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research_report_theun_karelse [2008-02-21 19:42] – theunkarelseresearch_report_theun_karelse [2020-06-06 10:12] – old revision restored (2008-02-21 14:26) 114.119.163.240
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-==== Tsunami Pants ==== 
  
  
-[[Theun Karelse]] 
  
-[[Tsunami Pants]] 
  
  
-{{man.jpg|man.jpg}}\\ 
-Personal flotation device.\\ 
-Picture from: Le Portefeuille Industriel, a collection of technical drawings from Musée des Arts et Métiers. 
  
  
  
  
-==== Introduction. ==== 
  
-== Engaging climate change. == 
-In 2006 Foam shifted its general direction to include Luminous Green strategies of: 
-  * environmental sustainability 
-  * ethical living 
-  * eco-technology 
-The Tsunamipants project surfaced from this shift as an attempt to address these issues in an engaging way. 
  
-How do you relate to global crises in a way that is not demotivating? The discussion about our future is dominated by appeals for austerity and reduction. This is not a very inspiring message as it focuses on negative aspects of society. It is hard to see a positive revolution on a global scale, based on negative arguments. Instead we should focus on positive changes that inspire everyone. This debate should be dominated by the possibility of increasing the quality of life. ((Maja Kuzmanovic at Luminous Green 2007)) 
  
-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.+==== Tsunami Pants ====
  
-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 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. 
  
 +[[Theun Karelse]]
  
  
  
 +[[Tsunami Pants]]
 +  
  
  
 +{{man.jpg|man.jpg}}\\
 +Picture from: Le Portefeuille Industriel, a collection of technical drawings from Musée des Arts et Métiers.
  
  
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 +==== Introduction. ====
  
 +== Engaging climate change. ==
 +In 2006 Foam shifted its general direction to include Luminous Green strategies of:
 +  * environmental sustainability
 +  * ethical living
 +  * eco-technology
 +The Tsunamipants project surfaced from this shift as an attempt to address these issues in an engaging way.
 +
 +How do you relate to a Global crises in a way that is not demotivating? The discussion about our future is dominated by appeals for austerity and reduction. This is not a very inspiring message as it focuses on negative aspects of society. It is hard to see a positive revolution on a global scale, based on negative arguments. Instead we should focus on positive changes that inspire everyone. This debate should be dominated by the possibility of increasing the quality of life. ((Maja Kuzmanovic at Luminous Green 2007))
 +
 +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.
  
  
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 ==== Context ==== ==== Context ====
 == Inconvenience. == == Inconvenience. ==
-This research was undertaken in the middle of the Climate Change debate. A seminal event that shaped the discussions in this topic was Al Gore's documentary 'An Inconvenient Truth.' It forced the debate into negative arguments that closely follow the Christian tradition of Man as the species fallen from Grace, which now has to suffer. ((Michael Braungart at Utrecht Manifest feb. 2008))+This research was undertaken in the middle of the Climate Change debate. A seminal event that shapes the discussions in this topic was Al Gore's documentary 'An Inconvenient Truth.' It forces the debate into negative arguments that closely follow the Christian tradition of Man as the species fallen from Grace, which now has to repent. ((Michael Braungart at Utrecht Manifest feb. 2008))
 What adds to the feelings of despair around these issues is the complicated nature of environmental and social problems and solutions. There are seemingly endless secondary effects and influences hidden beneath the surface of discussions. What adds to the feelings of despair around these issues is the complicated nature of environmental and social problems and solutions. There are seemingly endless secondary effects and influences hidden beneath the surface of discussions.
  
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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-to-Cradle' and 'Permaculture' design principles. ((VPRO-Tegenlicht documentary series)) These forces originate from the possibility of improving the quality of life, this includes of course other life-forms besides humans.+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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 == Precautionary principle. == == Precautionary principle. ==
-The elimination of risk can slow down society when attention goes only to possible negative out-comes. This is the Precautionary Principle, it says, in essence, 'when in doubt, don't.' The 1998 Wingspread Statement on the Precautionary Principle summarizes the principle this way:\\ +The elimination of risk can slow down society when attention goes only to possible negative out-comes. This is the Precautionary Principle, it says, in essence, 'when in doubt, don't.' The 1998 Wingspread Statement on the Precautionary Principle summarizes the principle this way: //"When an activity raises threats of harm to human health or the environment, precautionary measures should be taken even if some cause and effect relationships are not fully established scientifically."// ((The Wingspread Conference on the Precautionary Principle was convened by the Science and Environmental Health Network)) The Precautionary Principle, Al Gore's sustainability and Pre-emtive Strike are examples that demonstrate reflexive modernization. Philosophies like this cause the stupid instructions on rear-view mirrors.
- //"When an activity raises threats of harm to human health or the environment, precautionary measures should be taken even if some cause and effect relationships are not fully established scientifically."// ((The Wingspread Conference on the Precautionary Principle was convened by the Science and Environmental Health Network)) \\ +
-The Precautionary Principle, Al Gore's sustainability and Bush's Pre-emtive Strike are examples that demonstrate reflexive modernization. Philosophies like these brought us the stupid instructions on rear-view mirrors.+
  
 == Social risk positions. == == Social risk positions. ==
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   * external risks: natural disasters.   * external risks: natural disasters.
   * manufactured risks: technological disasters.   * manufactured risks: technological disasters.
-He suggests people have 'social risk positions' that are achieved through aversion, which differs from wealth positions that are gained through accumulation. He also sees a boomerang effect where people producing risk are the most vulnerable to those risks. Some delicate reasoning goes behind this and I refer anyone who is interested to go to the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Risk_society| Risk society]] page on Wikipedia (also page mentioned below).+He suggests people have 'social risk positions' that are achieved through aversion, which differs from wealth positions that are gained through accumulation. He also sees a boomerang effect where people producing risk are the most vulnerable to those risks. Some delicate reasoning goes behind this and I refer anyone who is interested to go to the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Risk_society| Risk society page on Wikipedia]] (also page mentioned below).
  
-Psychometric research has shown some funny methods people tend to use when they asses a risk. If the threat is easily imagined it looks more dangerous. People will piece together unknown risks form parts that they do know. People make very interesting choices when they way the possibilities of gaining or loosing; they rather loose a little all the time (insurance). And research has revealed that the risk-assessment of experts is often not much better than that of a lay-person.+Psychometric research has shown some funny methods people tend to use when they asses a risk. If the threat is easily imagined it looks more dangerous. People will piece together unknown risks form parts that they do know. People make very interesting choices when they way the possibilities of gaining or loosing; they rather loose a little all the time (insurance). And research has revealed that the risk-assesment of experts is often not much better than that of a lay-person.
  
 Douglas and Wildavsky's Cultural Theory of Risk discerns four types of people: Douglas and Wildavsky's Cultural Theory of Risk discerns four types of people:
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 == International organisations. == == International organisations. ==
-Switzerland has even formed an International Risk Governance Council (IRGC)\\ +Switzerland has even formed an International Risk Governance Council (IRGC) 
-//'The IRGC is an independent organisation whose purpose is to help the understanding and management of emerging global risks that have impacts on human health and safety, the environment, the economy and society at large. IRGC’s work includes developing concepts of risk governance, anticipating major risk issues and providing risk governance policy recommendations for key decision makers.'// http://www.irgc.org \\+'The IRGC is an independent organisation whose purpose is to help the understanding and management of emerging global risks that have impacts on human health and safety, the environment, the economy and society at large. IRGC’s work includes developing concepts of risk governance, anticipating major risk issues and providing risk governance policy recommendations for key decision makers.' 
 +http://www.irgc.org/
 And the World Economic Forum has a Global Risk Network which brings out annual reports on global risks. And the World Economic Forum has a Global Risk Network which brings out annual reports on global risks.
- 
-== Safety engineering. == 
-Safety engineering usually is seen as a part of system engineering. It studies the working of a system when a part of it fails. The dynamics of this are visualized in a fault tree diagram. So this study is limited to faults that occur in the area of manufactured risks. Martin Brolin works mostly with external risks or with manufactured risks that result from external risks. 
  
 == The myth of happiness. == == The myth of happiness. ==
-Just as at the court of Louis the 14th introversion was unthinkable, in our society happiness is a must.((Nexus #46)) It is all fun. The Disneyfication of society deals exclusively with positive aspects of life and fits seamlessly with modernistic fears and precautions. Root to Disneyfication and risk perception is the fundamental proposition that *problems should not be*. They exist to be eliminated and should be got rid off as soon as possible. In tackling problems the common strategy is based on imagining a more positive, altered future. This process usually only reshapes the problem, because all your actions are shaped directly by the problem, making sure it keeps on existing in new forms. What really eliminates problems is finding ways of being the needed change now, to imagine new ways of being.+Just as at the court of Louis the 14th introversion was unthinkable, in our society happiness is a must.((Nexus #46)) It is all fun. The Disneyfication of society deals exclusively with positive aspects of life and fits seamlessly with modernistic fears and precautions. Root to Disneyfication and risk perception is the fundamental proposition that problem should not be. They exist to be eliminated and should be got rid off as soon as possible. In tackling problems the common strategy is based on imagining a more positive, altered future. This process usually only reshapes the problem, because all your actions are shaped directly by the problem, making sure it keeps on existing in new forms. What really eliminates problems is finding ways of being the needed change now, to imagine new ways of being.
  
 Martin Brolin exemplifies the design strategy where solutions only change the problem to a new form. That is what makes the inventions funny. Basically Tsunamipants are a design statement, it shows with traps not to fall into. Martin Brolin exemplifies the design strategy where solutions only change the problem to a new form. That is what makes the inventions funny. Basically Tsunamipants are a design statement, it shows with traps not to fall into.
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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, but none offer a historic collection and none make design-series embedded specifically into the debate about climate change.\\+[[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 make designs and embed it 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, Ann de Gersem made the Life dress, Yael Mer made the Canoe dress. +  * The Yesmen, made the survivaball. 
-  * 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]]    * 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.
-  * Interactive clothes by XS-lab, Despina and Papadopoulos or Hussein Chalayan. +  * Interactive clothes by, XS-lab, Despina and Papadopoulos or Hussein Chalayan.
- +
-Wikipedia has a nice page on PPE Personal Protective Equipment, which I stumbled upon when I was almost finished with my collection: +
-  * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_protective_equipment+
  
  
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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 (biofuels), activities (air-travel), objects (SUV-s)or places connected to climate change issues (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. 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.+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. 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.
  
-== Character development of Martin Brolin. ==+== Designing Martin Brolin. ==
 The narrative structure of this research hinted at the value of having a central character. While driving to the supermarket, I came across an individual who combined most of the characteristic that I was looking for; mediocrity, recklessness, lack of social inhibitions and self-confidence from unknown origins. In essence a rationalist or even Deist, who feels God may have created the world, but has abandoned it and left no deeper truth for man to find. The narrative structure of this research hinted at the value of having a central character. While driving to the supermarket, I came across an individual who combined most of the characteristic that I was looking for; mediocrity, recklessness, lack of social inhibitions and self-confidence from unknown origins. In essence a rationalist or even Deist, who feels God may have created the world, but has abandoned it and left no deeper truth for man to find.
  
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 I made one case study by following the events around a particularly violent storm on January 18, 2007 in the Netherlands.\\ I made one case study by following the events around a particularly violent storm on January 18, 2007 in the Netherlands.\\
 [[Storm]] [[Storm]]
- 
- 
- 
  
  
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   * smoke and ash   * smoke and ash
   * mist   * mist
-  * forestfire 
-  * turbulence 
  
 How they hurt: How they hurt:
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   * falling through ice   * falling through ice
   * hunger   * hunger
-  * inflammation +  * and the various diseases that move trough refugee camps.
-  * missing limbs +
-  * being crushed +
-  * burning +
-  * loss of consciousness +
-  * excessive bleeding +
-  * and the various diseases that move trough refugee camps+
  
 Urban dangers: Urban dangers:
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   * falling power-cables   * falling power-cables
   * collapsing structures and large things falling over   * collapsing structures and large things falling over
-  * panicking masses and traffic+  * panicking masses
  
 Positive side-effects: Positive side-effects:
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   * Disease: this secondary effect of bad weather conditions is in third place. Because not all medicine falls into this category.   * Disease: this secondary effect of bad weather conditions is in third place. Because not all medicine falls into this category.
   * 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.
- 
- 
  
  
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 == Comparison of the expected and the actual 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 and comments on the research process and its results. ==
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   * The [[survival engineering]] collection could be extended with strategies used by animals and plants.   * 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.   * Martin Brolin could be used to study the possibilities of merchandising.
-  * Move into 3-d prototyping. +  * Design could move into 3-d prototyping. 
-  * Extend into material research. +  * Design could be extended into material research. 
-  * Tunamipants could pop-up in FoAM or FoAM partner events. +  * 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. == ==Public response. ==
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 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.
  
- 
- 
-{{Martin-Brolin.jpg}} 
  
  
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   * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulrich_Beck   * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulrich_Beck
   * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Risk_society   * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Risk_society
-  * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safety_engineering 
-  * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hazard_analysis 
-  * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_protective_equipment 
  
 Books and magazines: Books and magazines:
   * Plan B, Rescuing a Planet under Stress, Lester Brown   * Plan B, Rescuing a Planet under Stress, Lester Brown
   * Gaston LeGaffe, Andre Franquin   * Gaston LeGaffe, Andre Franquin
-  * Jimmy Corrigan, the smartest kid on earth, Chris Ware 
-  * Top Ten, Alan Moore 
   * 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
  • research_report_theun_karelse.txt
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