Dott 07

The exhibition ‘Our Cyborg Future?’ opened at The Discovery Museum in Newcastle upon Tyne from 10 August – 27 October 2007. This event stimulated debate on the highly controversial subject of the advancement of cyborg technology into our lives. The concept of man-machine has been around since 1908 when the first fictional cyborg was brought to life in the novel ‘The Man Who Can Live In Water’ by Jean de la Hire. Real life soon followed and in the 1950’s the first lucky cyborg was a modified white lab rat, but technology and thinking have moved a long way since then… but just how far is far enough? The term cyborg was coined by Manfred E. Clynes and Nathan S. Kline in 1960 and referred to an enhanced man-machine hybrid that could survive in extra-terrestrial environments. While cyborgs might not be up for breathing in outer space just yet, some people are concerned that they are already taking over our inner space. This timely exhibition looked at just how far it has come and will further the debate about where we want these technologies to go and how we want them to impact on our lives, present and future. Decide for yourself whether these creations enhance human life or whether there is a danger they will render human life obsolete?

Below outlines the collection that together created the exhibition Our Cyborg Future?

Alyce Santoro - SonicFabric
Ever thought you clothes could pay music! Well ‘Sonic fabric’ is durable and strikingly beautiful looking as well being audible. The fabric contains magnetic tape woven in the weaving process, when a tape head (the little thingy inside the a tape deck that touches the fabric) is ran over it, sounds are generated this is because the tape retains its magnetic quality through the weaving process. The ‘sonic fabric was inspired by Tibetan prayer flags inscribed with wind-activated blessings and cassette tape used as tell-tails on sailing boats. Sonic Fabric has been sewn into handbags and used in silkscreen flags that generate ambient sounds and other music.

Aram Bartholl - Silver Cell
Have you ever wanted a quieter life, only getting calls when you want them on you mobile phone? The 'Silver Cell' mobile phone pouch acts as a screen (or Faraday cage) to completely shield the phone and prevent it from sending or receiving signals. The material used is a flat silver-plated polyamide fabric, which remains transparent. Without the knowledge of most users, portable phones send location-related data to the service provider. The pouch prevents the user being located or having their movements followed. Even turning off the phone cannot always guarantee this.

Berghaus - Heatcell Soft Shell and Heatcell Mitt
Cold hands and bodies could be a thing of the past .The Heatcell Mitts are made of Gore-Tex and are ideal for a wide range of activities in cold conditions from climbing and to walking they have three hours of warmth provided by a battery which has a rechargeable time of just two and a half hours. The Heatcell Softshell works using an integral Polymer heat cell panel that is set two degrees above the core body temperature for extra warmth and comfort. The battery in the Heatcell Softshell is activated via a small touch button system allowing the jacket to be set to two different levels of warmth.

Outreach Project - Bright Teeth
Some everyday tasks become difficult and frustrating due to visual and mobility impairments. This product addresses the difficulties identified with oral hygiene.

'Our client described how difficult she found placing toothpaste directly onto the brush head and the embarrassment she felt when, after trying to rub toothpaste directly onto her teeth, she frequently missed and ended up ’looking like a clown.' (student designer)

This issue was then identified as a problem that other members of the group faced daily.

This electric toothbrush delivers toothpaste directly onto the brush head via a capsule located in the charging base. The product locates water flow to enable cleaning and uses ultrasound and active biological agents in the toothpaste to reduce the physical movements necessary for cleaning.

The Sight Service participants thought this was 'a brilliant idea - no more fiddling trying to get the cap off the toothpaste, no more losing the cap in the sink'.

What robotic gadget would make your life easier?

This design concept is the product of a six week outreach project between Tyne & Wear Museums, Northumbria University and Sight Service.

Sight Service works with, and for, people who are visually impaired to develop the skills, confidence and independence to have the quality of life which many sighted people take for granted.

Design Team
Concepts: Dan Ward & Mat Smith,
Year 1, BA (Hons) Design for Industry, Northumbria University
and Sight Service.

Model making: Lee Holtby, Mike Orchard, Craig Robson & Terri Reed,
Year 2 & 3, BA (Hons) Design for Industry, Northumbria University.

Emily Albinski & Diana Eng - Inflatable Dress (Opens on 1 September)
Ever wanted change the look of your dress in an instant at a party or event. Well the Albinski & Eng's inflatable dress can do this and strives to push boundaries of technology in the fashion world. This amazing dress design changes through shape and color the gown was created to fit closely to the body but can inflate to become bell shaped with tendril-like spikes on the back and large pillows of air on the sides. The silhouette of the gown can be changed by varying the amount of air that is blown into the garment by electric fans positioned on the back.

Chas A Blatchford & Sons Ltd - Elite Foot, PRAFO® foot brace & Becker Lerman Haro 2000™ hip brace
If a person loses a foot or lower limb it can be devastating for their confidence today designers are using new materials and designs, which act like the human body. Elite Foot is a prosthetic foot made for active people designed as a type of tripod with an active reflex carbon heel and twin carbon fiber toes. These toes act like real ones in the way they twist and bend and can cope with rough and smooth terrain. The foot and hip braces provide an exo-skeleton which safely support hips and feet after operations.

BodyMedia, Inc - BodyBugg & Media System
Have you ever tried to loose weight and tried to keep a count of you calories it’s easy to forget or loose count in a busy day? SenseWear armband can be worn on the back of the upper arm that continuously and accurately measures calories burned throughout the day. Its design minimizes interferences with day-to-day activities and can be worn under clothing and monitors an individual's Total Energy Expenditure. This calculates the calories the body burns during the day while exercising, driving, walking or sleeping. The calories burn data is then up loaded to a computer for analysis.

Burton - Burton Audex System
Snow boarders can now hit the slopes, ride hard and tune in with the highest tech helmet and jacket. The system has dedicated buttons for call management and music controls and hands-free, wire-free communication up to 30 feet from a Bluetooth enabled mobile phone. Volume and rotary track selection can be made with a control wheel. While an Integrated microphone optimizes noise in windy conditions. Other music sources not equipped with Bluetooth can be accessed with a 3.5mm wired audio jack

CellTran Ltd - MySkin
When your body is wounded, a cut or graze it naturally grows it’s own skin. But what happens when the wound is to large? Wouldn’t be great to grow your own larger piece of skin? Cells are collected from the individual patient meaning there will be no rejection of the new skin. The cells are grown and multiply in a laboratory to produce an equivalent to the bodies’ own epidermis (the outer layer of skin). Cells called keratinocytes are produced to heal the skin by regenerating the epidermis and eventually closing the wound. These are put in an advanced polymer-like material which facilitates the transfer of cells into the wound where they can start the healing process.

Cute Circuit - Hug Shirts (Opens 1 September)
Ever wanted to give some one you love a hug but they’re just to far away. Well the Hug shirt can do this and make people send hugs over a distance! The shirt has sensors embedded all over, these they can pick up the warmth of the skin, the strength of the touch and even the heartbeat. This data is then sent by actuators that recreate the sensation of the touch, warmth of the shin and emotion of the hug to the shirt of the distant loved one!

Cute Circuit - Photophore swimsuit
The Photophore swimsuit has the amazing ability to light up when in contact with water, it is designed for swimming at night. The idea was taken from the light-emitting organs called a photophores these appear as luminous spots on various marine animals, including fish. Squid and octopuses. Photophores on fish are mainly used for attracting food or confusing predators they can be simple, or as complex as the human eye. The swimsuit has been made of an antibacterial textile and protects the swimmer’s skin from allergy.

Cute Circuit - Skater Hoodie
Skating in the street listening to your own sounds is made easy with the Skate Hoodie, a sport jacket especially made for skaters. The hood has speakers built in it so the wearer can listen to their favorite soundtrack while skating without having an iPOD in their pocket.
Music can be exchanged between hoodies by a physical plug and play tokens skaters must trust each other for keeping them safe. The Skate Hoodie also protects from shocks if the skater accidentally falls thanks to special impact detection sensors and shock-absorbing materials used.

Equipmed - V-Patch Medical System
Patients with heart or other chronic conditions need constant monitoring in hospital and at home. With the V-patch this can be done with ease with real-time data transmission via mobile network and the patient go about their daily lives uninterrupted. The V-Patch has sophisticated technology built in that allows the interactive system to collect, analyse, store and report on human vital signs using advanced patented biosensors, and transmits using existing cellular phone hardware and the world wide web.

Exact Dynamics - Assistive Robotic Manipulator ARM (Opens on 18 September)
The loss of use of a persons upper limbs can be devastating. This robotic arm is designed for disabled people with a severe handicap at their upper limbs. The Robotic arm can make a great difference to a person’s life giving back their independence. Mounted on an electric wheelchair it can be used for numerous tasks from eating, drinking and picking up objects either at home, at work or outdoors. The ARM is controlled by a keypad or a joystick to control the arm and the two finger manipulator grippers to hold, open and turn objects.

Fibretronic Ltd - Levi's RedWire DLX Jeans
Ever thought that it should be easier to control your iPod when its in your jeans! Levi's RedWire DLX jeans have Fibretronic's 'Fiddler' joystick controller system built in. This operates a control pad on the right hand watch jean pocket and has the usual iPod functions play/pause, rewind, fast forward, volume up and down. The system also includes an audio socket embedded in the watch pocket to provide a port for the connection for earphones. The iPod is connected through a red textile cable designed to carry the joystick commands to a purpose made iPod pocket. This cable also has a special electronics housing to act as an iPod docking station.

FabriCan - FabriCan Dress
Well FabriCan does want it says on the can, fabric in a can! Fabrican's unique spray-on fabric creates a fine mist that builds up layers and can create either a soft silk for some uses, or a tough as hemp for others. It can be easily used by fashion designers to create instant and amazing designs. It is able to be either spray directly on to the body and sculpted and built up similar to using spray paint.

Outreach Project - Food Smart
A suite of products designed to reduce the uncertainty and frustration in the shopping and cooking process as experienced by people with visual impairment.

'Our client described the difficulties she experiences when trying to read food packaging and cooking instructions' (student designer)

Food shopping was identified as an issue for many of the Sight Service participants. Shops, particularly large stores, are usually busy and have many trip hazards. Assistance was almost always required. One woman reminisced about her fond memories of local shops and green grocers and the changes that have occurred over the past few years.

Food Smart is a home product, which allows the user to ‘swipe’ a product and retrieve information on that product from a central server. Once an item is ‘swiped’, information like sell-by date, ingredients, cooking instructions and recipes, nutritional values etc. are displayed in large type or made audible. The information displayed by this product is navigated using a very simple menu system. If the user eats a particular item this is recorded on Food Smart and added to his or her digital shopping list, making on-line shopping Easy and possible.

This design received mixed feedback. Whilst some were unsure if people would use the device others thought the scanner would be very useful at home, stating, 'It would be excellent if it didn’t just scan food items but all household goods and medication.'

This design concept is the product of a six week outreach project between Tyne & Wear Museums, Northumbria University and Sight Service.

Design Team
Concepts: Hannah Lord & Richard Brownlie,
Year 1, BA (Hons) Design for Industry, Northumbria University
and Sight Service.

Model making: Lee Holtby, Mike Orchard, Craig Robson & Terri Reed,
Year 2 & 3, BA (Hons) Design for Industry, Northumbria University.

G-Tec - Brain-Computer Interface for Computer Control
Would be great to just ‘think’ to move a curser on a computer screen. The Brain-computer interface aims to do this. A neuro-cap with sensors attached (linked to a computer) can pick up mental activity. The system then detects changes and transforms them into a control signal, which can, for example, be used as spelling device or to control a cursor on the computer monitor. A goal is to enable completely paralyzed people with locked-in syndrome to communicate with their environment.

Hussein Chalayan - Autumn 2006 Dress
With Hassein Chalayan dress, design you can transform your look in the space of a few seconds form a high-necked long corseted Victorian type of gown to a crystal-beaded flapper dress. All in the space of a few seconds his amazing design can take you through fashion history from 1895 to the twenties. The jacket can move retreats at the same time the hemline starts to raise all to reconfigure of their own accord. This is one of six incredible dresses, which are feats of technology shown at Hussein Chalayan's 2006 autumn show.

On loan from Clothing Design and Marketing, School of Art and Design, Coventry University.

Jayne Wallace - Blossom
'Blossom' is a handheld piece, made from wood, glass, silver and vintage postage stamps. The jewellery object, residing in London, would be connected to a rain sensor, planted on family land in Cyprus. The heart of the jewellery piece is a structure holding vintage Cypriot postage stamps. These stamps are closed like the petals of a flower inside the glass dome, attached to a mechanism, waiting to receive a signal sent from the rain sensor. Once the sensor has registered rain in Cyprus, a signal would be sent to the jewellery and the mechanism would slowly opening the postage stamp petals like a flower blossoming.

'Blossom' was supported by Digital Studentship, Sheffield Hallam University.

Jayne Wallace - Journeys Between Ourselves
The two neckpieces from 'Journeys between ourselves' are made from porcelain, paper, felt, light sensors, motors, motes, accelerometers and batteries. The pieces are a response to shared images, stories and experiences from both people. Light sensors in each piece detect a wearer touching and holding the porcelain form. The partnering piece then softly trembles in response linking both people.

Made in collaboration with Dan Jackson, Cas Ladha, Patrick Olivier, Peter Wright, Andrew Monk and Mark Blythe. Universities of York, Newcastle and Sheffield Hallam.
'Journeys Between Ourselves' was supported by HEIF (Higher Education Innovation Fund) University of York

Jenny Tillotson Sensory Design and Technology Ltd - e.Mos & Scent Whisper
You can change your sent or the fragrance of an area in an instant with ‘Scent Whisper’. This technology can be used for fine fragrance, fashion, pharmaceutical or aromatherapy. Wearable wireless sensors and microfluidic devices for scent delivery are made in ‘emotional clothing’. A microchip that can be activated by a switch or remote sensor can then dispense an atomised spray by a miniaturised liquid delivery system to perfume the air and deliver nano-litre sized droplets of liquids into the air in a localised, non-invasive way and has many potential uses.

e.Mos: Ben Hughes - Central Saint Martins, Industrial Design MA Course
Scent Whsiper: Don Baxendale – jewellery, Gareth Jenkins - electronics

Chainmail Spider jewellery on loan from Slim Barrett

KnoWear - BrandX (Opens on 1 September)
Have you ever thought what brand addiction might look like if you go to extremes. KnoWear’s art installation will show you. It is series of three-dimensional sculptures depicting what a ‘skin disease’ caused by brand addiction might look like! KnoWear is looking to illustrate three types of brand addiction with full size mannequins each one depicting an area of the body ravaged by disease created of logos! Photographs depict cropped details of these diseased body parts. The Three-Dimensional Sculptures are mannequins displayed are modern girls in languid stances and big glamour poses. The mannequins are sculpted with logos growing out of the skin!

Marcel·lí Antúnez Roca - Requiem
The Requiem exo-skeleton is made of aluminum sheets, stainless steel and nineteen pneumatic pistons enabling movement of the knees, thighs, groin, hip, shoulders, elbows, jaw and hands this forms a exoskeleton. The exo-skeleton is suspended by the head from an iron support, hanging a short distance from the floor. As an installation the Requiem has eight sensors located around the exhibition space, which can be activated by the spectators. These sensors create a sequence of movements and they become increasingly more complicated as the spectator moves closer to the robot.

Marta Lwin - EpiSkin
How about jewelry that looks like part of your skin! 'EpiSkin' is future fashion jewelry that looks like an organic tattoo. The designer has created artifact items by controlling epithelial skin cells, cultured in a lab and grown in a test tube. The cells are incubated and can be controlled by the artist into various designs and then stained with a custom dye. Human tissue has been cultured in this process of creating these pieces and then transplanted into this adaptive body hugging jewellery and can be worn all over on the body creating a synergy of biological cells connected by technology on your skin.

Robotic Life Group, Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Huggable
The Huggable is a new type of robotic companion inspired by the companionship of animal therapy. This system consists of both the Huggable robot (in this case this in the form of a teddy bear) as well as a separate computer placed at the nurse’s station. These can communicate via a wireless connection. The Huggable features a full body 'sensitive skin' consisting of temperature, force, and electric field sensors underneath a soft layer of silicone skin to promote a pleasant tactile feel. So the Huggable works with the staff of the doctors feeding back medical data from the patient to the nurses.

Mika Satomi/Christine Foglar - H+
H+ is a new image of the hearing aid, not healthcare device, but as a wearable technology that plays a role in our fashion. The hearing aid is a highly developed wearable technology that has been already in practical use for many years. Despite the technological achievement, social image toward this device has not been very present. H+ is to approach this issue by seeing the hearing aid as one of the various objects that extends our body. H+ creates a sleeve that enables different types of accessories to be attached and lets the users choose their own style and identity for their device.

Nike - Nike+
If you love to run or jog then Nike+ system provides an easy way to track your training and progress in real time. Nike+ consists of a small sensor that fits into the sole of your running shoe. This relays your speed, distance, time and calories burned to a receiver that is connected to an Apple iPod, which can be worn on an armband or in a pocket. When your run is finished you can plug the iPod into your computer and see your run data. You can review your progress over the week or month and see your best run. You can even compare you run to other Nike+ users (even Lance Armstrong) worldwide through the Nike+ website.

Ossur - RHEO KNEE® & PROPRIO FOOT®
The RHEO KNEE® is the first knee to be able of recognizing and responding immediately to changes in speed, load and terrain due to the use of Artificial intelligence. This microprocessor swing and stance knee system device is Capable of independent thought, it learns how the user walks. The PROPRIO FOOT® is amazing it can think for itself with the use of AI, responding to changing terrain and transforming the approach to slopes and stairs. It can angle itself appropriately, it also helps amputees to sit and stand up easily and more naturally.

Bio-mimetic Control Research Center at RIKEN, Japan
Photos and DVD presentation of RI-MAN
The age of domestic or hospital robot may me not far away with the RI-MAN robot from Japan. It can hear, see, smell, talk and touch and designed to be an invaluable partner robot to be able to do welfare and care tasks. RI-MAN responds to people talking to it and can perform tasks like picking someone up safely. Its fitted with many touching sensors on the arms and upper arms. RI-MAN can recognise a persons face, hears them talk and can detect certain smells.

Outreach Project - Scam
Scam is a revolutionary still and moving image capture and display system. The camera unit ‘flies’ close to the wearer of the wrist-mounted display and allows exciting footage of fast moving activity, such as skateboarding, to be captured and displayed in ways that have never been possible before.

Photography and filming are a large part of skating culture, but capturing the best moments is incredibly difficult, and potentially hazardous!

Scam captures footage, which a human would not be able to gather and sends, or ‘streams’, it directly to a home PC. When a skate trick has been performed and the wearer of the Scam display unit wants to view the footage this can be retrieved from his or her home PC, then viewed and shared with friends instantly.

The Skaters agreed the device would make life easier. 'You can never land a trick when someone’s standing recording you so at least this way you’re always being filmed, everything you do.' The Scam means there is less pressure on the skater as there are no people watching. The biggest problem the skaters found was that the mobile camera could break if a skater moved too close to a wall.

'I think our creations could become a reality in the future.'

Do you think inventions like this will be produced in your lifetime?

This design concept is the product of a six week outreach project between
Tyne & Wear Museums, Northumbria University and North Tyneside Youth Service.

North Tyneside Youth Service supports young people in their transition from childhood to responsible adulthood, encourages their social development and individual fulfilment, and helps them engage fully in society.

Design Team
Concepts: Jason Cooper & Ryan Carter,
Year 1, BA (Hons) Design for Industry, Northumbria University
and members of North Tyneside Youth Service.

Model making: Lee Holtby, Mike Orchard, Craig Robson & Terri Reed,
Year 2 & 3, BA (Hons) Design for Industry, Northumbria University.

Sompi Moi Fuskel - VEIN & Aliform
Have you ever though about interactive jewellery that changes colour and shape when you get excited or see a loved one? Well these two jewellery items that use the wears ‘bio feedback’ to effect the decorative look of the jewellery.
'VEIN'' is a piece of jewellery that uses the wearers heartbeat to change the lightning effect from blue to red glows from its collar.
'Aliform' is worn around the shoulders and is largely made up from decorative memory alloy flowers, which change shape opening and closing through the wearer’s difference in heartbeats.


Stone Island - Reflective Jacket
The Stone Island Light Reflective Jacket has great light reflective properties. For Rescue workers in a cave or at high altitude in bad weather conditions the jacket can be seen from 300 meters away by a single torch beam or weak Moonlight. Amazingly, the inner of the jacket is made up thousands of glass microspheres! Not only is the light totally reflected, but also its intensity is further enhanced thanks to the brilliant colour of the fabric, which shows up even if the wearer is in the dark.

Da Vinci S Surgical System
In recent years, specialist robots have been assisting in surgical operations. With the system, the surgeon can operates while seated comfortably at a console viewing a 3-D image. It then seamlessly translates the surgeon's hand, wrist and finger movements into precise, real-time movements of surgical instruments inside the patient. The system's patient-side cart has four robotic arms that perform the operation. The first two arms act as the surgeons doing the surgery, the third is one holding an enderscope and the fourth is an EndoWrist instrument, performing additional tasks while simultaneously allowing the surgeon to work through tiny incisions.


Suzi Webster - Electric Skin
Just by breathing on this bio-responsive garment the wearer can generate bursts or pulses of electric blue/green aqua light. This creates a number of responses from viewers from seduction through to a feeling of danger and unease. The wearer’s inhalation and exhalation of breath activates a breath sensor that dims and brightens the printed LED of the garment around the head. The garment is connected by an umbilical cord/power cable to an electrical source. The idea of the Garment is away of linking the inner environment with the outside external environment around the wearer in a sort of homeostasis.

Oron Catts & Ionat Zurr (The Tissue Culture & Art Project) - Victimless Leather
From the Stone Age Humans have been covering their bodies with animal skins to protect themselves from the harsh external environment. For the moral and aesthetic reasons the implications of wearing parts of dead animals for protective garments worries some people in today’s world. The 'Victimless Leather' project is concerned with growing living tissue into a leather like material that makes an artistic grown garment to confront this dilemma and challenging relationships with living systems manipulated or otherwise. The 'Victimless Leather' is grown out of immortalised cell lines, which cultured and form a living layer of tissue supported by a biodegradable polymer matrix in a form of miniature stitch-less coat like shape.

Textronics, Inc - NuMetrex™ Clothing
With its unique textiles the NuMetrx range of clothing responds to the body and makes a direct link between your body and the training information you need to reach your goals. There’s no need to wear heart rate monitors on straps. The NuMetrex Heart Rate Monitoring Sports Bra and the men’s NuMetrex Cardio shirt works with a Polar WearLink™ Transmitter to log the information gained from the wearer. Both products can also connect to fitness machines with integrated monitoring devices to give read outs.

Tian Lutz - Readable
These conceptual jewellery pieces are influence by the wearer’s state of body and react in different ways.
Bracelet 'continuum', meaning 'being connected', the plexiglass bracelet shows the wearer’s pulse as a white light pulse.
Bracelet 'change' has a silicone layer of biosensors with LED's that react to the wearer’s heart rate. If it is normal, 60 beats per minute, then a green light shows. A higher rate then a red shining light is shown.
Bracelet 'finiteness' is a ‘Finite Life Counter’. Humans have an average of around 60 beats per minute and a life span of 75 years. The bracelet tells you how many beats you have left in your life out of 2' 365' 200' 000 beats in 75 years!

Tobie Kerridge, Ian Thompson and Nikki Stott - Biojewellery
Making jewellery special to you is hard to do but how about jewellery made from your very own loved one. You can actually wear part of your love! After finding from a couple, their cells were seeded onto a ‘bioactive scaffold’. This material encouraged the cells to divide and grow rapidly, and the resulting tissue took on the form of the scaffold, which was a ring shape. The bone was combined with traditional precious metals so that each has a ring made with the tissue of their partner. Biojewellery is a collaboration between bioengineering, design and the ring's owners and examines issues surrounding biotechnology, tissue engineering.

Biomedical Optics Research Laboratory, University College London - Near Infrared Spectroscopy
Scientists are researching how to look in the brains of patients in a safe way. Optical tomography of the neonatal brain is being developed to help doctors diagnose and treat newborn babies suffering from hypoxic-ischaemic brain injury which from breathing difficulties, preventing the right amounts of oxygenated blood during birth. The instruments takes a 3D images of the brain, which reveal the variation in blood volume and tissue oxygenation. The baby wears a custom-built helmet for optical tomography of the brain The information from the sensors is then sent to a Monstir image computer that shows what going on in the infants brain.

Masimo Inc. have kindly supplied the Radical Oximeter
Electrical Geodesics Inc. have kindly supplied the Baby Geoesdics Sensor Net
Hamamatsu Photonics UK Ltd have kindly supplied NIRO 100

Vecna Technologies Inc. - BEAR (Opens on 1 September)
Modern robotic designers are looking at using robots in hazardous environments such as under enemy fire, a nuclear reactor core, a toxic chemical spill, or inside a structurally compromised building after an earthquake. The BEAR or (Battlefield Extraction-Assist Robot) is equally capable of a variety of lifting, transporting and other logistics tasks as well as going into a wide array of disaster areas, natural or manmade, searching for and rescuing casualties. It is very agile and can balance well it also has a high-strength upper body in humanoid form to carry out victims.

Outreach Project - Visual Art Skate Park
This vision of the future turns surveillance technologies into art. With our public spaces covered by increasingly smart surveillance technologies, how could this data be used to positively enrich our environment and alter perceptions regarding privacy?

Available at the park are dispensers containing isotope-based drinks. The isotope enters the bloodstream for two hours making the movements of the drinker traceable by the surveillance and scanning technologies integrated into the park’s environment. Movements and interactions are converted into abstract forms of art and presented onto screens surrounding and within the park. This idea offers people an opportunity to feed into and shape the visual environment within which they live.

Whilst some thought it was a good idea that looked cool, others were scared by the concept. Some considered it to be a ridiculous idea that the students had taken too far. ‘A moving image onto ramps – that was the worst idea I ever heard in my life!'

Do you feel scared by the possibilities for future machines?

This design concept is the product of a six week outreach project between
Tyne & Wear Museums, Northumbria University and North Tyneside Youth Service.

North Tyneside Youth Service supports young people in their transition from childhood to responsible adulthood, encourages their social development and individual fulfilment, and helps them engage fully in society.

Design Team
Concepts: Manveer Dhaliwal & Matthew O’Brian,
Year 1, BA (Hons) Design for Industry, Northumbria University
and members of North Tyneside Youth Service.

Model making: Lee Holtby, Mike Orchard, Craig Robson & Terri Reed,
Year 2 & 3, BA (Hons) Design for Industry, Northumbria University.

Visual Awareness Enhancer
Consultation with Design students from Northumbria University revealed that a major factor affecting a group of blind and visually impaired Sight Service users was not being able to see obstacles or hazards as they moved around. Working together the group and the students designed a product that reduces the fear and anxiety that can be felt by people with visual impairments when travelling in public spaces. The product is an advanced contact lens, which provides the wearer with an enhanced field of vision, describing and mapping potential dangers in the surrounding environment.

The idea is based upon predicted advances in nano (very small) light-emitting diode (LED) and camera technologies. The contact lens has an integrated camera programmed to recognise obstacles and potential physical hazards. These hazards are highlighted in the wearer’s field of vision by concentrated, highly visible colour. Additionally the product provides an audio-stream to provide additional warnings and information about the environment directly into the wearer’s cognitive hearing system via an implant in the nervous system.

The group thought that the students had really listened to their needs. 'A lot of young people don’t want to listen to older people…b ut through us they will find things to help people in the future.' The group was a little concerned about the final design of the contact lens. They suggested that it might be better clipped onto glasses.

This design concept is the product of a six week outreach project between Tyne & Wear Museums, Northumbria University and Sight Service.

Sight Service works with, and for, people who are visually impaired to develop the skills, confidence and independence to have the quality of life which many sighted people take for granted.

Design Team
Concepts: Alan Wu and Jamie Henderson
Year 1, BA (Hons) Design for Industry, Northumbria University
and Sight Service.

Model making: Lee Holtby, Mike Orchard, Craig Robson & Terri Reed,
Year 2 & 3, BA (Hons) Design for Industry, Northumbria University.

Outreach Project - Xtreme Scribble
Xtreme Scribble, a vision of future communications devices, allows your skin to become the interface for mobile technologies. Tip your arm and the content of the address book falls out over your forearm. Write a message directly onto your arm and send it into cyberspace.

'Our client wanted a communications device that was more intuitive and more fun than current products and which would not fall out of a pocket when skating' (student designer).

This product has been designed to directly address the issues highlighted by the client. Xtreme Scribble is controlled by gestures and by manipulating information content, which is projected onto the user’s arm. The base product allows the user to write, store and send messages. Different applications (phone, maps, Internet content, camera and image storage) can be added separately by the wearer, simply by putting on a new an application wristband.

Although the young people involved in this consultation were excited by the design, they were able to identify a number of faults that concerned them as users. Some thought it was too futuristic, and the epitome of laziness, whilst others were concerned with the practicalities of seeing the projection in strong daylight, and distorted images from creases in clothing.

'I hope I become rich and famous for the rest of my life seeing my creations made' (North Tyneside Youth Service participant).

Why do you think people are working on new designs to create the newest technologies?

This design concept is the product of a six week outreach project between
Tyne & Wear Museums, Northumbria University and North Tyneside Youth Service.

Design Team
Concepts: Glen Morris & Kyle Loughlin,
Year 1, BA (Hons) Design for Industry, Northumbria University
and members of North Tyneside Youth Service.

Model making: Lee Holtby, Mike Orchard, Craig Robson & Terri Reed,
Years 2 & 3, BA (Hons) Design for Industry, Northumbria University.

Zane Berzina - Membrane II & Membrane III
These two inter-related art installations have taken influences form biological science and laboratories. Both reflecting the modern skin (dermatological) research techniques and equipment, used during period taken to create these works.

'Membrane II' are skin-like surfaces and structures are embedded in specimen boxes and have been created using various textiles processes and surface manipulations.

'Membrane III''s skin like surfaces have been presented in a scientific samples displayed on glass slides. In this form the viewer is invited to ‘inspect’ the creative interpretations of the epidermis, arranged on examination table using magnifying glasses as a scientist would.