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WEEK 13

EXHIBITION

I'm going to close the journey of the studio "Slave to the Algorithm" with this cute face. A special thank you, Karen, for your support and guidance this semester and most importantly, for your patience!

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ARTIST STATEMENT

INSTANT INTENSE DISTRACTION

Stavros Giannoulakis

2019

IoT (Internet of things)

Bluetooth button | silicon | plastic

The IID concept is a fragment of myself; it stems from a particular type of dread that has haunted me for a very long time and forms a question I find myself contemplating daily; “How long do I have before my next panic attack?”

My work explores the relationship between technologies and panic disorders. Electronic devices are often accused, rightly so, for separating us from our inner lives and each other. But what if we could use them to combat a panic attack? What if they had the power to keep us safe?

The IID (Instant Intense Distraction) is a smart, small, wearable, device based on flic technology, designed to overthrow and manage an imminent panic attack.

Flic is a wireless shortcut button which triggers functions on your smartphone. The Flic uses Bluetooth low-energy to communicate with your device. Flic describes itself as a smart Bluetooth button, which is able to control hundreds of apps and services with a few clicks. We use our smartphones daily to do a broad number of tasks, imagine that by pressing a button at the onset of a panic attack, the Flic will administer a significant distraction as well as send an SMS alert to

a person you have nominated.

How the button works;

The IID/flic has three functions:

One click of the button will text an alert message and your position to one or more specified contacts.

Two clicks of the button will share your real-time location with your anyone you’ve nominated; this action streams your position for as long as you want.

Holding down the button for two seconds will administer a vibrational distraction.

The IID user can order these functions according to personal preferences.

My past experiences of panic attacks served as the inspiration for my design. As a long time, sufferer of generalised anxiety and persistent panic attacks, I’d often fantasised about a quick, effective solution to combat an escalating panic attack, a resolution for my personal predicament that ideally, could be more far-reaching, offering comfort and security to anyone battling anxiety and panic disorders.

What makes the IID unique is the very concept of using this technology for therapeutic purposes, specifically, to offset or ‘derail’ an imminent panic attack and the subsequent distress and trauma which typically follows. Also, at a time when society is arguably overmedicated at an alarming and ever escalating rate, the IID offers a pharmaceutical free option to combat anxiety and panic disorders but without any debilitating or deleterious side effects. Now is the time to say, “NO MORE FEAR, NO MORE MEDS” and regain control by attacking the panic with one click of a button.

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Critical theory: Evaluating Bluetooth Low Energy Suitability for Time-Critical Industrial IoT Applications 

Theorists: 

Raúl Rondón is a PhD-student within the research group Communication Systems and Networks. Department of Information and Communication Systems Mid Sweden University Sundsvall Sweden 

Mikael Gidlund is a professor, Department of Information and Communication Systems Mid Sweden University Sundsvall Sweden 

Krister Landernäs Project Manager ABB Corporate Research 

In recent years, the integration of wireless sensor networks in industrial environments has greatly increased. With this trend, new fields such as industrial IoT have arisen, which in turn have opened the doors to new possibilities that are shaping the future of industrial automation. In contrast to regular wireless networks, however, industrial applications of WSN are characterized for being time-critical systems with highly stringent requirements that challenge all available technologies. Because of its ultra-low energy properties, compatibility with most mobile units reduced production costs, robustness and high throughput, Bluetooth low energy (BLE) is a potential candidate for these settings. This article explores the potential of BLE of meeting the real-time demands found in the domain of industrial process automation and industrial IoT. In order to evaluate the suitability of the protocol for these scenarios, the effect of adaptations in the retransmission scheme on the reliability and timeliness performance are thoroughly studied. Three retransmission schemes are evaluated and simulation results proved that by optimally modifying the BLE retransmission model, a maximum delay below 46 ms and a packet loss rate in the order of (Formula presented.) can be obtained, enabling BLE to fulfil the requirements of even the most demanding cases within the considered range of applications. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10776-017-0357-0

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The Internet of things (IoT) is the extension of Internet connectivity into physical devices and everyday objects. Embedded with electronics, Internet connectivity, and other forms of hardware (such as sensors), these devices can communicate and interact with others over the Internet, and they can be remotely monitored and controlled.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_of_things

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Stave to the algorithm week 12

In class today, we were bought to the topic of surveillance capitalism. Print changed our world, culture was distributed, people could read, legacy of story, commerce of thinking. In the commerce of this age (still in its infancy) the digital resolution is happening at the same time as rampant capitalism. Capitalism colliding with this digital revolution means we are now in a state of surveillance capitalism, where information is currency, which is generated from us.

We are slaves to the algorithm (combined and individually) which is being used to drive capitalism. “Surveillance capitalism claims human experience as free raw material for translation into behavioural data – it provides free services that billions of people cheerfully use enabling the providers of their services to monitor the behaviour of those users.” It had only just occurred to me that everyone is a slave to the algorithm.

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WEEK 11

Work in progress. Now that my project is almost done, I’m practising with Arduino for self-development as well as how to make a statement in design.

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IDD (Instant Intense Distraction) - Demonstration

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WEEK 10

DEMONSTRATION & PRESENTATION DAY - MILESTONE REVIEW

The IID (Instant Intense Distraction) is a smart, wearable, small device, which aims to help people suffering from a panic attack. The IID is a project based on flic.io technology. It’s a wireless shortcut button which can trigger functions on your smartphone, it uses Bluetooth low-energy to communicate with your smartphone. We use our smartphones daily to do a broad number of tasks. Imagine that by pressing a button at the onset of a panic attack, the device will administer a significant distraction as well as send an SMS alert to a person you have nominated.

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Snake in action!

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Today I received my order. In the beginning, I got excited, so I ordered more parts than I needed for my project because suddenly I developed an interest in being more experimental in this world of electronics. So I started exploring Arduino, sensors etc. I recreated an old arcade game "snake." I used to play that game years ago, mid-'90's on my Nokia mobile and of course black & white. Even if this is a game, for me having no experience with electronics, it's still an achievement and a great way to practice with microcontrollers.

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WEEK 9

Guess who? I loved that game back in time and still loving it. Today’s task was something similar to “Guess who?” board game but this time we had to identify sensors for Audriuno and to put them in order. That process was fun as well as allowed us to learn about sensors and to get used to identifying sensors and other electronic equipment. After that, we continued practising Audriuno and further research about our projects.

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WEEK 8

Introduction to Arduino board in action using an ultrasonic sensor. An entertaining and educating process to start having an idea of what potentially we will need, to achieve our goals.

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CONCEPTUAL DIAGRAM

The IID [Instant Intense Destraction] app, as an intermediate tool, will operate to send an SMS to a chosen person for help as well as the location of the incident linked with the google maps. I was thinking to develop the app further, for example, a survey about what triggered the panic attack. However, many people believe that a type of phobia can be a reason to experience a panic attack. This theory is unclear as there is not any evidence about it. Scientist resulted in that panic attack, and phobias are two separate anxiety disorders. Phobia is an instant conscious fear, and panic attack is a subconscious fear. Potentially we can control our conscious fear, but we can not control the subconscious which the panic attack comes from.  If we could control the subconscious, we would be a superhuman! The IID device will have two parameters. 1. Destruction 2. Notification

https://www.verywellmind.com/panic-disorder-versus-a-phobia-2584215

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A very first prototype of my concept IID (Intense Instant Distraction). A brief idea of how visually will be. I now have to research two parameters, first is about the power, how this small device will produce and deliver an electric shock to the skin, and second, this device must be built with Bluetooth, be able to connect with your mobile and then to send an SMS to a person which you nominated for help. 

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WEEK 7

Inspirational book by artist Paul Granjon.

http://www.zprod.org/zwp/

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WEEK 7

Mind Mapping

Placing our ideas to start understanding what we need to achieve our intentions and collecting and sharing information.

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WEEK 6 : Project pitch presentation

Today was the presentation day, very interesting concepts from all of us. Well done.

THE SLAP CONCEPT  

The slap is a concept which combines the perils of an anxiety disorder with algorithm analysis and design.

Algorithm analysis is an important part of computational complexity theory, which provides theoretical estimation for the required resources of an algorithm to solve a specific computational problem.

https://www.tutorialspoint.com/design_and_analysis_of_algorithms/analysis_of_algorithms.htm

Prior to the death of my father in 2006, my personal anxieties were manageable, fleeting and reasonably frightening. However, after this tragic event, my anxiety grew exponentially, morphing into what felt like a tornado of fear, despair, agitation and apprehension. The most terrifying element of which, was the manifestation of panic attacks.

A panic attack is described as a brief episode of intense anxiety, which causes the physical sensations of fear. These can include a racing heartbeat, shortness of breath, dizziness, trembling and muscle tension. Panic attacks occur frequently and unexpectedly and are often not related to any external threat.

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/panic-attack

After my first few panic attacks, I began researching them obsessively, desperate to find a practical solution. Currently, most of the studies suggest taking a deep breath or focusing on your breathing, seeking the guidance of a psychologist and typically taking psycho medications. After trying all of the above, without achieving any lasting or noticeable success, I resolved to create a device that will help those suffering from this unnerving and debilitating ordeal.

This brief provides a timely opportunity to combine my personal experiences and research, with technology, to create alternative solutions or coping mechanisms for this pernicious affliction.

A panic attack could be considered a highjacking, wherein your brain takes aggressive control of your bodily functions. The key is to find a way to outsmart the brain, to override the motherboard, a task that is incredibly difficult to achieve.

So far, my research has led me to the work of artist Lauren McCarthy, whose work I find particularly exciting. Specifically, her project "Tools for Improved Social Interacting" - a series of wearable devices which use sensors to condition the behaviour of the wearer to better adapt to expected social behaviours. http://lauren-mccarthy.com/Tools-for-Improved-Social-Interacting

Inspired by Lauren's research, I’ve developed a concept titled “The Slap.” The genesis for this concept stems from a formidable moment in the long history of my panic attacks; the first time I was able to override the motherboard. At the peak of an escalating panic attack, I was slapped in the face by a concerned onlooker, which delivered me an arresting distraction; an action I've since termed “cheating the panic”. This forceful action had the effect of me instantly forgetting that I was experiencing a panic attack, which was all it took for it to regress and subside.

Can I create a device that will deliver this type of distraction? I believe so... I hope so! Incorporating my personal experiences with Arduino technology and coding, I shall endeavour to create a device which will modify the intensity of an electric shock to the skin and yield a safe but effective distraction from an escalating panic attack.

Arduino is an open-source electronics platform based on easy-to-use hardware and software. Arduino boards are able to read inputs - light on a sensor, a finger on a button, or a Twitter message - and turn it into an output - to activate a motor, turning on an LED, publishing something online. You can tell your board what to do by sending a set of instructions to the microcontroller on the board. To do so you use the Arduino programming language (based on Wiring), and the Arduino Software (IDE), based on Processing.

https://www.arduino.cc/en/guide/introduction

The community to which this device speaks is primarily those who suffer panic attacks as well as those who manage persistent generalised anxiety. This type of device would also appeal to current designers who have an interest in developing technologies which combine artistry with functional solutions to everyday issues, in particular, mental health issues.

Currently, I'm researching concepts combining anxiety and Arduino technology. Most of the studies are based on stress detectors. The following quote is from a student studying Biomedical Electronics at Stanford University in California; "What if we could quickly detect and ameliorate stressful conditions continued throughout the day? An electronic stress detection system could enable just that. A prototype of an Arduino based stress detection system that uses heart rate, respiration rate, and skin conductance to detect stress."

https://www.instructables.com/id/Arduino-Stress-Detector/

The proposed device, which I've named IID (Instant Intense Distraction) aims to combine maximum impact within a compact design. I visualise IID in the vein of Inspector Gadget, an arm extending out of a hat, which slaps you! Quite challenging to create! Other ideas include a wristband or watch, or a small device attached to the skin and, by simply pressing a button, the device activates. At this point, I can imagine I'll end up with a cumbersome device.

What I need to learn:

•    Comprehensive knowledge of Arduino technology •    Confidence & efficiency with coding •    Knowledge specific to circuitry, parts & materials

The IID device:

MUST

Deliver an effective distraction from an escalating panic attack Be safe in doing so Be wearable Be durable

SHOULD

Be rechargeable Be compact Be aesthetically pleasing Be affordable

COULD

Have a sound effect Be made from biodegradable parts Stop a panic attack faster than anything else Assess the ideal amount of electrical current required to achieve the desired result

WON’T

PREVENT A PANIC ATTACK Resolve long term generalised anxiety Be successful 100% of the time

My IID Project consolidates research, electronics, industrial design and logo identity.

I’d like to thank my classmates for their feedback and suggestions for my project. They really help me with various developments.