For this project, we looked at some of the alternatives to the much heralded autonomous and screen-based vision of Tesla. The project took us from the streets, grids and networks across the metal box of chrome, shine and technical marvel to the power structures captured within this very box of command and control, cybernaut and narcissus, and all the way into the body itself with the bodily sensations transforming us as we move beyond our human spec capacity.
The Mazda 323 / 323F series possesses the optimum blend of driving pleasure, visual delight, comfort, safety, reliability, and durability while meeting the new age's social needs relative to the environmental concerns and conservation of resources.
Charlie is a better-knowing, voice-enabled car assistant that helps with navigation and provides infotainment (information, recommendations, games/trivia questions) throughout the much wearying journey. It creates a sense of touch through sound which helps minimize distraction while driving and optimize the overall driver-passenger experience. Another great thing about Charlie is that it brings sounds from the outside world inside the car through the technique of deep listening which can boost people’s mood, help them relax or focus by stimulating the mind and body and creating an illusion/sensation that you are someplace else. The soundscapes change depending on the particular surroundings (evoking oceans, woods, deserts, dungeons, etc.), and so do the acoustics of the sound (echoes, amplitudes, vibrations).
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At the beginning of the project, we did some observational studies while also keeping in mind the current situation (COVID-19). We looked at the infrastructure, seen as a pedestrian but also as someone being in a car. We observed people's behavior, as well as walking patterns in order to be able to design for the world during and after the pandemic. We learned that a lot has changed and in order to be better designers we need to take all of these factors into consideration. We explored the various perceptions of the car and dug deeper beyond the cultural aspect of the vehicle.
We looked at the theoretical, as well as the philosophical assumptions behind the concept of the car and more specifically the Mazda 323F model. We looked into the power of ‘’Then’’ and the unique human capacity to transcend the present, to imagine beyond the ‘’Now’’.
We used the cards designed by diffus.dk to identify areas we could work with and decided on the ones below. As humans we often want to get and be in touch with other people and things outside of our surroundings but the current situation has created a lot of limitations. Voice is a nearer sense than the sight, and in a time when human touch is excluded, Voice and Sound come as close as possible. We get a sense of touch through sound, therefore it is important to consider and explore the intimacy of the sound.
Kane Simms (Co-founder & CEO VUX World)
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A cultural probe kit was designed with the purpose of gaining more insights about the users’ lives, thoughts and values. A number of participants were selected and equipped with a predesigned set of tasks and questions that were meant to be completed individually. Later on, the results of the probes served as a means of inspiration and guidance in the design process.
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Despite the fact that many of our behaviors seem to be voluntary, rational, conscious and overt, the majority of our actions are in fact involuntary, potentially irrational, and are guided by our subconsciousness. In order for us to access that other side of the human behavior we need to examine the covert behaviors that occur as a result. The purpose of this experiment was to find out how could a voice assistant affect people's behavior and mood.
Due to the circumstances and working remotely it was not possible to use the equipment that was available for us. Consequently, we had to come up with our own homemade biometric setup. We came up with a script and used the Alexa skill development tool to create our own prototype version of the voice assistant. Using Amazon Echo dot 3 we did 3 tests:
