Making Workshop. Artefact Blogs Collection

Communication device

Jill Ebrey (University of Manchester), Sara Lundberg (Swedish School of Textiles, Borås)

 

What if we were able to communicate without a spoken language?

In the future, cyber attacks, have broken down the data world. Humans have difficulty in communicating face to face and so need an aid to communication. Climate change makes migration more probable, so we set out to explore communication between strangers, and the struggle for democracy and inclusion in an increasingly polarised world.

The tool will mimic the old school communication of smart phones as it may be a similar size. The device has the possibility of its users developing a new language. It could be used as a conversation piece, a starter of conversations or to begin a game between a group of people, each altering the arrangement of elastic bands on the cog as it was passed around. It might be used to tell stories around a circle of friends or strangers.

Download full text [PDF]