japan) which reminds me of a classic counting ball instrument which consists of hundreds of bead-shaped LED lights. The installation is to encourage viewers to use their imagination and create any shape or form. The interaction and playfulness with the installation gives viewers a greater understanding of the product and and generates a personal interpretation with the beads.
L-E-D-LED-L-ED by Dilight (Japan)
An interesting discovery at the museum was the "Design and Democracy: Blanke Art" by Blueroom, Innovativoli and KADABRA (Norway). Many voting systems make it difficult for some people to carry out their right vote and Blanke Art created a voting system that was accessible to everyone inlcuing wheelchair users, people with visual impairment and those who cannot read. This system has was tested in the Norweigen governmental elections 2009 and will be spread across the whole country's election board by 2011. This voting system not only allows all individuals to vote easily but also generates an awareness for other people who were not aware the difficulties it may be for some people. If the 2009 elections made a dramatic change in the voting system imagine what it could do for the General Elections 2010?
Design and Democracy: Blanke Art by Blueroom, Innovativoli and KADABRA
Another innovative accessible design is one developed in USA by members of Free Art and Technology, openFrameworks, Graffiti Research Lab, The Embeling Group and Tony Quan. It is called The EyeWriter which allows artists and graffiti writers to draw with their eyes by wearing a pair of software input eye-tracking glasses. Tony Quan, one of the developers, was diagnosed with arnyotrophic lateral scierosis (ALS) which left him almost paralysed except for the movement of his eyes. This product now allows any hopeful artists or software developers to connect and create eye art.
The EyeWriter developed by members of Free Art and Technology, openFrameworks, Graffiti Research Lab, The Embeling Group and Tony Quan
