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C02 Inflation
A final year project designed as part of the 2017 graduate show at the National College of Art and Design, Dublin
Shackleton won the award for Transdisciplinary design 2017 IDI Ireland and shortlisted under the category of Clothing Design
It was also named as a highlight of the 2017 graduate showcase NCAD
Shackleton is a consumer product designed in response to our 21st Century lives. It is a wearable tool for modern sensory exploration that aims to disrupt everyday mundane routine by highlighting sensory experiences within the city. Inspired by those who have alternative sensory perceptions of the world, Shackleton aims to challenge how we value sensory experiences throughout our lives. Our modern society has evolved rapidly over the last century becoming defined and consumed by technology and convenient devices designed to 'improve' our lives but often distract us from life itself. To often we fail to simply watch, listen, smell, taste or feel the world around us.
Shackleton is a system of modern technology within a fashionable jacket. It uses GPS tracking to allow the user to go out into the world in search of sensory experiences. Once the explorer finds a sensory experience they mark their position by inflating their jacket, logging it to an ever growing sensory map of the city accessible to all jacket users. The Jacket also allows the user to navigate to these pre-discovered sensory experiences through touch. Embedded within the jacket’s cuffs are haptic motor bands that vibrate at an increasing intensity as the navigator comes within a certain distance from the experience thus leading them there through touch. All aspects of the jacket can be set and controlled through a simple app.
The term ‘Exploration’ is defined as “to explore an unknown area”. Humans have traversed the globe, discovered and documented every country there is. therefore modern exploration is now that of a sensory nature as in our modern society we have lost touch with our basic sensory stimulants and fail to take in the world around us, and life itself.
The blind for example use their sense of touch for navigation. This is often seen as a disability but through a considered perspective may give rise to previously unconsidered opportunities. Imagine knowing where you are instantly by the location’s smell instead of searching for street signs. Perhaps this disability is a super ability. What if we all used and valued our senses in this way?
The GPS Pully
Scenario: Explorer vs Navigator
The sensory explorer is on Thomas Street in Dublin. They smell the scent of the famous roasted hops streaming from the Guinness brewery invigorating their sense of smell. They then inflate their jacket logging this experience and their exact location to the Shackleton app creating an ever growing sensory map of Dublin. They will then write a brief description of that experience for that location.
A navigator can in turn find this logged experience through haptic touch. As they come within a preset distance of the experience their jacket’s cuffs will begin to vibrate more intensely the closer they get leading them to the mark. Once found they can read the description written by the explorer on their app and then send it to another navigator they know, sharing the experience thus creating a community of sensory explorers.
Each part of the entire design was considered through both functional and narrative lenses. Everything works but also has been influenced by past and present explorers through material choice, colour, shape etc. For example the Pulley takes influence from navigation compasses of old but takes on a minimalist form and contemporary material creating a modern exploration narrative with a subtle nod to the past.
Shackleton is not just a jacket. It acts as as a reminder to truly take in and experience life first hand, not through a screen. It is product to lead considered designs that benefit and enhance our society by allowing us to reflect on what matters in life. This projects aims to create discussion that reflects on our technology based lives and generate true societal behavioural change. In the future Shackleton may take another form such as a publication to again challenge our values in everyday experience.
Testing
Public Reaction
Shackleton
Inflatable Form Prototyping
Haptic Navigation
GPS Tracking
LEG IT.....
Pattern Sowing
C02 Pulley Assembly
Waxing
GPS Soldering
Making
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