PITTAYA THAMMA : MATERIAL MEMES

EVOLVE : MATERIAL MEMES

Phase 2

Osterhout Design Group: Evolution

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Electrochromic glass The "selection" plate from phase 1 focuses on the user interface of the ODG Smartglass, which leads to the selection of an interfacial material in this phase, the electrochromic glass. An electrochromic glass is a glass or glazing whose light transmission properties are altered when electricity is applied. Generally, the glass changes from translucent to transparent, changing from blocking some wavelengths of light to letting light pass through.

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The different modes of the electrochromic glass.

Open Whisper Systems: Evolution

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Polarizer The Signal app uses an end-to-end encryption as a system to secure messages. Encryption involves turning data into scrambled form such that it is impossible for any party intercepting it to read it except the intended recipient. A polarizer is chosen as a material representing this type of encryption. A polarizer translates unpolarized light into polarized light by letting some light waves of specific polarization pass and blocking light waves of other polarization. The similarity is the act of translating one form of medium to another, from unencrypted to encrypted message, from unpolarized to polarized wave.

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The overlapping polarizers at different angles show how little light can pass through. 

Osterhout Design Group, Open Whisper Systems: Components

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Smart glass The combination of an electrochromic glass and a polarizer creates a smart glass. In addition to a polarizing filter which reduces glare, there is an antenna polarizer which reduces the amount of signal received from electronic devices.

Reddit: Evolution

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Newspaperwood A newspaper is chosen as a material for Reddit. This is a direct translation from a digital news aggregation website to a paper publication covering news. In phase 1, Reddit's aspect of interest is its community. The idea of community existed in the production of a newspaper where several groups of people from different backgrounds need to come together. Newspaperwood is the form of newspaper that is selected to study.

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The texture of an attempted newpaperwood.

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The pieces cut from the log of newspapers.

Reddit: Components

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Booth The newspaperwood created the structure of a booth, which mainly consists of a seat and a wall mounted desk.

Osterhout Design Group, Open Whisper Systems, Reddit: Context Revisited

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In response to the context plate from phase 1, where the main issue of the context is the lack of privacy, the idea is to create a private space in an urban public area. The result is a privacy booth, incorporating the two elements from the components plates. The newspaperwood structure of the booth serves as a vision barrier while the smart glass provides privacy through the reduction of the radio wave and other signals fitting for the antenna polarizer. The smart glass will activate as the user enters the booth, providing privacy as well as suggesting availability of the booth.