Man or Machine?

...Or both?

SixthSense by Pranav Mistry.

The SixthSense is a device, invented by Pranav Mistry, which allows humans to bring technology into the real world and the real world into the digital one.  For example, if I needed the map of the subway, I could simply ‘grab’ the image of the actual map on the wall and store it in my SixthSense. 

If I needed to call someone, but didn't have a phone, I can use my palms as a dial pad using a camera and projector.

Pretty cool, huh?  It makes life so much easier and convenient.  In the video, Pranav explains that this SixthSense allows us to still be connected with technology while interacting with the outside world, instead of being locked in a room all day.  As much as I respect this whole innovation—I mean, wow, to me, that was just an idea, not reality—I must say, I’m more against it. 



Seems like nowadays, we're even more connected to technology, just as Marshall McLuhen hypothesized.

Some may think that being in front of the computer all day is worst.  However, I kind of find the SixthSense a little chilling.  We’re already more disconnected to the world and machine-like than a couple decades ago.  Like Marshal McLuhen, the computer is a part of us, an extension of our bodies.  So, now, if we’re to carry around the SixthSense pendent, have cameras connected to us to see and ‘mice’ on our finger tips, are we not becoming more machine and less human? 

Will we soon all be walking machines because of the dependence on technology to interact with society?

Pranav is brilliant to have such ingenuity and visions, especially since he has made it a reality, don’t get me wrong.  It is amazing how a little outrageous idea and tons of questions can lead to new discoveries and inventions.

So I guess ethnically, I’m against it, but realistically, I’m for it.  I mean, we always should be advancing, not going backwards in history.

Check out the video clip.  You’ll be blown away.

Now, after you’ve read this and seen the video, I must ask… is it real?  (That was my question after I saw it too)

And if it is real… where do you stand?  Pro?  Con? 

PS.  It’s real ;)

SixthSense

http://www.notebooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Sixth_Sense2.jpg

Dial Pad

http://www.pranavmistry.com/projects/sixthsense/images/full/sixthsense13.jpg

Connection

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdlW6QQwaj47Nx02aYOlwU7yyk3nVlN4bRow9BYHL-03KJitaqmkXl5hu-33FzSN4ytH0QgJSLej1eZyxzER-2ijTKki5ZvjOBBIkqZ95VK3cDDr7zc6syCRgSS5OZ87lgmIpgN56D9Sc/s1600/brain_connected_to_computer.jpg

Planet of the Robots

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLtOmMXkWlVkkr0Ojdx6U9mHPjU6lh2RNXk03kE3kyXtNEzmSA93BY5LZKf8niSv9N6rmUKi_7KGg1Ce1W4lMRJwbedrZVOFcvbbKzJzaRDppR1tRUVAH2tZVGEckEbCdMOSr4z-5BH1k/s1600-h/Surrogates+Creepy+Robots.jpg

BDC192 Poster Assignment 1st Draft

I know this may be hard to see because I sketched it lightly in pencil, but take a look and feedback would be greatly appreciated =).


Poster concept.

So what do you think?  Any feedbacks?  Should I add more to it?  Take some stuff out?  Should the girl be a real person or sketched?

Holy CRAP! - Standing Out

Standing Out by Kim Ho.

C

-clear foreground and blurred background creates depth

-use of plain white sheet of paper is effective because the light brown desk would have competed with the coloured stars

R

-repetition of stars helps to deliver the message

A

-use of lines to lead the viewers eyes to the main focus

P

-groups the blurred and background stars together

-isolates the focus of the image (a.k.a. the lone star)

Overall:

-effective use of proximity not only for the over design, but also to state the message

-simple, but effective photo

-powerful message without the need of text

-could have had the background stars all of the same colour

Standing Out (photo by Kim Ho)

Holy CRAP! - Tokidoki USB Ad

Tokidoki USB Ad.

C

-coloured USB vs. black and white background (pulls the attention of the viewer straight to the product)

-the coloured rainbow behind the black and white design creates depth (makes the design look like a border/frame and the product is behind it because the colourful rainbow connects to the USBs)

R

-repetition of the black and white designs is the brand of the company (allows viewers to recognize the brand without the need of text)

-all of the USBs are coloured (even the one held by the black and white grim reaper in the corner)

A

-text from the company and its product is aligned to the left, even though it looks like a centered block  (aligned against the mimobot logo)

-USBs in the center are on a relatively the same plane (doesn’t jump from the top of the image to the bottom and around), allowing viewers to see all of the USBs at once, instead of having to shift their gaze to the other ones

P

-the designs of the company surround the actual product (grouped at the edge)

-font is set apart from the designs (no competition between graphics and the essential information regarding the product)

Overall:

-effective use of contrast and colour

-could have given more space to the USBs (the surrounding design kind of ‘suffocates’ and overpowers the product)

-edge is a little too busy

-effective use of proximity to distinguish between the product and company design

Tokidoki USB Ad

http://images.vinylpulse.com/vp_pics/mimobots/tokidoki/ann/tokidoki_press_b.jpg

Holy CRAP! - Guvernment Family Poster

Guvernment Family Poster.

C

-alternation between the white and pink fonts (differentiates the artists from one another)

-the thin-stroked grids in the background compared to the thick and large fonts (shows dimension)

R

-the way Family is coloured and its font is repeated on both sides of the poster (promotes that the name of the event is Family)

-gradient grids on both sides of the poster (shows a continuous pattern throughout the poster and unifies both sides)

A

-all informational text is aligned to the left (easier to read because viewers will not have to search for the beginning of the next line)

P

-the names of the artists are set to one side (right), so the viewers do not have to search everywhere for the featured performers

-a large image is set to the other side (left) and it does not compete with the information for attention

Overall:

-not a lot of negative space, but still effective because of how CRAP is used (clear distinction between information, graphics and text)

-the bright colours and large font are attention grabbing

Guvernment Family Poster

http://www1.sk-static.com/images/media/img/col6/20110209-171842-818971.jpg

Holy CRAP! - Tokidoki iPhone Wallpaper

Tokidoki iPhone Wallpaper.

C

-the heavy and dark solid lines create contrast between the plain white background and foreground (makes it appear as if the darker lines are popping off of the page)

-circular lines are used, as well as straight lines

R

-repetition of the solid lines (puts emphasis on the foreground)

-use of circles/eclipses is consistent throughout

A

-use the alignment of the straight purple lines to create a path to the girl

-does not align the stars (but effective because if they were all straight, it would make for a very uninteresting image)

P

-most of the patterns are grouped together to create the overall image (i.e. the lines with the circles are at the top , the green circles are in the top right hand corner, the stars with the skulls are paired up and appear together in the general area)

-all of the lines are grouped at the top, not also at the bottom (doesn’t create confusion and too much crowdedness)

Overall:

-not much alignment is present because there is no text and the image is somewhat abstract, so it is more like a collage

-although white is quite plain, the use of it in this image is effective because it does not compete with the rest of the colours

-contrasting shapes and colours create depth and variety in the wallpaper

-repetition of line and shapes create a sense of comfort for the viewers (because the whole piece connects to each element that appears)

-effective grouping of the different elements

Tokidoki iPhone Wallpaper

http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs27/f/2008/156/8/3/Tokidoki_iPhone_wallpaper_by_kv32.jpg

Holy CRAP! - TWLOHA

To Write Love on Her Arms (movement against depression, suicide, self-injury and addiction).

C

-fonts are brightly coloured compared to dark background (allows font to pop out)

-title of campaign/artwork is bolded and larger compared to secondary text of the poetry

R

-text all aligned to the left

-poetry all light blue and titles are white (allows for distinction between the two)

-each piece of writing is block-like (shows organization and helps to differeientiate between text better)

A

-text all aligned to the left (allows the reader to know when the next line starts instead of looking)

-text are block-like (show distinction between two poems)

P

-title is all on the left and poetry is on the right (shows distinction)

-groups poetry into stanzas with enough room to distinct between two different points

Overall:

-its CRAP elements are used effectively

-the poster looks simple, but gets to the point (it is not overwhelming and too busy that viewers don’t even want to bother looking at it)

-different fonts are interesting

-form and layout allows easy distinction between campaign name and poems

TWLOHA

http://media.photobucket.com/image/twloha/stangbabe06/twlohawallpaper.png

Holy CRAP!

Digital art.

Ughh... You smell that?  That... indescribable, unbelievable and outrageous smell... of art?  CRAP!  No, art... or is it CRAP?

Well, which one is it?

Trick question.

They're both the same... kind of.

CRAP—not that gross stuff you find on the ground, especially when geese are around—stands for:

Contrast –making similar items the same and different objects, well, different (i.e. by using different styles of fonts; different kinds of lines; orientation of images and font ; and complementary colours)

Example of contast.

Repetition – repeating some elements throughout the piece (i.e. fonts, shapes, sizes of lines/brushes, colours etc.) to reinforce a branding, create unity and promote reliability

Example of repetition (created by me).

Alignment – arranging images and text in a way that makes it visually appeasing and convenient to the viewers (i.e.  aligning text to the right/left, centering text, justifying text etc.)

Example of alignment.

Proximity – grouping objects of similarity together and distinctive images a part (creates unity, organization, not hard to read/view etc.)

Example of proximity.

For a more thorough explanation of other artwork, check out:

TWLOHA

Tokidoki iPhone Wallpaper

Stars

Tokidoki USB Ad

Guvernment Family Poster

Digital Art

http://www.starwalt.com/2009/October2009/1400x1050/cool299.jpg

Contrast

http://xosparkles.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/nature_flowers_yellow_contrast_flower__flowers_008376_.jpg

Alignment

http://conversations.marketing-partners.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/left-j-no-hyph.png

Proximity

http://www.universetoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/twin-galaxies1.jpg

Photoshop - Isolating Objects

Before

1. Isolate helmet with magic wand or a selecting tool.
2. Select inverse.
3. Desaturate selection.
4. Gaussian blur selection.
5. Voila!

After (black and white image + blurred background + blue helmet)



If it's Personal, Keep it Private

Have you ever tried googling your name?  What did you find?  Maybe some photos here and there?  …Possibly on some other people’s websites?  Creepy, huh?

Well, you don’t have to worry because you set your privacy settings, right?  They keep people out and your information in. 

If you think that, then you’re sadly mistaken.  

With today's technology, virtually (pun intended) anything you post online can be seen and accessed with one touch of a button.

Privacy settings can only go so far.  Some companies can even pay to access this.  There is even a site that will give you updates on whenever something is posted under or with your name.  The downside?  Anyone can use your name and get the same updates.

Now, this isn’t so bad and it can be horrible, and not just because people can access your information.  If you are applying for a job, your employer might try to find some information on you prior to the interviewing process.  This now, is their first impression of you.  Make it count!

So, how do you avoid or minimize the damages?  Cultivate positive online identities.   Set up reliable online resumes.  Buy a domain.  This will give you more credibility as a person.  *Scroll down for links where you can do all of this*



Don't be a potty mouth or bad mouth people online (it looks bad on your part).

Or even simply, filter and censor what you post online.  Don’t share photos of you wasted at a party.  

This lecture really made me think about how I present myself online.  Nowadays, it’s pretty much as important as how you present yourself in person.  As a result, I’m trying to keep my posts clean and reputation credible. 

Also, since basically everything is online now, it will be a great way for you to gain exposure.  

If you look good online, you'll have a better chance of someone OFFERING you a job, instead of you GOING OUT and  LOOKING for one.

I’m also not telling you this so you will be paranoid.  There’s no way for you to be 100% safe anywhere and if you are like me and have had Facebook, Youtube etc. for a while now, the information is already up in cyberspace.  There’s no getting it back.  But it’s never too late.



Outweigh the negativity with the positive.



And remember, “If it’s personal, keep it private”.



A PSA about using the internet and social networks safely and wisely.  For Skills Canada Regionals @ Humber College.  Written by, directed by and starring Sophia Nguyen and Jordon Veira.

Here are some of the links where you can track down your footprints:
Spezify
Google Search
Google Alerts

http://www.socialnomics.net/2011/05/11/7-free-tools-to-track-your-digital-footprints-shadows/

Not So Private
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguy18yNfdqlzqvfsh4OtzFkcF9PWIK7z4um8ebFSumsg5jaall-r7JxljlmOCKGP8Sa6CRmaPzqqTwrI-lrWT_8BHjD0rAjeYmtn06VtG758e9zgNoBVkygLpfu1ReQSxbQ02vITQ9hNM/s320/internetsafety.gif

Potty Mouth
http://www.socialnomics.net/2011/05/11/7-free-tools-to-track-your-digital-footprints-shadows/
First Impressions

http://salessmashers.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/A-good-first-impression-is-crucial-in-making-a-sale.jpg

Positive > Negative
http://www.motherrr.com/Files/Image/Positive%20negative%20scale.jpg

The Medium is the Message - Marshall McLuhen

The medium is the message... or is it?

Marshall McLuhen also states that media is an extension of our bodies.

Marshall McLuhan, a notorious theorist born in the early twentieth century, believes so.  At first glance, it seems as if the claim is only relevant to his time period, where a wide variety of media were arising, such as the television, radio and computer.  People were so fascinated by their capabilities that they don’t even process the information that is being conveyed.  Instead, only the fact that there is something appearing before their eyes or playing in their ears is what’s important.  However, in nowadays, many may argue against what McLuhan has to say. 

i.e. the iPod is an extension of the ear, the laptop and cell phone is an extension of the hands and the television, the eyes.

To me, I feel like the message is actually the medium, meaning that the delivery of the message is dependent on the medium.  If a news breaking story is printed on the newspaper, it would attract less attention than if it was posted on the internet from someone’s Facebook post, or as a featured video on YouTube etc.  Because technology plays such a huge role in our lives nowadays, we depend on it to live, connect and interact with other people and gain knowledge.  Now, this isn’t entirely all that horrible. Information is easily accessible and it is said that knowledge is power; therefore, it can also be quite useful.

However, upon further research into McLuhan’s theory, I realized that when he states that people only see the obvious, he is not wrong either.  When I first read the quote, I took it for its face value, but now I know that it is more than that.  The majority of us, as McLuhan claims, are oblivious to the underlying change that comes with new innovations and inventions.  With every new idea, we can anticipate the advantages and disadvantages.  The consequences, on the other hand, are left unseen until they actually appear. 

For example, the innovation of Facebook is great!  People are able to communicate with each other, share photos and post statuses while others can comment and stir discussion on the posts.  However, sometimes, we get so used to posting our feelings that occasionally, we express ourselves too much.  We give away private information, thinking only a small number of people will see.  We also distant ourselves from each other because it is simply more convenient to stay at home and catch up on each other’s’ lives than to go out and see one another.

Media can have negative consequences as it can discourage face-to-face interaction, and almost enslaving the consumers into the products.

Ultimately, what McLuhan means when he states that the medium is the message is that the new innovations are changing lifestyles and how people interact with each other.  His ‘message’ is that society is constantly changing in its pace and routines as different mediums are introduced into our lives. 

Marshall McLuhen.

To read more about McLuhan and his theory, click here.

http://ezinearticles.com/?What-is-Digital-Media&id=2864414http://individual.utoronto.ca/markfederman/article_mediumisthemessage.htm

Extension of the body

http://cdn.trendhunterstatic.com/phpthumbnails/114/114658/114658_1_230c.jpeg

Examples (combined by me)

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg88uKI_aPYaZe8K8t6-0vt74Pfu8zjBAfqr4X10egcY3ds-VOMAK_9EaJH7MWVLDu6_v_uRIkpjFgMyX38NGdFEMrp7mFxFuk3UIZNlD_yfZUYVuLp2Rq2O8G7MrGLugIo6f8MB_lzXq0/s1600/connected.jpg

http://optipharminc.com/discussion/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/kid_watching_tv.jpg

Connected to Media

http://www.fubiz.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/connected7-550x368.jpg

Marshall McLuhen

http://www.kevincmurphy.com/McLuhan.gif

Digital Media - Intro

Examples of digital media over the years.  

Email, internet, YouTube, print ads, commercials, animations, CDs, floppy disks and much more (I can probably go on for days).

What do they all have in common?

They’re all examples of digital media.  It is basically just that: any kind of form of expression or method of communication that is done digitally.  Who would have thought that we are surrounded (literally) by this phenomenon every single waking moment of our lives?  In fact, for those of you who listen to music while you sleep, you’re pretty much surrounded by it in your waking life AND sleeping life. 

Nike advertisement using graphic design, a form of digital media.

BDC192 is about just that, from all of the uses of digital media to its influences and purpose to its creation and more.  At first, I just thought digital media applied to films, television, print ads, graphic design and radio.  Imagine my surprise when Laurie (our professor) gave us this looooonnggggggg (there was at least 100 examples) list of what falls under the large umbrella of digital media. 

So what’s the importance of this?  Since, digital media is everywhere in our lives, everyone can and should use it one way or another.  However, as RTA students, we should be especially concerned.  There are so many platforms for advertising now than there ever was.  It is one thing to watch a show on television, but to be able to better pull in the audience, we need more.  THEY want more.  That is where Twitter, posters, emails, newsletters etc. come in.  The use of cross-platform story-telling keeps the audience engaged even when there are no new episodes.  This is important in ensuring the success of different companies. 

The Degrassi series uses cross-platform storytelling to engage its viewers.  The Degrassi app is a form of digital media that allows the viewers to become a character in the show.

Soooo… am I ready to tackle all of this?  Hells yeah!  This is what I live for, what I breathe.  After finding out that this ‘digital media’ is all around me, I have a new perspective on what media is.  So many new doors have been opened with this new ‘discovery’.

Therefore, I guess a better question is, are YOU ready to follow me on this journey as a first year RTA student unlocking the secrets of Digital Media?  ;)



Digital Media Examples

http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/english/about/archives-unboxed/pics/dscn2967_new_media_520.jpg


Nike Ad

http://www.greedmontpark.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/nighkee-phoks-nike-art-3jpg.jpeg


Degrassi App

http://blog.muchmusic.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Degrassi-Promo.jpg