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Safe in the City: Cluster blogpost

When it comes to safety, many people don’t want to take wild risks. It is one of the only things that I think nobody would willingly sacrifice. Especially when talking about traffic, there are a lot of things that can go wrong and go wrong on a daily basis. Considering the amount of people that travel from A to B every single day, it is a miracle that our safety still comes first. When it comes to the Netherlands it can get quite complicated. The reason why? Bikes. Millions of them. According to the BOVAG-RAI Mobility Foundation (2018) there were about 22,8 million bikes in the Netherlands in 2018. Considering the Netherlands only have a population of about 17 million people, I think it’s safe to say that that’s gigantic. The huge number of cyclists with the combination of technology often doesn’t go so well. That also goes for young adults in their cars. This is why the Dutch government decided to launch a campaign in September of 2018 about the use of technology in traffic and the dangers that come with it. The name of the campaign was MONO. According to Minister van Nieuwenhuizen, the Dutch minister of infrastructure, the campaign was heavily needed because of the increase in accidents including mobile phones in traffic. The campaign is supposed to last for a minimum of ten years. There are many upcoming innovations that are designed to increase the safety in traffic. Today I will share a few of them.

Figure 1.

First of all, what is it exactly?

First up is a project that has been in use in the Netherlands since July of 2018 called WegWijsVR. WegWijsVR is an app that helps children to get more insights about the dangers of traffic and how to deal with them. With the help of virtual reality children get to experience different scenarios that can happen in traffic in real life. Because the app is in a game like form it serves not only an educational purpose, but is also pretty fun to do. There are two versions of the program, one specially designed for schools, and one for at home. The school version can be specifically designed for the environment where the school lies, so specific traffic problems can be taught accordingly. According to WegWijsVR themselves, the app serves three core tasks; safety, education and fun. The app is designed to increase traffic awareness by children and help them prepare better for unexpected situations that may happen in traffic. Parents can also track their progress and see which situations their child struggles with. Apart from that the app is also designed to actually be fun for children to do. Children can collect points in the game and challenge their classmates. WegWijsVR was a collaboration between Interpolis, an insurance company, and Veilig Verkeer Nederland, an organization that is committed to traffic safety in the Netherlands. The reason why this collaboration happened was because of research. Stichting Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek Verkeersveiligheid, also known as SWOV, concluded in 2017 that between 2014 and 2017 the amount of accidents in traffic that involved children under fifteen years old was raised by nine percent. They also concluded in 2017 that most children don’t possess enough knowledge about traffic when they are permitted to walk or cycle to school independently. Interpolis found these results shocking and decided to design something that will help children get more independent and increase their safety in traffic. As they should, according to CBS in 2017 the number of deadly traffic incidents was 613, with the deadliest incidents linked to those that had bicycles involved in them.

Figure 2.

Figure 3.

The next invention is the Invi bracelet, a bracelet designed on Dutch grounds. The brand Invi was founded by Roel van der Kamp, who first had the idea in 2014. In the beginning of 2017 the first tests arose in Rotterdam, and now, in 2019, we can buy the official and final result. The bracelet is a self-defence mechanism, to simply put it. The bracelet is very simple and seemingly harmless upon first glance, but that changes when the silver part breaks. It releases a very foul smell that is supposed to wear off anyone that wants to cause you harm. The bracelet is supposed to make people feel safe and provide a way to defend themselves without using violence in the process. The scent should deter any aggressors and alarm others. The Invi bracelet was designed to increase the safety of everyone, regardless of gender, sexuality, ethnicity or age. Living in a large city can cause people to feel unsafe at times, but this bracelet was designed to make people more confident when walking alone on the street. The smell that is released when breaking the bracelet’s silver part was specifically designed to reduce sexual arousal. The smell is all thanks to Dr Charmaine Borg, a psychologist who worked at the University in Groningen at the time.

Figure 4.

The final innovation is called the Bee Smart, a headset which allows you to listen to music through your bones. Sounds crazy, and it is indeed a very unique thing. The Bee Smart was designed by Olivia Jeursen, a Dutch woman. She worked on her project for three years, and now in 2019 it is finally ready for use. The headset isn’t supposed to be placed on your ears, but a bit before them. Because of this the vibrations go directly to your cochlea through your cartilage, resulting in the eardrum to be completely free. This is ideal for people who frequently listen to music in traffic, as it allows them to listen to music, but also hear everything around them. It therefore increased the safety of listening to music in traffic, the latter being something that is very common in the Netherlands. Veilig Verkeer Nederland, an organisation I mentioned earlier, supports this headset wholeheartedly according to José de Jong, spokesperson for VVN in 2019. The headset isn’t the cheapest option, as it retails for about 120 euros. But then again, the well-known airpods that apple sells don’t come with a cheap price tag either.

Figure 5.

What is the future potential?

Traffic is something in our society that will always rapidly change as long as we do. It evolves with us. It also is something that causes lots of frustration in our daily lives. It can also be extremely dangerous. But despite all of that it also connects. It connects us to friends that we met on a vacation to Spain. It connects us to family that live abroad. Or it simply connects us to our soulmate that lives a few blocks away. According to Worldometers in May 2019, there are 7.7 billion people on this earth. All those people want to travel safely. The three innovations I mentioned are just examples of how our safety can be secured in our society, and in the one after that.

Sources:

AD. (2017, January 7). Armband met stinkbommetje in strijd tegen aanranding. Retrieved May 8, 2019, from https://www.ad.nl/rotterdam/armband-met-stinkbommetje-in-strijd-tegen-aanranding~a726d25f/

Bee Sports. (n.d.). BEE SMART, Groove 4.2 Bone Conduction Headset - Blue ( €119,95 ) - Bee Sports. Retrieved May 13, 2019, from https://www.bee-sports.nl/winkel/bee-smart/bluetooth-bone-conduction-headset/bee-smart-groove-4-2-bone-conduction-headset-blue-new-01-11-18/

Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek. (2018, April 25). In 2017 meer verkeersdoden op de fiets dan in de auto. Retrieved May 5, 2019, from https://www.cbs.nl/nl-nl/nieuws/2018/17/in-2017-meer-verkeersdoden-op-de-fiets-dan-in-de-auto

Dijkgraaf, J. (2019, January 5). Huh? Muziek gaat via je botten met deze Twentse headset. Retrieved May 6, 2019, from https://www.tubantia.nl/enschede/huh-muziek-gaat-via-je-botten-met-deze-twentse-headset~ad1431b6/

Interpolis. (n.d.). Kinderen oefenen verkeerssituaties virtueel met de WegWijsVR-app | Interpolis LAB. Retrieved May 5, 2019, from https://www.interpolis.nl/lab/verkeer/kinderen-zijn-zelfstandiger-in-het-verkeer/wegwijsvr

Invi. (2019a, April 18). Invi | Self-Defense Bracelet | Free Shipping Worldwide. Retrieved May 8, 2019, from https://invi.world/

Invi. (2019b, April 18). Smell research | invi - invi self-defense bracelet. Retrieved May 8, 2019, from https://invi.world/smell-research/

Onze parlementaire redactie. (2018, September 13). Nederland moet ’mono’ rijden. Retrieved May 1, 2019, from https://www.telegraaf.nl/nieuws/2550366/nederland-moet-mono-rijden

Stichting BOVAG-RAI Mobiliteit. (2018, January 5). Fietsen in Nederland: de stand van zaken | Fietsen123. Retrieved May 13, 2019, from https://www.fietsen123.nl/fietsnieuws/fietsen-in-nederland-de-stand-van-zaken

WegWijsVR. (n.d.). WegWijsVR | Verkeerseducatie in Virtual Reality. Retrieved May 5, 2019, from https://wegwijsvr.nl/

Worldometers. (2019). World Population Clock: 7.7 Billion People (2019) - Worldometers. Retrieved May 8, 2019, from https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/

Source Figure 3: Invi. (2019, April 15). Invi Bracelet [Photograph]. Retrieved May 14, 2019, from https://invi.world/invi-bracelet/

Source Figure 1, 2, 4 and 5: All images own work, by Nina Nagel (2019)

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Teaching children the dangers of internet data, one pinball at a time.

The internet is a strange, but also wonderful place. It brings as much joy as it brings consequences. There doesn’t seem to be a way out once you’re in. Little pieces of data about yourself you always leave behind, unknowingly. It reminds me of the tale about Hansel and Gretel. They left a trial of breadcrumbs and pebbles to find their way back home from the dark, scary forest. The internet seems like a dark, scary forest sometimes, with all the danger that lurks behind every single click that you make with your mouse. Growing up in this new generation where you almost can’t remember how life was without the internet, it is important to also know the dangers and consequences the internet has.

First of all, what is it exactly?

Databall is a pinball machine created by Felix Mollinga, a Dutch designer who graduated from the Design Academy in Eindhoven. It was spotted at the Dutch Design Week in Eindhoven in late 2018. The machine was created as a tool to help children get more conscious about the data they leave behind on the internet. Sixty tiny balls represent the data in the game, such as chats and photos. As the children release them into the machine, they pass a few parties. Parties like the government, data traders, criminals and supervising authorities. You can earn points by hitting the data trader pop-bumpers, but be careful! Once you get ‘hacked’ in the game, it’s game over.

Figure 1.

Why is this happening today?

Our society is highly dependent on the internet. We speak of a new generation when it comes to the high use of the world wide web in our daily lives. With a new generation, and a new form of technology, there will always be new problems. The exchange of data over the internet has had its doubt ever since the beginning. Mainly because the main question is; where does it end? There doesn’t seem to be a limit when it comes to the use of the internet. We exchange information about ourselves quick and without a second thought, or so it seems. Over time many businesses have caught up on this. Take Facebook for example. We fill in lots of private information about ourselves. And why, exactly?

Mollinga created the pinball machine for children, since they are easily influenceable. It’s important to teach the new internet generation the dangers of the internet and how quick and effortless you can get yourself in a big web of data that you unknowingly share about yourself through the internet.  Matt Hancock, who was the secretary for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport in the United Kingdom in 2018, also agreed that parenting in this digital era was difficult, but not impossible. “Setting boundaries on the use of new technology is important just in the same way as we set boundaries for children in every sense. The technology may be new but the principles have not changed” -Hancock (2018).

Figure 2.

What is the future potential?

The internet is almost a core piece in our daily existence. We use it for literally everything. From looking up the trains you need to take to sending an important email to your boss. Internet and mobile devices go together like butter and bread. Even I am a part of it. I write this blogpost on my laptop and will share it later on the internet. The massive use of internet will likely not decline soon, if ever. The new generations that will follow after us might not even know the internet like we use it today, but in a far more technological form. The potential in Mollinga’s design lies in the message that it spreads. Be aware of the internet. With the arrival of the internet there have come many consequences. According to recent research from Kasperskylab (2019) cyberbullying, cyber predators, sharing private information online and shady companies that can hack all your information with a simple click on a strange link, also known as phishing, are the four greatest risks that children face online in 2019. Children are ought to be protected from all the dangers in the world, even if we can’t see them directly with our own eyes. Mollinga’s design is a fine example of a way to teach our kids the dangers of the internet without involving the online system itself.

Sources:

Department of Health and Social Care. (2018, October 2). Matt Hancock warns of dangers of social media on children’s mental health. Retrieved May 7, 2019, from https://www.gov.uk/government/news/matt-hancock-warns-of-dangers-of-social-media-on-childrens-mental-health

Designboom. (2018, October 22). playful pinball machine by felix mollinga visualizes the flow of personal data. Retrieved May 4, 2019, from https://www.designboom.com/design/pinball-machine-felix-mollinga-databall-design-academy-eindhoven-10-22-2018/

Kaspersky. (2019). Top Seven Dangers Children Face Online: How to Keep Them Safe. Retrieved May 6, 2019, from https://usa.kaspersky.com/resource-center/threats/top-seven-dangers-children-face-online

Mollinga, F. (2018, August 11). Databall_ - Felix Mollinga. Retrieved May 4, 2019, from https://felixmollinga.com/databall_/

Weale, S. (2018, October 29). Parents urged to set boundaries around children's use of the internet. Retrieved May 7, 2019, from https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/jun/20/parents-urged-to-set-boundaries-around-childrens-use-of-the-internet

Source Figure 1: Mollinga, F. (2018, August 11). Databall_ - Felix Mollinga [Photograph]. Retrieved May 10, 2019, from https://felixmollinga.com/databall_/

Source Figure 2: Rollo, J. (2007). Free Floating monitors Stock Photo - FreeImages.com [Photograph]. Retrieved May 10, 2019, from https://www.freeimages.com/photo/floating-monitors-123907

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This is Urine

Humans pee. This is a fact, and something we definitely do every day. We pee because we need to flush the waste out of our bodies. You would think that it can’t have any other purpose than that. I’m here to tell you wrong. At the Dutch Design Week in October of 2018 I came across a wonderful young lady with a very unique project. ‘This is Urine’ was what it was called. The name caught my attention, and I remember looking at the vases with a very impressed look on my face. Then I read the description of the vases. The reason these vases shone so dashingly in the weak lights of the building was because of one simple ingredient. Urine. Human urine, that is. It was a bit shocking at first, until I learned more about Sinae Kim and her decision for this unique project.

Figure 1.

First of all, what is it exactly?

The Korean Sinae Kim was looking for a more progressive way of the use of waste. Therefore she decided to create her project ‘This is Urine’. This is Urine is a collection of ceramic vases coated with a glaze made of human urine. She created the glaze by taking the urine of five different people and through a process of distillation and evaporation she ended up with the glaze. The vases are in the shape of a human bladder and laboratory vessels, to create a link between the vases and the process of the glaze. Sinae Kim speaks vividly about the use of urine to create awareness about the huge amounts of waste that roams around our planet. She hopes to question the ethics that swarm around this resource and hopes her project can trigger a change, so more technology can be created to increase the relevancy of the recycling of urine.

Why is this happening today?

Vases designed to look like the human bladder and coated in a glaze made of urine don’t seem too appealing to most people at first sight. However, Sinae Kim’s project indicates that there is a slow changing mentality when it comes to the recycling of waste. According to Sinae Kim’s research (2018), urine had way more functions back in the day than we might have thought. Urine was used as a medicine, a cleaning supplement and even for the whitening of teeth. 22 Words (n.d.) found in a recent study that urine can also help to soften leather, promote meditation and even treat infertility! These days nobody could even imagine having their teeth whitened with the use of human urine. Urine has much more functions than just getting the waste out of our bodies. Another example that confirms this is a project from the National Science Foundation in the US. In November of 2018 they came up with a very special project. A project where they were going to make human urine into fertilizer. With success! The motivation behind this project was similar to Sinae Kim’s. They also sought a new technology to reduce waste and increase efficiencies. It shows that once you get past the ‘giggle’ factor, there is certainly potential in the research linked to human urine.

Figure 2.

What is the future potential?

Waste is something we as humans produce every single day with even the tiniest, daily thing we do. Our future is partly dependent on the way we handle it. Sinae Kim’s project is only an example of what can be. She shows that waste doesn’t have to be waste. By recycling waste in a different, more creative and inventive way we can do a whole lot more than just making roads from recycled plastic. It might take some time to get past the prejudices that linger amongst the use of human urine, but once more research proves how useful it is, I think it will only be a matter of time before we create more innovations with our personal, liquid waste.

Sources:

22 Words. (n.d.). 20 Crazy (and fascinating) ways people have used pee instead of flushing it. Retrieved April 29, 2019, from https://twentytwowords.com/20-things-to-do-with-urine-besides-flushing-it/

Flanagan, R. (2018, July 23). Destigmatizing Waste: Sinae Kim’s Ceramic Collection, Urine.... Retrieved February 27, 2019, from https://www.ignant.com/2018/07/23/destigmatizing-waste-sinae-kims-ceramic-collection-urine-ware/

Just1Regard, & Greendsign. (2019, February 16). Sinae KIM •. Retrieved April 15, 2019, from https://www.greendsign.com/sinae-kim/

National Science Foundation. (2018, November 13). Urine Recycling - Science Nation | National Science Foundation. Retrieved May 4, 2019, from https://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/science_nation/urinerecycling.jsp

Source Figure 1: Kim, S. (2018, July 23). Destigmatizing Waste: Sinae Kim’s Ceramic Collection, Urine... [Photograph]. Retrieved May 10, 2019, from https://www.ignant.com/2018/07/23/destigmatizing-waste-sinae-kims-ceramic-collection-urine-ware/

Source Figure 2: Rawrpixel. (n.d.). Free stock photo of afvegen, arbeider, baan [Photograph]. Retrieved May 12, 2019, from https://www.pexels.com/nl-nl/foto/afvegen-arbeider-baan-badkamer-1451355/?utm_content=attributionCopyText

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From Peel to Peel

Imagine if the plastic soup that swims in our oceans was gone. A lovely forecast, right? But what if you had to give up plastic containers, with alternatives of course. Sounds cool, right? Now imagine that plastic food containers get replaced by food packages made from bacteria and fungus. Changed your mind? In this blogpost I will explain all about Emma Sicher and her special packaging.

Figure 1.

First of all, what is it exactly?

Italian designer Emma Sicher was shocked by the amount of waste the world experiences nowadays. Millions of plastic containers that get thrown onto the street and into the ocean, polluting the earth bit by bit. Or the huge amount of food that gets thrown out every day? Sicher decided that it was time for a different approach. She started her project, called ‘Peel to Peel’, in November of 2018. The project is that Emma creates packages for food with the help of bacterial and fungal parts of food. Through an intense process she creates a plastic-like material which can be easily manipulated in terms of colour and texture. The packaging is entirely biological, which means it is easily biodegradable and can be adapted back into nature without harming it.

Why is this happening today?

Everyone knows about the plastic soup that floats around in our oceans. It's a problem that has been around since 1997, when Charles Moore discovered a big spot filled with plastic in the ocean. Since then this place has only started to grow intensely. Around 311 million tonnes of plastic are produced every year, of which around 5 million tonnes end up in the oceans, according to the Plastic Soup Foundation. It is therefore a major problem that requires a solution. Several decisions have been made regarding the reduction of the plastic soup, and therefore mainly plastic waste. In 2016, the European Union decided that all members should reduce the use of plastic bags. In the Netherlands there was even a ban, nowadays you need to pay a small amount of money for a plastic bag. In December 2018, the European Parliament went a little further. The use of single use plastic, plastic that can only be used once such as plastic plates, must have disappeared completely by 2021. This would prevent around € 22 billion in environmental damage, according to the European Commission. So it is clear that Europe wants to get rid of plastic. The consequences are also becoming more and more well-known, and so it seems that a change is gradually taking place in relation to plastic. In September, for example, there was a small incident involving the use of plastic straws. A woman said she didn’t want a plastic straw with her drink and got humiliated by the staff that was working there. By finding alternatives for things that are usually made of plastic, like food packaging, the plastic soup can be reduced. Sicher’s project is a contribution in the find of alternatives for plastic food packaging.

Figure 2.

What is the future potential?

The world’s climate is changing rapidly. According to the balance small business it takes about a century to get rid of one piece of plastic. The first fully synthetic plastic, the plastic we use today, was created by Leo Bakeland in 1907. That would mean that almost every single piece of plastic that was created still wanders around our earth. Let that sink in for a bit. Plastic has been polluting our oceans and our nature for more than a century, and to this day we still haven’t managed to come up with a sustainable, nature-friendly solution. Emma Sicher’s project holds future potential because she is one of the few designers which have come up with solutions for this problem. That said, there are solutions for our plastic problem. By starting with banning certain plastic products and finding alternatives for, for example, food packaging we have made a beginning to the end of plastic. We should help our earth and give our future generations the chance to see the beautiful nature our earth has to offer, without it being completely destroyed.

Sources:

De Leuw, M. (2018, September 8). 'Geen rietje? Wat een kutleven', Willemijn belachelijk gemaakt door ober. Retrieved March 7, 2019, from https://www.omroepbrabant.nl/nieuws/2841678/Geen-rietje-Wat-een-kutleven-Willemijn-belachelijk-gemaakt-door-ober LeBlanc, R. (2019, April 27). How Long Will it Take that Bag of Trash to Decompose in a Landfill? Retrieved May 1, 2019, from https://www.thebalancesmb.com/how-long-does-it-take-garbage-to-decompose-2878033 Science History Institute. (2016, December 20). The History and Future of Plastics. Retrieved May 2, 2019, from https://www.sciencehistory.org/the-history-and-future-of-plastics Seleky, E. (2019, February 11). Wat is plasticsoep? Retrieved March 7, 2019, from https://www.plasticsoupfoundation.org/dossiers/wat-is-plasticsoep/ Van der Veen, C. (2018, December 19). EU-staten gaan akkoord met verbod plastic wegwerpproducten. Retrieved March 7, 2019, from https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2018/12/19/eu-staten-gaan-akkoord-met-verbod-plastic-wegwerpproducten-a3126396

Source Figure 1: Camillini, G. (2018, November). From Peel to Peel [Photograph]. Retrieved May 8, 2019, from https://www.tumblr.com/privacy/consent?redirect=https%3A%2F%2Ffrompeeltopeel.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F157988628697%2Fwhat-if-food-was-packaged-inside-its-own-peel

Source Figure 2:  Rozales, K. (n.d.). Free stock photo of afval, close-up, collectie [Photograph]. Retrieved May 9, 2019, from https://www.pexels.com/nl-nl/foto/afval-close-up-collectie-deksels-761297/?utm_content=attributionCopyText

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Try before you Fly

Sex. Everyone knows what it is and many enjoy it. It is an interesting subject, seeing as how many rules and taboo’s can be connected to it. But no matter where you come from, or what belief you may have about sex, it is no secret that it can have many, negative consequences. From unwanted pregnancies to STD’s, the world of sex doesn’t always bring joy to its participants. The Netherlands is usually wildly connected to sex, thanks to the red-light district in Amsterdam, however, studies show that in 2017 only a little over 50% used condoms. That had to change in 2018, according to Soa Aids Nederland, the institute of STD’s, aka Sexual Transmittable Diseases. In order to raise more awareness about safe sex, a condom popup shop popped up at Utrecht central in November of 2018.

Figure 1.

First of all, what is it exactly?

The popup shop immediately raised a lot of attention. On every news page and every social media platform you would catch at least some sort of attention for the special shop. ‘Try before you fly’ was their name. According to visitors the ambience in the shop wasn’t uncomfortable or laughable at all. There were many kinds of condoms on display and even a special booth where you could try them on. For any questions and concerns there was a condom specialist who was able to answer all of your questions regarding condoms and safe sex.

Why is this happening today?

The condom has faded from becoming the norm to have safe sex, meanwhile it is the only contraceptive that also protects you from STD’s. Young people usually think that the pill is enough. People don’t want to get pregnant, and that is enough. Of course, these days we are lucky enough to be able to treat many STD’s, like HIV, but that doesn’t include all STD’s. Up until 2011 the Dutch government promoted safe sex with a campaign. Soa Aids Nederland says that this is also a reason why more people have stopped using the condom. People rather go to the doctors and get a cure for their STD than prevent one. This change in mentality is scary to some people. Soa Aids Nederland wants to give the imago of the condom a boost with the help of the popup shop. A recent innovation is the self-lubricating condom. The condom was the result of a competition started by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in 2013, which offered no less than 100.000 dollars to scientists who could design the condom for the new generation. Right now in 2019 the condoms, which are called Project GELdom, are still in a test phase, but the scientists who created this condom are hoping to release them into the market in about two years.

Figure 2.

What is the future potential?

First of all; safe sex is important. Sex is something almost everyone on this earth will experience and this is something that will not change as long as we decide to reproduce ourselves this way. To give a possibility to try on condoms and ask someone for advice in a more casual environment takes off the seriousness of a trip to the doctor but still has the same results. The imago of the condom has had quite the downfall in the past few years and it is time to recreate it in 2019, in my opinion. Sex is healthy, but you should be too. Preventing will always be better than having to give someone the ‘STD talk’, don’t you think?

Sources:

Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. (2013, March 4). Develop the Next Generation of Condom (Round 11) | Grand Challenges. Retrieved April 28, 2019, from https://gcgh.grandchallenges.org/challenge/develop-next-generation-condom-round-11

Dazed. (2018, October 18). A self-lubricating condom could be the future of safe, enjoyable sex. Retrieved February 16, 2019, from http://www.dazeddigital.com/science-tech/article/41867/1/a-self-lubricating-condom-could-be-the-future-of-safe-enjoyable-sex

De Utrecht Internet Courant. (2018, November 20). Pop-up winkel op Utrecht Centraal om condooms te passen. Retrieved February 15, 2019, from https://www.duic.nl/algemeen/condooms-passen-op-utrecht-centraal/

NOS. (2018, November 20). Pop-up condoomwinkel moet het rubbertje weer populair maken. Retrieved February 15, 2019, from https://nos.nl/artikel/2260010-pop-up-condoomwinkel-moet-het-rubbertje-weer-populair-maken.html

Volpe, A. (2019, April 25). Better, Safer Sex: On the Hunt for a Condom People Will Actually Like. Retrieved April 27, 2019, from https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/condoms-future-better-sex-gates-foundation-808095/

Source Figure 1: Soa Aids Nederland. (2018, November 20). Condooms passen op Utrecht Centraal [Photograph]. Retrieved May 13, 2019, from https://www.soaaids.nl/nl/item/news-public-prof/condooms-passen-op-utrecht-centraal

Source Figure 2: Newsham, (06 August 2016), M. (2013). Supercondoms of the future | Atlas of the Future [Photograph]. Retrieved May 13, 2019, from https://atlasofthefuture.org/project/next-generation-condom/

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Changing the fashion world: Augmented Reality style.

The world is changing. More specifically, technology is changing. It’s 2019, the year where we should have had flying cars according to ‘Back to the future’. Unfortunately, that is not the case. What we do have, however, is augmented reality. You might wonder, what is that? Relax, I’ll explain it all to you, and the connection it has with technology these days, and even better, how it is influencing the fashion industry and possibly our daily future lives.

Figure 1.

First things first, what is augmented reality, exactly?

That was the first question that popped into my mind too when I found this signal. My mind instantly started connecting augmented reality with virtual reality, but, I learned, these are not the same thing whatsoever. The Virtual Reality Society (2017) explains VR as the following: “Virtual reality is the term used to describe a three-dimensional, computer generated environment which can be explored and interacted with by a person”. It basically speaks for itself; it is focused around a computer-generated environment that one can explore with help of a special pair of goggles. An example of that are VR videogames. Augmented reality is entirely different, it goes way deeper. Techopedia (2019) explains AR as the following: “Augmented reality (AR) is a type of interactive, reality-based display environment that takes the capabilities of computer-generated display, sound, text and effects to enhance the user's real-world experience”. Augmented reality uses the technological aspects of virtual reality, and takes them into the real world with for example the help of an app.

What is the connection with the fashion world and why is it happening now?

I stumbled upon an article on a blog which spoke about a well-known brand called ASOS. The brand is globally known and has a wide range of clothing. In the blogpost the author spoke about the use of augmented reality on models on ASOS’S website. Apparently ASOS is using augmented reality to generate many different body types so the customer can see the garment on different bodies instead of one, slender and tall model. The cool thing about this is that customers can finally recognise their own body type and see how it would actually look on their body. Besides that, it shows how accessible and easy AR is to use. ASOS was able to implement this technique on their website with the help of Zeekit, a company who is specialized in online ‘try-on’ techniques. The reason ASOS has implemented this into their website is because the biggest problem they experience with online shopping are the giant amount of returns they receive. The main reason people return clothing is because the clothing garment doesn’t meet their expectations, whether that means the fit or the colour, according to Chargebacks911 (2018). The fashion-industry is globally known as one of the most polluting industries in the world. In a reaction to this industry, you see many designers experimenting with different techniques, different fabrics and even using technology to make fashion. At the end of 2018 I attended a guest lecture by Jacob Kok, a Dutch fashion designer. He shared his vision about the use of augmented reality and fashion. He has already started to experiment with the borders between fashion and technology. In the guest lecture he stated that we currently live in a world where instead of playing we start becoming. Basically, this means that instead of sitting behind a computer and playing games, we start becoming our persona in the game, playing as them in our world. Jacob Kok used the example of a special pair of contact lenses. With the help of these lenses and the use of AR we could see people wear different things, at any time they like, without ‘really’ wearing it. Mr Kok has already started this project with some designers, where you can change what you wear with the use of a special pair of glasses. The use of AR for clothing returns is in this case a very new and exciting innovation for ASOS. People buy the clothing with a higher confidence that the garment will actually fit and look great on them, which results in less returns and a better loyalty rating for ASOS. ASOS therefore makes the use of Augmented reality very accessible for the main public. Because of its obscure and unfamiliar nature, augmented reality is seen as scary and unwanted, even though it can be easily implemented in our daily lives and help with tasks like buying clothes online.

The use of augmented reality models for ASOS has officially been in use since the end of March 2018.

Figure 2, Jacob Kok.

What is the future potential?

Our world is starting to shift, and with the help of AR and VR technology the possibilities are becoming bigger and greater by the year. Not only the technological professors and game developers have started to experiment with these innovations, but also fashion designers are starting to dip into the unknown world of AR. However, the public is hesitant when it comes to AR. VR has been accepted and implemented in our society, especially for the enhancing of amusement. AR on the other hand seems to have a bit more struggle. The border between technology and real life shifts more with the use of AR. What people usually don’t see are the infinite amount of opportunities it can bring. AR can help us raise our creativity to another level and most importantly; can help us identify in a different way than we are used to. It is easily accessible, implementable and can help us make our daily life a bit easier. The use of AR on a clothing website is only the beginning.

Sources:

Chargebacks 911. (2018, November 20). 7 Reasons for Customer Returns… and How to Avoid Them. Retrieved May 13, 2019, from https://chargebacks911.com/customers-returns/

Datadial Ltd. (2018, March 27). ASOS’ new tool shows garments on different body shapes to help online shoppers. Retrieved February 25, 2019, from https://www.prexamples.com/2018/03/asos-new-tool-shows-garments-on-different-body-shapes-to-help-online-shoppers/

Kok, J. (2017, June). SEE THE LIGHT - Shaping Virtual Identities - Jacob Kok. Retrieved February 23, 2019, from https://cargocollective.com/jacobkok/SEE-THE-LIGHT-Shaping-Virtual-Identities

Techopedia. (2019). What is Augmented Reality (AR)? - Definition from Techopedia. Retrieved February 23, 2019, from https://www.techopedia.com/definition/4776/augmented-reality-ar

Virtual Reality Society. (2017). All News - Virtual Reality Society. Retrieved March 23, 2019, from https://www.vrs.org.uk/virtual-reality/what-is-virtual-reality.html+/

Zeekit. (2018, April 9). IT'S OFFICIAL : ZEEKIT X ASOS. Retrieved February 25, 2019, from https://blog.zeekit.me/news/2018/4/9/its-official-zeekit-x-asos

Source Figure 1: Zeekit. (2018, April 9). IT'S OFFICIAL : ZEEKIT X ASOS [Photograph]. Retrieved May 10, 2019, from https://blog.zeekit.me/news

Source Figure 2: Stigter, P. (2013). Fred, Britt & Jacob Kok Catwalk Fashion Show SS2013 | Team Peter Stigter, catwalk show, streetwear and fashion photography [Photograph]. Retrieved May 10, 2019, from https://www.teampeterstigter.com/amsterdam/fred-britt-jacob-kok-catwalk-fashion-show-ss2013/