Objects of Memory

This proposal explores the possibilities of saving auditory information; when an individual records their conversations, with the use of a phone recorder or microphone with storage, a page is produced based on content and speakers of the conversation. This page includes images of the participating speakers of the conversation and collects photos from the internet of topics relevant to the conversation, overlaying the two image types to establish hierarchy between the factors of conversation.

To externalize the intrusive memories of people who have Complex PTSD (C-PTSD), I created a whimsical-looking hat that plays looped recordings of intrusive sound-based memories. The hat starts screaming when the surrounding environment is quiet, thus disrupting the silence until there is enough noise and conversation in the room again. Because people who have C-PTSD have abstracted mental flashbacks, this project shows how snippets of buried traumatic memories can surface in everyday life.

The Stone forces owners to prioritize remembering or forgetting their past by disallowing repetitive and constantly accessible curation tools.

Your own, personalised rewind button built for those rainy sentimental days, celebratory days, and for those spontaneous lapses of nostalgia.

To imbue a physical element to the digital process of creating reminders and explore the consequences of this on recollection.

A digital device that can store and diffuse scent for reminiscing the past.

A bowl/plate that captures a series of photos of your face when you eat what's in it. The embedded technology allows for "food" eats (you) first instead of our "phones eating first". I aim to subvert foodie culture and the desire to post pictures of our food on social media. This media capture could serve as a space for reflection and mindful eating. Do we capture our food to truly remember it or to show others? When is eating considered a highlight? What memories of consumption should we store?

As children, we are asked, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" As we get older, the question becomes, "Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years?" We spend our lives making and holding ourselves to these resolutions and aspirations but we don't always fulfill them. These memories weigh us down until we allow ourselves to change. I'm proposing something that challenges people to re-evaluate their intentions and consider what's really important from their past so they can move forward.

The phrase “in one ear and out the other” may sound overused and cliche, but some studies, particularly an experiment conducted at the University of Iowa, argue that auditory memory is much weaker than using visual and tactile senses to cue memories. In response, this proposal explores the use of conversation in remembering and collecting events in a storage file. I propose creating a device that records activity throughout the day through a wearable device. This device, rather than recording visuals, would record sound based on noise level and separate the recordings into ranges of noise level. When the user listens to the recordings to elicit a specific conversation or memory on the computer, images and instrumental music would begin playing and display on the computer monitor. The user dictates when the memories are recorded because the device is activated by worn use. While the user wears the device, it collects the noises and stores them in its memory. After removal of the device from the user, the device uses the memory to analyze the noises collected throughout the day and arranges them based on sound level. A file folder with collections of images and music corresponding to mood/noise level would then be displayed on a computer monitor when the user wants to access the recorded conversations.

I designed an unconventional bookmark object to challenge the status quo of a normal bookmark called the Memory-Mark. Not only can the Memory-Mark keep track of the last page read, but it also gets the reader to actively think about the text of a book, and encourages the reader to engage in the general act of self-reflection.

My project is designed to question and challenge the accuracy of memory. I designed a light display with lights that light up in a specific order and then ask someone to replicate the design to me, the experimenter, in order like in Simon Says. However, the point is to intentionally tell the person that the correct order is wrong hence the name of the project. I then see how much a person's memory can be influenced.

Hupid uses visual and olfactory cues to allow you to vividly remind your long distance loved one of a moment you shared together in the past.

It is a well-known fact that music can be an amazing tool for conveying emotion and triggering memories. What if you decide to combine the two, and create songs that represent your daily thoughts and activities? Music-of-Thoughts is a wearable device that records your heartbeat, steps, distance you've traveled, and if possible, even the amount of certain hormones in your blood - basically similar to fitbit or Apple Watch, but it will convert these data into a song. It will be able to keep track of your activities and emotions and produce songs with varying rhythms and chords. (For example when you were running that part of the song will be faster and when you were feeling down the song would be in minor chords) The device would also have a certain input system that would allow you to manually highlight certain parts of the experience (ex: when you were running and saw an UFO you'd press the button on the device and later on the song would have a loud 'ding' at that spot to convey the significance of the moment) After the device has finished recording songs, you'll be able to listen to them and revisit your past memories - basically 'listen' to your memories, thoughts and emotions.

As our world becomes increasingly more technologized, could our food one day become embedded with technology such that it reads, analyzes, and reflects our biometric data?

A photo album that fades with your memory.

These household lights remind one to pause and reflect

Pain Garden is a paired connected zen garden that relay the experiences of people with chronic pain to their family or friends. The feedback interactions that occur between Pain Gardens bring into question the way we view and interpret reactions from others.

My object will store a digital collection of impactful experiences. Connected through an app, a user could be anywhere and capture some reference of an experience to add to an account on their object. Once a memory is added to the object, it’s there forever. There is no creating alternative versions of the past. If a user wants to remove a memory, they must reset the object, and lose their collection of memories. The idea is to force people to choose between remembering or forgetting.

A reminder to pause to revisit moments of joy and regain nourishment with laughter.

This project is meant to be provocative in that it will explore what privacy concerns may arise when our in-the-moment thoughts are externalized via simulation.

My project is an experience simulator through textures. At the top of the display is a sign saying "Price Check!" Displayed directly under the sign is clothing and typed anon accounts of sexual assault in relation to that particular piece of clothing. For example, a large shirt with an account of how assault made someone uncomfortable in tight fitting clothing, a set of PJs that someone had forced off of them, etc.