Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

Link to this comparison view

Both sides previous revision Previous revision
Next revision		 Previous revision
Next revisionBoth sides next revision
research_report_theun_karelse [2008-02-21 13:03] – theunkarelseresearch_report_theun_karelse [2008-02-21 14:01] – theunkarelse
Line 1: Line 1:
 +
 +
 +
  
  
Line 21: Line 24:
  
  
- +{{man.jpg|man.jpg}}\\ 
 +Picture from: Le Portefeuille Industriel, a collection of technical drawings from Musée des Arts et Métiers.
  
  
Line 44: Line 47:
 The Tsunamipants project shows the traps that are hidden in responding to problems by coming up with solutions that are built within the limits of the problem. This invariably creates new versions of the same problem, it doesn't solve them. The Tsunamipants project shows the traps that are hidden in responding to problems by coming up with solutions that are built within the limits of the problem. This invariably creates new versions of the same problem, it doesn't solve them.
  
-That is the tragedy in which the inventor Martin Brolin is caught in the Tsunamipants project. Martin engages the extreme weather conditions that are associated with future climate changes and tries to engineer his way out-off  danger. In his work Mr. Brolin suffers from lack of expertise, lack of talent, lack of budged, oversized ambition and being over-all mediocre. These are common human traits that run beneath the surface of positive social change. To be able to construct anything realistically and therefor longlasting, I suggest we start by acknowledging that there is nothing inherently wrong with being mediocre. I realise that this goes against giant forces in popular culture, but Martin is deliberately portrayed as a mediocre inventor, although I only later became fully conscious of why I was doing this.+That is the tragedy in which the inventor [[Martin Brolin]] is caught in the Tsunamipants project. Martin engages the extreme weather conditions that are associated with future climate changes and tries to engineer his way out-off  danger. In his work Mr. Brolin suffers from lack of expertise, lack of talent, lack of budged, oversized ambition and being over-all mediocre. These are common human traits that run beneath the surface of positive social change. To be able to construct anything realistically and therefor longlasting, I suggest we start by acknowledging that there is nothing inherently wrong with being mediocre. I realise that this goes against giant forces in popular culture, but Martin is deliberately portrayed as a mediocre inventor, although I only later became fully conscious of why I was doing this.
  
  
Line 62: Line 65:
  
 == Positive change. == == Positive change. ==
-Recently some advocates of change based on positive arguments have become more visible such as the 'Slow-Food'-movement, the 'Cradle-toCradle' and 'Permaculture' design principles. These forces originate from the possibility of improving the quality of life, this includes of course other life-forms besides humans.((VPRO-Tegenlicht documentary series))+Recently some advocates of change based on positive arguments have become more visible such as the 'Slow-Food'-movement, the 'Cradle-to-Cradle' and 'Permaculture' design principles. These forces originate from the possibility of improving the quality of life, this includes of course other life-forms besides humans.((VPRO-Tegenlicht documentary series))
  
 == Tsunamipants applied in a society of risks. == == Tsunamipants applied in a society of risks. ==
Line 127: Line 130:
  
   * if the actual outcomes are different than the expected outcome, the reasons for this should be explained in the "discussion" section   * if the actual outcomes are different than the expected outcome, the reasons for this should be explained in the "discussion" section
 +
 +
 +
 +
  
  
Line 139: Line 146:
 == Designing Tsunamipants, how it works. == == Designing Tsunamipants, how it works. ==
 The first step to design portable safety technology for natural disasters is to make a full list of these horrors. From this the first opportunities for design become apparent. This can be complemented by a list of controversial technologies, events, objects or places connected to the Climate change discussion, such as biofuels, air-travel, SUV-s and holiday-resorts. By pairing disasters to items from the other lists inspiring combinations can be found. The first step to design portable safety technology for natural disasters is to make a full list of these horrors. From this the first opportunities for design become apparent. This can be complemented by a list of controversial technologies, events, objects or places connected to the Climate change discussion, such as biofuels, air-travel, SUV-s and holiday-resorts. By pairing disasters to items from the other lists inspiring combinations can be found.
-Making a collection of historic and current solutions in wearable safety systems, gives a greater scope of possibilities in this field. +Making a collection of historic and current solutions in wearable safety systems, gives a greater scope of possibilities in this field. I also looked at protective systems used by animals, for instance the fat-layer used by sealions for insulation and food reserve. And I based Martin's design of the jelly suit on this. Another place to look for good ideas is comicbooks; the superstrenghts often mimic animal strategies.
  
 == Designing Martin Brolin. == == Designing Martin Brolin. ==
Line 145: Line 152:
  
 Martin should be European, because of the Christian flavouring of the Climate change debate so I chose Sweden. The unforbidding natural forces that shape that country would also shape the right kind of mental state for my survival engineer. In retrospect it is remarkable to see that for tackling the issues connected with the changing climate, I designed a suffering man in his thirties with long hair. The Christian imagery must have been playing in the back-ground. Martin should be European, because of the Christian flavouring of the Climate change debate so I chose Sweden. The unforbidding natural forces that shape that country would also shape the right kind of mental state for my survival engineer. In retrospect it is remarkable to see that for tackling the issues connected with the changing climate, I designed a suffering man in his thirties with long hair. The Christian imagery must have been playing in the back-ground.
 +
 +
  
  
Line 152: Line 161:
  
 Giving environmental problems a direct physical presence for people is one of the great obstacles within the debate. Things happen too slow to see and feel, but extreme weather that is associated with climate change is very tangible. Although it is too big to bring to peoples physical reality, like Saint Francis of Assisi often did, tsunamipants resemble the 'stunt-element' Francis used. And although he did these 'stunts' as a live-show, which may very well be crucial to their success, I will just tell the story of Martin Brolin on paper to start with. And just how far Martin Brolin's activities are going to extend into other media and reality, will become apparent as the project unfolds. Giving environmental problems a direct physical presence for people is one of the great obstacles within the debate. Things happen too slow to see and feel, but extreme weather that is associated with climate change is very tangible. Although it is too big to bring to peoples physical reality, like Saint Francis of Assisi often did, tsunamipants resemble the 'stunt-element' Francis used. And although he did these 'stunts' as a live-show, which may very well be crucial to their success, I will just tell the story of Martin Brolin on paper to start with. And just how far Martin Brolin's activities are going to extend into other media and reality, will become apparent as the project unfolds.
 +
 +
 +== DIY culture. ==
 +There are great results to be gained from direct action. This was shown by Srinivasan Soundara Rajan and Marko Peljhan at the Luminous Green symposium and by Suprabha Seshan at the Hands-on Change symposium. ((luminousgreen.org)) The Tsunamipants research project tapps into this tradition and hopefully with the same infectious enthusiasm.
 +
 +
 +== Case study. ==
 +I made one case study by following the events around a particularly violent storm on January 18, 2007 in the Netherlands.\\
 +[[Storm]]
 +
 +
  
  
 ==== Solution/Results ==== ==== Solution/Results ====
  
-== Working process ==+== Working process and results.== 
 + 
 +This research gave me a much richer picture of meteorology, global systems and safety engineering. 
 + 
 +The list of weather catastrophes: 
 +  * hurricanes / tornadoes 
 +  * storms 
 +  * thunderstorms and lightning 
 +  * snowstorms 
 +  * sandstorms 
 +  * extreme hydroliths, like giant hailstones 
 +  * avalanches 
 +  * landslides 
 +  * mud-streams 
 +  * lavastreams 
 +  * earth-quakes and tremors 
 +  * flooding 
 +  * tsunamis 
 +  * drought 
 +  * smoke and ash 
 +  * mist 
 + 
 +How they hurt: 
 +  * overheating / sunstroke 
 +  * hypothermia / frostbite 
 +  * UV-damage 
 +  * dehydration 
 +  * drowning 
 +  * falling through ice 
 +  * hunger 
 +  * and the various diseases that move trough refugee camps. 
 + 
 +Urban dangers: 
 +  * gas-leaks 
 +  * fire 
 +  * power-failure 
 +  * falling power-cables 
 +  * collapsing structures and large things falling over 
 +  * panicking masses 
 + 
 +Positive side-effects: 
 + 
 +  * these horrors may result in Leapfrogging effects for the regions or nations affected. 
 +  * many superheroes got their power in accidents so this might create opportunities for those supernaturally inclined. 
 What became apparent during the Tsunamipants project is the constant need for new angles. The first design was for a piece of clothing that can help to survive a disaster; the Tsunamipants. You can go on creating more designs for clothing, but the novelty wears off soon. So I moved to SUV-s with the Inflatable-hummer, tackling the debate around climate change from a new perspective. This became a working strategy. Switching to tourism (forest-fire cuisine), eco-art (edibleTRG), food-politics (beggar bumper) and alternative fuels (cowpod). What became apparent during the Tsunamipants project is the constant need for new angles. The first design was for a piece of clothing that can help to survive a disaster; the Tsunamipants. You can go on creating more designs for clothing, but the novelty wears off soon. So I moved to SUV-s with the Inflatable-hummer, tackling the debate around climate change from a new perspective. This became a working strategy. Switching to tourism (forest-fire cuisine), eco-art (edibleTRG), food-politics (beggar bumper) and alternative fuels (cowpod).
  
Line 164: Line 228:
  
  
-== Protective Suits: ==+ 
 + 
 +== Protective Suits. ==
  
  
Line 173: Line 239:
   * [[ExoSkeletons]] > for getting out-off rubble-heaps etc.   * [[ExoSkeletons]] > for getting out-off rubble-heaps etc.
   
-== Accessories: ==+== Accessories. ==
  
   * [[Footware]] > these boots are made for.. all kinds of things.   * [[Footware]] > these boots are made for.. all kinds of things.
Line 179: Line 245:
   * [[Head Protection]] > how to keep your head from falling off or rotting away.   * [[Head Protection]] > how to keep your head from falling off or rotting away.
  
-== Tools: ==+== Tools. ==
  
   * [[Emergency Storage]] > pretty amazing tools for any emergency.   * [[Emergency Storage]] > pretty amazing tools for any emergency.
Line 187: Line 253:
   * [[Medical Aids]] > hackable medical devices.   * [[Medical Aids]] > hackable medical devices.
  
-== Special transport: ==+== Special transport. ==
  
   * [[Adapted Transport]] > vehicles to get you out of trouble.   * [[Adapted Transport]] > vehicles to get you out of trouble.
   * [[Remotely Operated Vehicles]] > going to the places you don't want to go.   * [[Remotely Operated Vehicles]] > going to the places you don't want to go.
  
-In safety design inflatable techniques are used abundantly. As a result of this my research started to connect to research done by Cocky Eek who has investigated inflatable technology and design.+In safety design inflatable techniques are used abundantly. As a result of this my research started to connect to research done by Cocky Eek who has investigated inflatable technology and design. [[pneumatology]]
  
 My basic conclusion for the hierarchy of risks for humans is based on the volumes of products on the market, not by absolute figures or by value but just by seeing what is most abundant in use or on offer physically and digitally. And the hierarchy is as follows: My basic conclusion for the hierarchy of risks for humans is based on the volumes of products on the market, not by absolute figures or by value but just by seeing what is most abundant in use or on offer physically and digitally. And the hierarchy is as follows:
Line 200: Line 266:
   * Drowning: and other water related risks are very big business for offshore and recreational purposes.   * Drowning: and other water related risks are very big business for offshore and recreational purposes.
  
-During the research I got more into cultural history and current philosophy. 
  
  
  
- 
-//concise description of the actual outcomes of the research// 
  
  
Line 229: Line 292:
  
 The public responded well to presentations. Finding unlikely combinations, unlikely threats or solutions seemed powerful tools for connecting with people. Also a good description of the invention works. The imagery may work better in full-color. The public responded well to presentations. Finding unlikely combinations, unlikely threats or solutions seemed powerful tools for connecting with people. Also a good description of the invention works. The imagery may work better in full-color.
 +
 +
  
  
Line 238: Line 303:
 == Media used in the research. == == Media used in the research. ==
 On the Net: On the Net:
 +  * many dozens of cites had wonderful designs and pictures, they are documented in the [[survival engineering]] collection.
   * http://blog.modernmechanix.com   * http://blog.modernmechanix.com
   * http://www.groenerekenkamer.nl   * http://www.groenerekenkamer.nl
   * http://eco-cool.blogspot.com   * http://eco-cool.blogspot.com
-  * http://www.worldchanging.com/+  * http://www.worldchanging.com 
 +  * http://www.buienradar.nl
  
 Wikipedia: Wikipedia:
Line 253: Line 319:
   * How should we then live?, Francis A. Schaeffer   * How should we then live?, Francis A. Schaeffer
   * Nexus #44 #46 #47 http://www.nexus-instituut.nl   * Nexus #44 #46 #47 http://www.nexus-instituut.nl
-  * The Teaching Company, Saint Francis of Assisi, William R. Cook, Ronald B. Herzman.+  * Le Portefeuille Industriel, a collection of technical drawings from Musée des Arts et Métiers.
  
 +Lectures:
 +  * The Teaching Company, Saint Francis of Assisi, William R. Cook, Ronald B. Herzman. http://www.teach12.com
 +  * Paradiso, on Climate Change by Pier Vellinga, one of the founders of the IPCC. http://www.ipcc.ch
 +  * BBC 2, Civilization, Lord Kenneth Clark. http://www.tvfactual.co.uk/civilisation.htm
  
 == Material generated in the research to be archived at FoAM. == == Material generated in the research to be archived at FoAM. ==
  
  • research_report_theun_karelse.txt
  • Last modified: 2020-06-06 11:57
  • by nik