shravspeculates28

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Future of Feelings

Radha Mistry is a speculative designer, storyteller, and futurist who explores how design and narrative can help envision and navigate uncertain futures. Her work focuses on narrative foresight, using storytelling as a tool to investigate the social, cultural, and ethical impacts of emerging technologies and systems. By combining design with speculative thinking, she creates thought-provoking experiences that encourage audiences to question the status quo and imagine alternative possibilities.

A standout project, "The Future of Feelings", delves into how artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and digital platforms could reshape the way humans form connections and communities. Through speculative scenarios and immersive storytelling, Mistry examines both the opportunities and challenges of these technologies, addressing issues like inclusion, isolation, and identity in a tech-driven world. Her work highlights the power of design to anticipate the unintended consequences of innovation and prepare society for transformative changes. Mistry’s approach bridges disciplines, empowering individuals and organizations to engage with the future critically and creatively.

Ref link: https://www.deemjournal.com/audio/future-feelings-radha

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Anab Jain

Anab Jain, co-founder of Superflux, is known for her ability to work with weak links, connecting unexpected ideas and disciplines to address complex global challenges. Her work blends speculative design, technology, and storytelling, crafting immersive experiences that explore potential futures. By using design as a lens, she examines how humanity might navigate uncertainty and adapt to emerging social, environmental, and technological changes.

One of her acclaimed projects, "Mitigation of Shock", imagines a future impacted by climate collapse. The installation presents a survival apartment equipped with tools, hydroponic food systems, and hacked technologies, portraying how people might adapt to food scarcity and resource depletion. By merging familiar elements with speculative ones, the project bridges the gap between the present and the future, encouraging individuals to engage with the consequences of their actions today. Jain’s work exemplifies how weak links can inspire innovative, thought-provoking narratives about the challenges and possibilities of tomorrow.

Ref link: https://superflux.in/index.php/work/mitigation-of-shock/#

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It's getting Warmer (Draft2)

In the heat-scorched cities of 2104, humans have adapted to survive a world where clean air is scarce and transport relies on walking or cycling due to energy shortages. Skin has darkened and thickened, forming a natural barrier against UV radiation and airborne toxins, while lungs have expanded with larger alveoli to extract oxygen from polluted air. Legs are longer and more muscular, designed for endurance travel on foot, while the soles of the feet have developed a padded texture for uneven terrains. To navigate smog-heavy environments, eyes are shielded by a transparent, second eyelid that filters out harmful particles and glare. Compact, agile frames make weaving through crowded streets and dense vertical cities effortless. People breathe slower to conserve energy, and metabolism has slowed, reducing caloric needs in a world of resource scarcity. The body, though resilient, carries the marks of a planet pushed to its limits.

Humanity has accepted a society in which racial, gender, and ability boundaries have been eliminated and inclusivity dictates evolution. A global, androgynous image is produced by the balance of masculine and feminine facial features and the seamless blending of skin tones. People with disabilities are empowered by neural upgrades and bio-synced prosthesis, which make their talents equal to or even better than those of the able-bodied. People with dynamic vocal cords can change the pitch of their voices, which promotes identity fluidity. While wider feet and balanced postures facilitate movement over a variety of terrains, fingers and hands become more dexterous to handle universal tools that accommodate all users. Humans are diverse in every way, with bodies fashioned by a civilization that has made fairness a biological fact rather than an ideal.

Our bodies adapting to thrive in green urban landscapes and polluted waters.While the skin has a little greenish hue due to chlorophyll-like pigments that absorb sunshine and improve oxygen intake, the fingers are slender and delicate, making them perfect for growing vegetables in small vertical farms. Humans acquire a biofilm-like second skin that repels water and filters poisons, giving them a somewhat glossy, translucent look, in order to survive chemical exposure and ocean pollution. Those that live along the coast have webbed toes and slightly longer limbs, which are ideal for swimming in microplastic-contaminated seas. Larger eyes with improved night vision are useful for both undersea exploration and caring for urban farms that are open at night. Long periods of submersion are made possible by their dual-functioning lungs, which can take in oxygen from both air and water. The shape of humanity reflects the symbiotic relationship it has developed with a planet that is healing from its own scars.

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Gulabpash 17/11 Edit

The simple gulabpash, which was originally used to sprinkle rose water during ceremonies, had developed into an advanced, multipurpose purifier by the year 2104. It began as a symbol of spiritual purification in Indian homes before evolving into an AI-powered wonder created to address the problems of an overstimulated, polluted world.

The contemporary gulabpash, which floats on its own, has merged nano-mist technology and bio-sensors while maintaining its graceful, vessel-like form. It neutralized digital noise to calm overstimulated minds and purified the air of contaminants, allergies, and toxins. Balance and tranquility were introduced to both physical and mental regions by its mist, which was infused with individualized essences such as molecular relaxants or rose.

Gulabpash was integrated with smart systems in houses to identify emotional states and air quality, releasing energizing or relaxing mists as necessary. It became a constant companion, helping with meditation or reflection, calming tensions during stressful situations, and balancing energies throughout meals.

During environmental emergencies, entire city blocks were restored by fleets of gulabpash drones that purified the air beyond dwellings. Its cultural significance persisted despite technological improvements; it continued to play a vital role in rituals, bestowing upon gatherings a sense of both symbolic and practical purity.

A everlasting protector of equilibrium and rebirth in a world that is constantly changing, the gulabpash of 2104 represented the union of tradition and innovation. Cleaning and harmonizing remained its unshakable aim, quietly bridging the past and future.

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It's getting Warmer

Air Pollution With air pollution ever-increasing, humans develop thicker nasal passages lined with tiny, hair-like filters that trap toxins before they reach the lungs. Skin becomes slightly rougher and more porous, excreting pollutants in the form of sweat. Eyes evolve with a secondary membrane to protect against airborne irritants, giving them a translucent, glossy appearance.

Noise Pollution As noise pollution becomes inescapable, our ears adapt with a cartilage layer that thickens, dampening excessive sounds. This inner ear shield causes hearing to be more selective, picking up only certain frequencies while dulling ambient noise. To support focus, people have developed slightly thicker eyebrows and bone structure around the ears, shielding sound-sensitive regions.

Chemical Pollution In response to widespread chemical exposure, humans develop an additional detoxification gland near the liver, which filters out synthetic compounds. Skin gains a subtle, oily layer that repels chemicals, reducing absorption from everyday contact. Hair grows thicker and coarser, acting as a barrier to keep harmful airborne chemicals away from the scalp.

Water Bodies & Supply With clean water increasingly scarce, the body becomes adept at absorbing hydration from the atmosphere, and skin has a faint sheen, which aids in condensation. Kidneys evolve to extract the maximum amount of water from food, reducing the need for frequent drinking. Fingernails show a slight bluish tint, signaling hydration levels as a visual cue.

Waste Management The global waste problem drives humans to develop more efficient digestive systems, processing food with minimal byproducts. People now produce only trace amounts of solid waste, their bodies having adapted to absorb nearly all nutrients and discard waste in vapor form. Skin shows fine pores capable of ‘exhaling’ minor byproducts directly.

Land Use, Streets & Public Spaces Urbanization results in people becoming more compact and nimble, with shorter legs and flexible joints optimized for vertical movement and tight spaces. A slight bend in the spine and flexible arms allow for easier navigation of crowded, multi-level walkways. Skin is thicker at contact points like knees and elbows, resistant to abrasions from concrete and metal.

Ocean Pollution Living near polluted waters has caused coastal populations to develop a subtle, shell-like layer on the outer skin, protecting them from salt and debris. To manage underwater toxins, lung capacity has increased slightly, and breathing cycles slow when submerged. Feet and hands show a slightly webbed structure, aiding in swimming while avoiding direct contact with contaminants.

Effects of Climate Change With rising temperatures, skin darkens and thickens, resisting heat and UV damage, which has brought racial distinctions closer together. People develop lean, sinewy builds, reducing the body's internal heat production and aiding heat dissipation. Eyes have evolved with an additional membrane that adjusts to bright sunlight, giving the sclera a faint, metallic sheen.

Urban Agriculture & Greenification Humans in greenified cities adapt with heightened olfactory senses, identifying plant types by scent to navigate dense urban gardens. Fingers are longer and more delicate, suitable for careful handling of plants in compact spaces. Skin becomes slightly photosensitive, helping the body to absorb plant-produced oxygen more efficiently during daily urban activities.

Gender & Sexuality As society embraces fluid gender and sexual identities, people evolve with more balanced features, a blend of traditionally masculine and feminine characteristics. The body’s form becomes slightly adaptable, with muscle mass and voice tones that adjust to individual preferences. A neutral, even skin tone and softer facial features reflect the shift toward inclusivity.

Diversity & Inclusion With greater genetic mixing, the population exhibits a wide spectrum of skin tones, eye shapes, and hair types, creating an aesthetically diverse but harmonious human appearance. Facial features evolve to be subtly expressive, enhancing non-verbal communication across cultures. Skin carries micro-expressions that help convey emotions universally, bridging communication gaps.

Accessibility Humans develop broader sensory capabilities, with heightened proprioception and spatial awareness, making navigation easier for those with limited mobility. Skin has a tactile sensitivity that detects nearby objects, aiding those with visual impairments to sense the environment around them. Enhanced bone structure and ligament flexibility make movement easier for all abilities.

Sustainability To adapt to resource conservation, humans develop a natural energy-conserving mode, using minimal calories while in a resting state. Bones are lighter but stronger, with a semi-flexible structure that reduces wear, enabling extended physical endurance. Hair and nails grow slower, conserving bodily resources, while skin shows a resilient, matte texture, resistant to external wear.

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Ashes of Home

In a war-torn city, 12-year-old Sam hides in the rubble of what was once his neighborhood. Airstrikes have turned the area into a wasteland of charred buildings and broken streets. His parents disappeared months ago, taken during one of the nightly raids by the government, who claim they’re detaining “war dissidents.” Sam knows better. Those who are taken never return.

He’s learned to survive alone, dodging patrols, scavenging for food, and keeping out of sight. The camp outside the city promises safety, but Sam knows it’s a trap—a detention center disguised as a refugee haven, where children like him are tested, experimented on, and eventually vanish.

Sam’s only companion is a small, half-blind dog, Rex, that he found whimpering in the ruins. Rex has a burn scar down his back from a firebomb, but he’s quick and silent, sticking close to Sam’s side. The boy feeds him scraps and feels a pang of guilt every time they lock eyes—those dark, pleading eyes seem to ask for a world Sam can no longer provide.

The days blur together in endless tension. Then, one morning, Sam hears the unmistakable whine of planes overhead. He bolts into a nearby bunker, pulling Rex with him just as another round of airstrikes levels what’s left of his block. The walls shake, dust filling the air. Sam knows it’s time to leave. There’s nothing left for him here.

The only way out is across the war-torn landscape, past checkpoints, and through the mountains. He knows the risks, but staying means eventual capture or worse. Rex senses the change in Sam’s mood, and though the dog is weak, he follows.

As they journey, Sam fights conflicting emotions—fear of being caught, anger at the world that stole his family, and guilt over dragging Rex through this hell. But every time they stop, Rex presses his scarred side against Sam’s leg, and for a moment, the world feels a little less broken.

One night, as they cross the barren hills, Sam spots a convoy of military trucks in the distance. He crouches low, holding Rex close. His decision weighs heavy—stay and possibly survive, or keep moving toward an uncertain future. The war has taken everything from him, but if he stays in the ruins of his life, it will take him too.

Sam looks at Rex, the dog’s tired eyes reflecting the distant flames of the burning city, and makes his choice. Together, they turn toward the mountains, stepping into the unknown.

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Title: The Ripple of Choices

Tommy pressed his back against the cold, damp rock, his breath coming in shallow gasps. He could hear the distant crunch of boots in the forest, each step sending a wave of panic through him. Lily squirmed in his arms, her small body trembling as she pressed closer to him. He gently stroked her fur, trying to calm her—and himself.

“They’re getting closer,” he muttered under his breath, casting a glance toward the stream. It was his only way out. The water had become his escape ever since the changes started. But could he really leave Lily behind? His heart ached just thinking about it.

“Stay quiet, okay?” he whispered to her, though he wasn’t sure if he was telling that to her or to himself. His own voice sounded as shaky as her tiny meow in response. The truth was, he didn’t know how to keep going. He was tired. Of running, of hiding, of being afraid. Of feeling like a monster.

When did everything go so wrong?

Weeks earlier…

The day it all changed had been like any other. The sun struggled to break through the constant gray clouds that loomed over Walworth, a city forever bathed in the shadows of the chemical plant that towered above it. People went about their daily lives, trying to ignore the slow poison that hung in the air, the whispers of sickness, the unease that spread through the streets like a low hum.

Tommy was sitting at the breakfast table, poking at his cereal, listening to his mom and dad discuss the latest government mandates. The virus had come out of nowhere, they said. A new kind of plague, moving so quickly that no one could stop it. And the vaccine? A rushed solution.

“Everyone’s getting it,” his mom had said, her eyes filled with the same worry that had crept into everyone’s conversations these days. “It’s supposed to protect us.”

His dad nodded, though he hadn’t looked convinced. “Yeah… it’s supposed to.”

Tommy hadn’t cared much at the time. He just wanted things to go back to normal, for the world to stop feeling like it was teetering on the edge. But normal didn’t come.

Within days of getting the vaccine, something began happening to the kids around him. He started feeling it too—the headaches, the strange tingling that crept through his skin. At first, he thought it was just nerves. But then came the scales. Tiny, rough patches that appeared on his cheeks, like a rash. His reflection in the bathroom mirror stared back at him in confusion. What was happening to him? He scratched at his face, but the scales stayed, stubborn and permanent.

He didn’t say anything to his parents at first. They had enough to worry about. But the changes kept coming—scales spreading, his shoulders growing heavier, aching. He woke up one night to find the start of fins on his back. He felt like he was unraveling, losing himself piece by piece. What scared him more than the changes, though, was the way his parents started looking at him. They didn’t say anything, but there was fear in their eyes now. Fear they tried to hide.

Tommy wasn’t the only one. Other kids at school had started showing signs too—mutations, they called it. The news talked about it all the time. No one knew why, but they blamed the vaccine, the chemical plant, maybe even the virus itself. And then came the disappearances. One by one, kids like him were taken. No one said where, but everyone knew it was the government. They were taking them for tests, trying to figure out what was happening, why their genes were changing. Rumors spread that the government was detaining the parents too, locking them away to figure out why their kids were different.

Tommy didn’t want to believe it, but the fear was too real. The night he heard his parents whispering about “what to do next,” he knew he couldn’t wait any longer.

So he ran.

The forest had become his new home. It wasn’t perfect, but it was safer than the city. The trees shielded him, the streams provided him refuge when he felt the need to escape. His body was adapting faster than he could comprehend—fins on his shoulders, scales toughening his skin, and a strange connection to the water. When he was submerged, he could feel it calling to him, guiding him. He didn’t understand it, but the water felt more like home than anything else these days.

Then he met Eddie.

Eddie was a boy, not much older than Tommy, who had been living in the forest for longer. Eddie’s changes were more dramatic—gills on his neck, webbed fingers. They had bonded over their shared fear and confusion.

“They’re not gonna stop, you know,” Eddie had said one night as they sat by the water. “The government. They’ll find us eventually. They want to figure out what’s wrong with us. Or… what we’ve become.”

Tommy shivered at the thought. “And our parents? You think they’ll be okay?”

Eddie shrugged, his face hard to read in the dim light. “I dunno, man. My parents… they’re already gone. Took ‘em weeks ago. Yours could still be okay. But if they are, you gotta hurry.”

Tommy had felt the weight of those words pressing down on him ever since. Could he save them? Would they even recognize him now?

Then there was Lily.

He had found her by accident, a small kitten struggling in a pond, terrified and confused. Like him, she had changed—her body adapted to the water, though it seemed unnatural to her. Tommy remembered the way she had cried when he pulled her out, her tiny claws digging into his arms as she clung to him. She didn’t want to be alone. Neither did he.

Lily had followed him everywhere since. Her once soft fur was slick now, her eyes wide and frightened whenever Tommy strayed too far from the water. She didn’t know how to survive on land anymore, and that fear kept her close to him. They needed each other.

But every day, Tommy’s mind was torn. His parents… could they be alive? Were they locked away somewhere, waiting for him to save them? The thought gnawed at him constantly. But then there was Lily—small, vulnerable, clinging to him for safety. How could he leave her? What if he never came back?

The present closed in on him as the officers’ voices grew louder. He couldn’t keep running forever. His time was running out. Tommy felt a tear slip down his cheek as he stroked Lily’s wet fur.

“I’ll come back,” he whispered, though he wasn’t sure if it was a promise he could keep.

She whimpered, her small body shaking as she nuzzled deeper into his chest. Tommy could feel her heartbeat, fast and panicked, matching his own.

“Stay hidden,” he said again, placing her gently in the shallow water by the stream. She looked up at him with wide, confused eyes, as if asking, Are you really leaving me?

He didn’t answer. He couldn’t. The weight of his decision crushed him as he turned and dived into the stream, the cold water enveloping him in a familiar embrace. His fins sliced through the currents, the scales on his face shimmering under the moonlight as he swam further away from the approaching danger.

But even as he swam, guilt gnawed at him. Could he really leave his parents behind? Could he really leave Lily alone in this strange, unforgiving world?

The conflict raged inside him, a never-ending battle between the boy he used to be and the creature he was becoming. He didn’t have the answers. All he had were choices. Impossible choices.

And so Tommy swam, hoping that, in the end, the water would carry him to a place where the weight of those choices would finally let him breathe.

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The Gulabpash

Visual references generated Using Midjourney for the futuristic version of how a Gulabpash would look like in the year 2104

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Gulabpash 2104

As a vessel of tradition and a keeper of ceremonies, the gulabpash had always been more than just an object; by the year 2104 it had transformed into something quite different from what it had been. It started out years ago as a modest gomutra, or fragile container of rose water, used in Indian homes to bless individuals and purify environments. It was a delicately fashioned piece of copper or silver that was handled by human hands to purify the soul and the air. Sprinkling water was considered a spiritual act in those days, with the idea that it might purify the air and realign energy.

The gulabpash found itself changing along with society and the complexity of the planet. An era of technology and relentless speed had replaced the world it had known, which was one of peaceful homes, leisurely rituals, and tight-knit communities. By the time the gulabpash was originally conceived, cleansing had to address far more than only the spiritual or physical aspects of the world. Cities had gotten denser, higher, and dirtier. People's lives were no longer limited to the physical places they lived; instead, they were extended into digital realms where streams of information, light, and sound constantly overstimulated the mind.

New types of gulabpash emerged during this period. The object's ability to adjust to the world's changing needs was acknowledged by engineers and designers in the middle of the twenty-first century. What started out as a straightforward vessel evolved into a technological wonder, keeping the simplicity of its design while evolving into an advanced, multifunctional tool. The new gulabpash had bio-sensors that could sense the quality of the air, the emotional and mental energy of the surroundings, and even the increasing amounts of digital noise that were interfering with people's life.

Now, the gulabpash could float on its own, a silent defender of areas, moving across rooms like a soft wind. It has AI-powered algorithms built into it that took in data gathered from those around it and changed its behavior to suit their requirements. It would release a mist whenever someone was nervous or tense, but this time the mist was made of nanoparticles that were meant to cleanse the user's thoughts as well as the air, not just rose water. It could detect and molecularly neutralise pollutants, allergies, and poisons in the air. More than that, though, it was able to identify digital clutter—the unseen frequencies of overstimulation brought on by continual connectivity—and release particles that relieved the noise by calming the brain interactions.

In a time of turmoil, the mist it spread was a healing energy rather than merely a relic from earlier ceremonies. Now, the gulabpash contained essences that could be customized for the occasion—rose, of course, but also molecular components that functioned at a biological level, assisting in the release of tension, the facilitation of breathing, and the restoration of balance. It was more than simply a household cleaner; it was a tool for mental and emotional detoxification, bringing the body and mind into harmony in ways that ancient rituals had always intended but that were now made possible by modern technology.

The gulabpash was more than an observer on its journey from house to house. It had an enormous impact on the areas it invaded. It coordinated with the core AI of future smart houses to identify changes in temperature, emotional states, and air quality. When a family sat down to eat, the gulabpash would approach and release mists that grounded the family's energies and refreshed the air. It would detect increases in cortisol levels during stressful circumstances and react by releasing calming essences that complemented brain wave modulations and blended in perfectly with the mist. Its mild yet revolutionary presence acted as a balance agent.

Gulabpash became even more vital in times of crises in this futuristic world. When towns experienced environmental disasters, gulabpash drone fleets were used to sterilize diseased areas or purge the air of harmful gases. Silently and constantly, these gadgets spread their mists across city blocks, cleaning and restoring areas that had been contaminated by human activity. Once a household personal item, the gulabpash has evolved into widespread survival gear. It was a cleansing force that was able to adapt to any size of demand, not only for the home but for large cities.

However, the gulabpash's cultural importance persisted despite its transformation into a high-tech marvel. As it has done for ages, it performed its function during ceremonial gatherings, blessing both people and places. Gulabpash floats gently among the guests at weddings, funerals, and community ceremonies, dispersing bio-remedies that are both symbolic and practical, together with sacred mists of rose water. The traditional notion that sprinkling essence into the air might purify rooms, realign energy, and bring people closer was still upheld by these rites, despite their modernization over the years.

In its most recent iteration, the gulabpash served as a tool for introspection as well. It might have intimate interactions with users through AI-driven customisation. It would detect when someone was resting, meditating, or thinking, and modify its mists accordingly. Some people found it to be a trustworthy friend that helped them cleanse both their internal and external environments. People depended on it to help them focus, relax, and re-establish a connection with themselves during times of introspection since it coordinated with their breathing.

The gulabpash had changed to meet the difficulties of a world that was constantly shifting always changing. By combining traditional knowledge with modern technology, it was no longer merely a tool of the past but rather an essential component of the future. It had endured for centuries because, despite significant changes in the manner in which it produced those outcomes, its goal—the need for purification, renewal, and peace—had remained constant.

The gulabpash continued to be a sign of continuity as it drifted gently through a house in the twenty-first century. It served as a link between the old and the modern and a reminder that certain standards never changed, regardless of how developed society got. Gulabpash's straightforward function of cleansing spaces—whether with rose water, nano-mists, or bio-sensors—was as crucial as ever in this future, when the air was dense with digital frequencies and the mind was constantly overwhelmed. It was no longer only a device for sprinkling liquid; it was now a protector of equilibrium, a silent, omnipresent force that purified not only the air but also the entire significance of coexisting peacefully with the environment.