Our Own Devices: How Technology Remakes Humanity. Frank Huang, Vy Nguyen, Diep Vo, Vivian Wu

Transcription

1 Our Own Devices: How Technology Remakes Humanity Frank Huang, Vy Nguyen, Diep Vo, Vivian Wu

2 Edward Tenner Historian of technology and culture Affiliate of the Center for Arts and Cultural Policy at Princeton's Woodrow Wilson Author of Why Thing Bites Back"

3 Main Ideas Introduce the inventions of everyday things that protect us, position us, or enhance our performances Technologies produces consequences that their makers never intended

4 Modern humanity is enmeshed in such omnipresent, interlocking technological institutions that technology and technique are inseparable. - Jacques Ellul Jacques Ellul (January 6, 1912 May 19, 1994) - A French professor of history, sociology and law, considered by many to be a philosopher. Writings criticized the threat of technology on humanity.

5 Technology, Technique and the Body Objects change behavior, but not always as inventors imagine they would Technological advancement improves ease of environmental interaction The versatility of the human hand and its ability to transfer such versatility

6 Technique can Transform Technology Muskets were heavy and dangerous, required soldiers to hold the weapon in one hand, while the other hand loads the weapon, lights the fuse and fires

7 Body Technique Gender and cultural differences in walking patterns Technique can be socially constructed and adopted amongst cultures and groups o o Ex: Women in African tribes Ex: Soldiers marching in drill

8 Technique in Sport When we use simple devices to move, position, extend or protect our bodies, our techniques result in changes to our bodies

9 Take Home Message By adopting devices, we can do more, we change our social selves. In other species, natural selection shapes the appearance of the animal. In humanity, technology helps shape our identity." - Edward Tenner

10 Zori Definition: a traditional Japanese style of sandal, much like a flip-flop, originally made with a straw sole. The thong sandal, with two straps anchored at three points, forming a V with its apex between the first and second toes, is known to nearly every nation and social class. Zori (zories is the official term of the U.S. Customs Service), thongs (originally Australian), flip-flops (originally New Zealand), slippers (Hawaii), slaps, flaps, beach walkers, and go-aheads.

11 History One of the first depictions of sandals, on a fivethousand-year-old Egyptian palette, is of the barefoot King Narmer followed by a servant bearing a pair of them. Sandals inspired not only elaborate techniques of manufacture but unexpected changes both in the feet and in the act of walking. What we wear evidently helps determine how we move. The manufacture of thong sandals on American soil appears to have begun in Hawaii during World War II. Zori is endlessly adaptable to new materials

12 Zori & technique The first rite of technical passage for the greater part of humanity is the use of footwear. We are the only animal that both makes and needs these objects for its well-being Footwear can protect feet and helps shape body technique Zori helps protect the foot from infection and kept it closer to its natural shape than closed shoes do, they also affected how the Japanese walked. Japanese differed in walking styles compared to other nations

13 Zori & technique study Japanese and American young men have different, unconscious techniques for walking in flip-flops. Americans, unaccustomed to them, tend to grip them more firmly and to insert the foot farther into them, keeping a smaller angle between foot and sandal. The American walk coordinates the motion of ankle and knee to keep the center of gravity vertically steady during motion, promoting forward acceleration into the next step. The Japanese subjects dragged the heels of the sandals as they walked. Both barefoot and with flip-flops, the Japanese landed not with the heel strike characteristic of the American subjects but with the forefoot or flat-footed, a technique that does not absorb the shock as effectively.

14 Take Home Message The zori sandal appears to be wonderfully universal, improving the health of people in the developing world yet adaptable to the high fashion of the West Each modification of the environment increases the pace of the technological treadmill. The bigger picture of zori: insecure foothold, and where parasites or other natural hazards are not serious issues, it may not be an improvement over the pleasure of walking the earth Technology can always be remade into something better

15 Posture Chairs Chair both reflect and shape how we move and how we rest. - Edward Tenner

16 Children s posture Beginning in 1850s, concerns about uniform desks that cause twisting and slumping in children at school. In 1880, medical authority claimed the percentage of schoolchildren with misaligned spinal cords was from 83-92%.

17 Standard School Furniture Russia was the first country to launch health standards for school furniture. Reform movement of standard school furniture involved adjustments for seat and backrest height, distance between chair and table, back support and graded sizes. These features were helpful to growing bodies.

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19 Women Workers chairs Innovation idea for chairs that have lumbar support. Invention of typewriter s chair, chairs that are featured curved rest for the lower back, adjustable swivel by three curves, and flexible metal rods.

20 Other Areas of Invention Specialized chairs for travel, hair cutting, surgery...

21 Important Messages Chairs are designed based on human needs and technological advancements. Chairs are linked with their users and reshape the people they contain.

22 Helmets Invented for military purposes. Sacrifice the comfort for protection Increase the human head by 2 or 3 kgs Limits both peripheral vision and hearing One of the oldest external modifications of the body, possibly older than the chair"

23 History of helmet First appeared in the 3rd century, BC (made of leather, felt..) Metals helmets, used World Wars Kevlar helmets, used in sports, mining, police...