The purpose of this studio is to work on projects which genuinely interest me in new areas. Areas which I find more fertile and fun than some of those which are so heavily mediated at the moment like mobile phones, social media, interactive TV. The studio’s focus is broadly on networked places and things.

Of course there is a need to make the studio sustainable. This will be done by a mixture of consultancy, contract work and creation of small products which explore an area or represent a proof of concept. It is intended these products will also have some commercial value.

This week has mainly been devoted to hacking out a proof of concept for a project which has been on the ‘someday maybe’ list for quite some time. Like any idea at an early stage it is very delicate. I prefer to build on the idea with actions rather than talking about it at this stage. Suffice to say its something to do with feedback loops and its currently under the working title of ‘Atmosphäre’.

Just so you know its not just coffee and croissants here…

In the  city the net effect of our actions can be difficult to perceive. As conscientious citizens we strive to be positive, to regulate our power consumption and choose low emission transport for ourselves and the public good. How do we know if our efforts are making a difference at all? Can others be encouraged?

According to Dr Agneta Fischer, who specialises in ‘emotional contagion’, positive collective activity encourages others to move towards that behaviour also. By visualising the invisible activity of the city, its mood, its power consumption its emissions as public landmarks we can create positive feedback loops to improve our quality of life.

Current happiness based on random public captures and facial recognition software. (Public Face I)

Current energy consumption based on output of power plant. (Nuage Vert)

Current pollution level based on environmental sensors. (Eco Halo)

In the quest to make our cities more efficient, functional and sustainable there is a danger that the softer emotional aspects which can make cities so compelling become overlooked.

In the same way that mobile devices can measure our speed and efficiency, mobile devices can also measure our emotional responses to places  (Emotizer / Mappiness).

Once we can map the emotional topography of our cities what do we do with this information? How do we cultivate desirable areas? How do we convert unpleasant areas?

A highlight of this week’s Passagen design festival in Cologne was a lecture by Patrik Schumacher of Zaha Hadid architects on Parametric Architecture. Patrik argues that Parametric architecture is the ‘great new style after modernism’ – a fireworks display of splines, nurbs and subdivs leading to organic soft forms composed of variegated elements in a cohesive whole. While I love the forms and dynamic of the architecture the  idea of a superficial style makes me uncomfortable. The adoption of the ‘style of modernism’ led to countless inappropriate buildings which looked modern but failed the functional and societal needs of their occupants.

On closer examination there is evidence that Parametric architecure uses environmental stimuli to shape buildings -  sun paths, wind tunnel simulation and crowd modelling datasets can shape buildings’ forms to maximise natural light, control microclimates and improve circulation.   Parametric architecture becomes an organic construct shaped by a few DNA-like context specific variables.

What if the datasets generated from users could also be incorporated into the design of buildings and our urban environment as bottom-up open source urbanism? The paths created by desire-lines, the emotional cityness experienced by citizens, the fast changing needs of the populace? What forms would be created – buildings or less visible systems of experience?

Already I can see how these questions relate to the work of the studio in projects like Vector and Dollar. I suspect this mode of enquiry will continue to be a theme for the start of 2012.

This is a concept proposal to the The Dollar ReDe$ign Project. The goal of the project is to ‘to rebrand the US Dollar, rebuild financial confidence and revive our failing economy. ‘ The proposal is to give the dollar back to the US citizens to fix it themselves – making it open, local and trackable. Its called the ‘us’ dollar.

Open dollars

Open dollars will be printed on demand for flexibility and convenience at reduced cost to user.

Print dollars will be produced with a home computer and printer. A special paper and printer cartridge are used. The special paper contains a writeable RFID tag and a ‘smart label’ of biothermal ink. The special cartridge prints the design to the paper and also writes data to the RFID tag including the value and encrypted authentication codes. Writing to the RFID tag triggers a change in the colour of the ‘smart strip’ eg. green for one dollar, gold for one hundred dollars etc. Smart label technology is already developed for labelling food and pharmaceuticals.

Once a dollar is printed and activated the value is withdrawn from the users bank account and transferred to the note. For example if a user prints fifty dollars the same amount will be deducted from his bank account. Its like having an ATM at home.

The dollar may be re-deposited in one’s bank account by scanning the QR code with a mobile phone camera. Scanning the QR code checks the authenticity of the note with the US Federal Reserve. The note can then be deactivated and the value deposited in the user’s account. The smart label reverts to a multicoloured strip. The physical note has no monetary value until it is reactivated.

Prints are a hierarchy of fixed visual elements, digital codes and customisable areas. Fixed elements are the US flag, a QR code, the value, serial number and the URL. Editable elements are the image, a free text area and an area for ‘badges’ to add additional value.

The dollar is designed for usability and accessibility. Prints are accessible via serif fonts, large type and sound files stating value. Numbers in corners allow users to see value without needing to view the whole note. A colour is assigned to each value. All text is printed black on white for high contrast for colour blind users. All text is a minimum of 18pt, ranged left and well leaded for visually impaired users. The RFID tag carries sound files denoting the value of the note. An RFID reader as used in toys  or even a small speaker as used in musical birthday cards may be adapted to this purpose.

Open dollars will be customisable to create local or even personal currencies.

Of course users can select and print  classic dollar designs carrying the portraits of Washington, Lincoln, Franklin etc if they do not wish to customise.

Users can customise areas of the dollar design to make identifiable local currency for example local Seattle dollars with added value in the metropolitan area. Users can customise areas to make personal currency for gifts, promotion or sheer vanity.

Open dollars will be participatory, democratic and action orientated

Any uploaded designs are available to all for re-use under a creative commons licence. In this way non-designers can also benefit from customised currency. It is hoped that inventive and beautiful designs will be printed more often, have greater circulation and promote a meritocracy for good design. A similar model can be seen today with crowdsourced T-shirt printing services like Threadless.

Distributed printing reduces production and transport costs and environmental impact. Currently it costs the Federal Reserve about 4 cents to produce a note in addition to transport and distribution costs . It is hoped savings can be passed on to users by printing dollars at home, for example a person may be able to print a dollar at a cost of 99 cents at home. Currently dollars are printed in only 2 locations: Washington DC and Forth Worth, Texas. Distributed printing builds resilience in system against disasters and reduces carbon footprint of a dollar for transportation.

Local dollars

Local dollars will support local community economies

Local dollars will be set to parameters to support local values and influence behaviour . Parameters can be set to connect unmet needs with unused resources. For example participants in a local recycling scheme will be paid in local dollars providing discounts on surplus vegetables. Parameters can be set to encourage more local purchases by giving the note greater value within a local area. ‘Transition’ communities positioned between city centres and out of town shopping areas suffer from a loss of local economic activity. Local ‘transition’ dollars with higher value in the immediate area can bolster the local economy.

Of course the local dollar will continue to be valid currency throughout the rest of the US at a basic value.

Set parameters to strengthen community relationships

Local dollars will carry greater value within a community boosting trade. Users can increase value by printing discount codes for local businesses on the dollar, embedding higher local buying power and hidden bonuses and exchanging dollars for time instead of money

Local dollars will identify communities locally and nationally

Communities will be identified  via custom images, symbols, maps and signs, name, location, slogans, embedded sounds and hidden symbols and images

Trackable dollars

Trackable dollars will provide control and motivation for spending while maintaining privacy.

Users can opt-in to track the ingoing and outgoing flow of bills from their wallet or purse. A user can voluntarily register for a ‘Personal Spending Tracker Card’. The card contains a RFID tag which ‘reads’ how much physical currency is within the user’s wallet. The card tracks how much money leaves the wallet, where, at what time and the type of purchase. The user can monitor his personal spending online. Details of personal spending remain private – only viewable by the registered user.

Trackable dollars will show spending on a private personal  level to control spending.

Individuals can track categories of personal purchases to control and refine spending patterns. For example a user can track spending between categories like leisure, groceries, transport, social and fixed costs to better control budget. The user can fine tune the categories to limit spending on certain luxuries by printing custom dollars which may only be exchanged for a particular item eg. $60 of ‘coffee dollars’ per month. Users may view a map of spending by location and perhaps take measures to avoid areas where they may spend to much or focus on areas which offer better value.

Trackable dollars will show flow of money between local business and spending trends.

On a local level users can see anonymous spending trends within their community. One can see where the key ‘trade routes’ are in the local area. This can help identify new local business opportunities based on the patterns of spending. For example a flow of money between the local gym and bakery may suggest that people exercising at lunchtime go to buy a sandwich at the bakery before returning to the gym. Perhaps a mutually beneficial agreement could be formed between the two businesses where the bakery could sell sandwiches at the gym.

Users may also track their personal spending patterns against anonymous trends in the community. Am I spending to much money on leisure? Am I paying to much for transport? What are the alternatives?

A view of the local flow of money provides a feedback loop to refine the parameters of a local currency. Does the local currency encourage the economy we want to have in our area? How might we adjust the parameters?

Trackable dollars will show flow of money on a national level identifying trends and needs.

National spending patterns show what is valuable for local communities and show opportunities for trade between communities identifying surpluses and needs. Again one can compare personal spending against the national trends.

Acknowledgements

A collaboration between Heather Moore of Kash Klash, Jan Schroeder of Minds and Makers and Yasmina Haryono.

The Vector project proposes a read/write city sensor system integrating cyclists into a positive feedback loop to improve transport infrastructure through voluntary location tracking, encourage cycling through personal metrics and deepen citizens emotional engagement with their city via publishing of personal experiences.

Vector is a proposal submitted to Living Labs Global for ideas to further integrate cyclists into Copenhagen’s public transport system. The concept was presented and discussed at a workshop in Copenhagen City Hall with industry and municipal representatives for Copenhagen, Daimler-Chrysler and others.

The City of Copenhagen aims to become a zero emissions city by 2025. As part of this initiative Copenhagen aims to integrate cyclists further into an intelligent public transport system. The City of Copenhagen seeks a system which fits the already healthy cycle culture further into an integrated transport solution. Copenhagen seeks to optimise infrastructure, monitor problems & enhance citizens’ experience of the city, creating a system where the bicycle is a seamless component of public transport. We propose to integrate cyclists into a positive feedback loop to improve the system. Above: experience benchmark of urban cycling schemes in Denmark and Germany.

The Vector project proposes free/low cost sensors could be distributed by the city to cyclists. The sensors will be attached to citizens’ bicycles and act as passive read/write sensors transmitting time and location data only. Citizens can easily turn the sensor on or off to preserve privacy. Personally identifiable data will remain personal and private unless voluntarily published by citizens. Only anonymous data in aggregate will be publicly published. A system like Urbiotica’s ‘Urban Operating System’ using bike sensors could provide the hardware and software infrastructure to achieve this. Using sensors citizens can:

• voluntarily disclose their bicycle locations providing information to improve the system.
• receive personal metrics on speed, health, savings and carbon footprint.
• report problems, mark places of interest and publish personal guides to the city using mobile devices or personal computers.

Personal metrics to encourage citizen cycling

Citizens receive personal metrics on speed, health, savings and carbon footprint Research shows the primary reason to cycle is the fastest transport from A to B. An interface on a mobile device or personal computer shows how fast a journey takes day by day, how fast the journey is compared to other modes of transport and compare personal speeds against the city average on routes. The second reason to cycle is for daily exercise. An interface displays calories burned by cycle exercise per day, compares this to recommended exercise for a citizen monitoring health impact of a cycling friendly city. The other key reasons to cycle are to save money and the environment. The interface displays cost of alternative transport modes for same journey, money saved and carbon credit equivalents.

Public counter shows number of cyclists crossing a Copenhagen bridge per day

Tracking bike locations to help the city improve infrastructure

Sensor information improves flow and optimizes cycling paths – observing ‘desire lines’ to plan or improve cycling paths, triggering ‘green waves’ based on time and location, providing citizens with aggregate data to ‘tailwind’ the best routes.

The path above was marked out after years as an ‘unofficial route’  as citizens followed a ‘desire-line’.

Citizens disclose their bicycle locations providing information to improve system. Sensors track bikes to improve parking infrastructure and utilization of current resources – identifying areas where parking is scarce for new infrastructure, indicating alternative parking spots to citizens, accepting pre-bookings for bike parking from citizens.

Above: finding a parking spot is difficult near subway stations

Sensors locate missing bikes and identify low security areas, show citizens location of bike for recovery and peace of mind, identify ‘black spots’ where theft is prevalent and provide tools for citizens to report missing bikes early.

Input mechanisms to help citizens report problems, places of interest and personal guides to the city

Citizens can report problems via a mobile or web interface such as uneven paths, poor lighting, generating maps of problems to inform planning infrastructure. This is a similar model to the New York 311 service. Citizens can mark places of ‘interestingness’ to share with friends and visitors publishing these as a ‘vector’ of a personal version of the city. Think a mix of Twitter and Map My Ride. This provides a deeply personal map of a citizens emotional relationship with the city.

Above: a local guide shows curated routes by four Copenhagen citizens with different lifestyles

Published vectors may be followed by citizens and visitors alike – the cycling evangelist’s vector, the foodie vector, the green activist vector, the supermodel vector. Vectors may also be published by city organisations – the Danish design vector, the Lars von Trier vector. Vectors might also be sponsored by brands.

Acknowledgements

The Vector project was co-developed with Maya Wiseman at Bottled City. Thanks for the input of Michael Colville Andersen at Copenhagen Cycle Chic and Sascha Haselmeyer at Living Labs Global. The feedback on the concept from Adam Greenfield at Urbanscale and Irene Compte at Urbiotica are also greatly valued.

Augmenting print magazines to increase circulation, deepen connection with readers and extend content.

Insert is a response to a public competition by Layar to integrate augmented reality into print. Layar seeks concepts which drive high frequency use of its software based on a per use licensing model. The concept focuses on augmenting the experience of print magazines.

Printed magazines face new opportunities and challenges in the internet age with competition from online and tablet based magazines. This has led to a major campaign promoting the advantages of print.

Most  magazines depend on advertising for profit and sustainability. Advertising revenue is linked to the circulation of the magazine. Online magazines are a threat to print magazines advertising revenue.

Insert augments printed magazines to increase circulation, connect to advertisers and enhance content:

• Circulation is increased by sharing content digitally, making subscription easier, bookmarking content to read online.
• Readers are connected to advertisers by facilitating search, linking to sites and interacting with adverts directly.
• Content is enhanced beyond the static page by integrating community, adding audio-visual content and extending information online.

Increase circulation

Sharing content and recommending magazines increases circulation. Insert provides functions to: recommend a magazine, share an article or clipping.

Subscribing online is the preferred method for readers. Insert provides functions to connect to online subscription and provide extra digital content for subscribers

Saving content for later allows readers to read on digital devices and refers content back to the source. Insert provides functions to bookmark an article to read later on a digital device.

Connect readers with advertisers

Print magazines rank No. 1 at influencing consumers to start a search online. Insert provides functions to search for more information about a product or service, generate a custom search about a product or service, translate text in a foreign language magazine.

This article is about an amazing company called Mission Motors who design and build a high performance electric motorbike. Highlighting the words in the article can generate a search for Mission Motors.

 36% of digital magazine readers click on a link with more information for an advert.  Insert provides functions to link to more information about an advertisers product or service and share a link with a contact.

People surf the internet, they swim in magazines. Insert deepens engagement with advertisers – providing functions to watch additional video supplied by advertiser, enter a contest and unlock a coupon.

Extend editorial content

Insert integrates community functions: to view and add comments on an article, view ‘likes’ for an article and follow a the magazine or a topic.

Insert integrates audio visual and digital content. Insert provides functions to watch additional video content, listen to audio  and  link to a product page for an item

Insert integrates additional information available digitally. Insert provide functions to find more information about a writer, photographer, illustrator, explore and add tags of people, places and products to photos, find related stories and mentions on social networks.

Summary

Insert augments printed magazines to increase circulation through sharing, online subscriptions and bookmarking; connects to advertisers through integrating search, links and interaction with adverts; and extends editorial content by integrating community, audio-visual material and extra information online.