What if technology can reshape our mind for good reasons, can you accept that?
<Better Human> is a speculative design imagining a world where native technologies are being widely used to manipulate people’s sensation and mind for wellbeing purpose. It raises the question of whether human should rely on technology to gain self awareness and self control. Should we give up control and accept human-augmentation for good reasons?
TIME: 10 Weeks ( Oct - Dec, 2015 )
SCHOOL: Umeå Institute of Design, Interaction Design
TEAM: Individual Work (Yedan Qian)
FOCUS: Speculative Design, Storytelling, Filmmaking, Design Fiction
SKILLS: Film Production (Script, Shooting, Premiere, After Effects) , Design Fiction (fiction writing), Prototyping (Kinect, Processing)
Introduction
Fictional World Building:
In 2030, to save the whole country out of the deteriorating physical and mental wellbeing problem, China's National Congress decided to pass the ACT called “BETTER HUMAN” to support behavior regulation technology development and application. Till 2035, many families have equipped with BETTER HUMAN devices to support a healthier lifestyle.
"Home is no longer for relaxation, but a place to fix you. "
- Li, the fictional interviewee
BETTER HUMAN Solution:
The work explores where the demarcation line between intimidating and attracting by designing products with three different strategies: reflectors, troublemakers and satisfiers.
Reflectors inform people quality information of quantified data. The intention is to make people mindful of their lifestyle in general. Troublemakers conduct unpleasant real-time interventions to make people realize and break bad habit when it occurs. Satisfiers manipulate people‘s brain to make them feel satis ed when doing right things.
