Design Museum visit

Prior to starting the graphics rotation, we were asked to visit the Design museum particularly looking at the exhibition "Designers in Residence 2015". We were instructed to take photographs of anything we found interesting, however I did not find much that particularly related to graphics so I have included some other pictures of designs, some from the exhibition and some not, that particularly caught my attention.

In the part of the museum exhibiting the nominees for the designer of the year 2015, I was particularly interested in this project, "Designing for the Sixth Extinction" by Alexandra Daisy. I am fascinated by the natural world and the beautiful landscapes that our planet has to offer, this maybe due to my love of animals or just because the natural world provides such beautiful landscapes to draw inspiration from for my own art works.

This piece is a thought experiment in synthetic biology. "Designing for the Sixth Extinction" explores how the design of new organisms might help to maintain biodiversity in the event that we cannot conserve the planet's 'natural' species. Fungus, bacteria, invertebrates and mammals, made from non-biodegradable proteins derived from expanded DNA, would be designed to replace extinct organisms or to protect against harmful invasive species, disease and pollution.

The new and innovative drone designs by Chris Green dominated the "Designers in Residence 2015" exhibition. This particularly interested me due to the increasing focus on artificial intelligence in the news. Green puts forward the idea that domestic drones maybe introduced into households in the near future for purposes such as to ensure peoples' safety and security in their own home. The drone pictured to the right is the "Domestic drone" and aside from the features mentioned above it also has the capacity to talk back to its owner through a digital user interface, enabling the owner to remain constantly connected with their home even when they are away.

 

The drone pictured to the left is entitled the "Wild Drone". This bird-like drone is used for research and data acquisition, carrying out environmental studies to monitor habitats and determine species. The biometric nature of this drone allows it to integrate into these natural ecosystems, functioning silently in order to get close to nature without disturbing the wildlife. It utilises a number of on-board cameras and sensors to digitally detect the world and recognises patterns and behaviours.



Supporting the growth and harvesting of food within the city, the service drone takes on the role of an agricultural urban farmer. Identifying redundant roofs capes in which to grow food in the city, the drone carries interchangeable tools in order to undertake different agricultural tasks. From sowing seeds to laser weeding, precision spraying and harvesting crops, this application of drone technology taps into under utilised hots spots within the urban landscape.