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research_report_theun_karelse [2008-02-21 13:10] – theunkarelseresearch_report_theun_karelse [2008-02-21 17:03] – theunkarelse
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- +{{man.jpg|man.jpg}}\\ 
- +Picture from: Le Portefeuille Industriel, a collection of technical drawings from Musée des Arts et Métiers.
  
  
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 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.
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 == 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. ==
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 == Related projects. == == Related projects. ==
  
-[[Tsunami Pants]] is embedded in the European tradition of the drawn narrative. There is a long tradition of mad-scientist and eccentric inventors in fiction. There are other art and design projects, that tackle the same problem.\\+[[Tsunami Pants]] is embedded in the European tradition of the drawn narrative. There is a long tradition of mad-scientist and eccentric inventors in fiction. There are other art and design projects, that tackle the same problem, but none offer a historic collection and none make design-series embedded specifically into the debate about climate change.\\
 Some are closely related, use humor like: Some are closely related, use humor like:
-  * The Yesmen, made the survivaball. +  * The Yesmen made the survivaball, Ann de Gersem made the Life dress, Yael Mer made the Canoe dress. 
-  * Troy Hurtubise, made the Grizzly and Troyan suits.+  * Troy Hurtubise made the Grizzly and Troyan suits. 
 +  * Inflatable swimming trunks and other inventions in the same spirit by real people are documented on [[http://blog.modernmechanix.com|Modern Mechanics]]  
 +  * Digital Peacock Tales, designed by Magnus Torstensson of [[http://www.unsworn.org| Unsworn]] 
 +  * Eelko Moorer made Emergency Games, a booklet of rather unimaginative but dangerous games to be played at home. 
 Others are more loosely related, and serious like: Others are more loosely related, and serious like:
   * Adam Whinton and Yolita Nugent's project 'no-contact' selfdefence jacket for women.   * Adam Whinton and Yolita Nugent's project 'no-contact' selfdefence jacket for women.
-  * Intercative clothes by, XS-lab, Despina and Papadopoulos or Hussein Chalayan.+  * Interactive clothes by, XS-lab, Despina and Papadopoulos or Hussein Chalayan.
  
  
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   * 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
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 == 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. ==
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 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.
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 == DIY culture. == == 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. 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.
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 +== Case study. ==
 +I made one case study by following the events around a particularly violent storm on January 18, 2007 in the Netherlands.\\
 +[[Storm]]
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 ==== 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 
 +  * forestfire 
 +  * turbulence 
 + 
 +How they hurt: 
 +  * overheating / sunstroke 
 +  * hypothermia / frostbite 
 +  * UV-damage 
 +  * dehydration 
 +  * drowning 
 +  * falling through ice 
 +  * hunger 
 +  * inflammation 
 +  * missing limbs 
 +  * being crushed 
 +  * burning 
 +  * loss of consciousness 
 +  * excessive bleeding 
 +  * 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 and traffic 
 + 
 +Positive side-effects: 
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 +  * 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).
  
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-== Protective Suits: ==+ 
 + 
 +== Protective Suits. ==
  
  
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   * [[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.
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   * [[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.
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   * [[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:
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   * 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// 
  
  
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-==== Discussion ==== 
  
  
 +==== Discussion ====
  
-  * comparison of the expected and the actual results 
  
-  * suggestions and comments on the research process and its results 
  
 +== Comparison of the expected and the actual results. ==
 +My research broadened from designing clothes for meteorological catastrophes to a wild and hilarious journey through portable safety technology. I did not go into material research for this because that seemed like a world too vast to cover. And it would not have been effective for reaching my goal, which relies more on imagination than on expertise. But it would have fitted nicely with research done by Lina Kusaite, who is looking into developing a material library.
 +The domain of portable safety technology turned out to be much more varied than I anticipated. The history of portable personal safety technology is rich. An overview of this field formed and it shows the diversity of technologies and suggests risk hierarchies. For a successful Tsunamipants design some ingredients are crucial. I look at the combinations of already existing products and fusing them into an unlikely hybrid. As noted above, the need to shift focus became apparent during the design stages. This resulted in designs for many different situations, more connected to climate change issues in a broad sense and not just weather induced disasters.
  
 +== Suggestions and comments on the research process and its results. ==
  
-  * suggestions for the future work based on the conclusions of the research 
  
  
-  * comments on the response of the public+== Suggestions for the future work based on the conclusions of the research. == 
 +  * The [[survival engineering]] collection could be extended with strategies used by animals and plants. 
 +  * Martin Brolin could be used to study the possibilities of merchandising. 
 +  * Move into 3-d prototyping. 
 +  * Extend into material research. 
 +  * Tunamipants could pop-up in FoAM or FoAM partner events. 
 +  * Move from the history of safety into the direction of the history of sustainability. I've started tracing my own cultural roots; into the Zeeuwse farms and their (forgotten) technologies. 
 +  * More Tsunamifood, like the Noodleboots, and associated recipes.
  
 +==Public response. ==
 The design of Martin with a bad haircut, slightly overweight and big was intended to place him as a very ordinary guy. But some members of the public have commented that they found it difficult to feel sympathy for him. During the process Martin sometimes devolved somewhat into a bum. He sometimes became more of a caricature, this was largely due to the style of drawing that was applied and the scale of working. The design of Martin with a bad haircut, slightly overweight and big was intended to place him as a very ordinary guy. But some members of the public have commented that they found it difficult to feel sympathy for him. During the process Martin sometimes devolved somewhat into a bum. He sometimes became more of a caricature, this was largely due to the style of drawing that was applied and the scale of working.
  
 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.
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 == 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:
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   * 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
 +  * VPRO, Tegenlicht, episode: Cradle-to-Cradle and episode: de Toekomst van ons Voedsel. http://www.vpro.nl/programma/tegenlicht/afleveringen/
 == Material generated in the research to be archived at FoAM. == == Material generated in the research to be archived at FoAM. ==
  
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