During the two weeks for user research and testing, I, and other team members, had the opportunity to visit Toronto Offsite Festival. It was an opportunity to view different installations, exhibitions, products, as well as, attend the Museum of Contemporary Work and TO DO talks: Designing the Future of Work.
At the Offsite festival, we viewed different exhibitions and galleries that showcased art, textile design, product design, and fashion design. Although these displays are not directly correlated to the topic of the thesis, inspiration were drawn from the different manufacturing techniques and forms depicted by these artists and designers. Myself, and a few other group members, attended a talk discussing the Future of Work from industry professionals in different streams. It was interesting to see a variety of perspectives on the Future of Work. Nan Zhao was one of the speakers at the conference who resonated with my project. Nan Zhao is from member at MIT Lab, with a background in electrical engineering, media arts and science background. She discussed how to shape one’s work environment by manipulating sensory modules through architecture and interior design. Visual manipulation is a large correspondent. She conceptualized manipulating the intensity of lighting and projecting different recorded scenes, to help shapes the user’s stress levels and mood. Her exploration resonated with my project concept; however, instead of manipulating one’s work environment through architecture, my project explores manipulation with the use of wearable technology. At the end of the conference, my teammates and I were able to exchange conversation and contact information.
