how design fiction imagines future technology – jon turney – aeon
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How Design Fiction Imagines Future Technology – Jon Turney – AeonTRANSCRIPT
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4/13/2015 HowdesignfictionimaginesfuturetechnologyJonTurneyAeon
http://aeon.co/magazine/technology/howdesignfictionimaginesfuturetechnology/ 1/14
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Digiland.Acrossbetweenairportrunways,sportsfieldsandcarparks,densewithmarkingsthatnohumancandecode.Alandscapeexclusivelydesignedformachines.CourtesyDunneandRaby
Astechnologicalchoicesbecomeevermorecomplex,designfiction,notscience,hintsatthefutureweactuallywant
Pictureyourselfinasupermarketaislein2050.Thesenewmagicmeatballs,brightlycolouredforthekids,seemworthatry.Betterhavesomeofthemeatpowdertoo,oneofthemoreestablishedproductsfromthemassmanufacturersofculturedmeatyoucan
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4/13/2015 HowdesignfictionimaginesfuturetechnologyJonTurneyAeon
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makethatcreamymeatbasedfonduethatalwayssatisfies.Youdontfancythemeaticecreamtoday,buttheresstilltimeleftforatriptothedelicounter,forsomeexpensive,butdeliciousrusticmeat,maturedinspecialvats,orperhapssomeknittedsteaks.Andyoucanpileyourcartsecureintheknowledgethatnoanimalswereharmedinthemakingofanyoftheseofferings.
Atthemoment,invitromeatisalaboratoryventure,yieldingexpensiveandunappetisinglookingmusclefibresthatmightbefitforfillerinpiesorburgers.Butsupposetheresearchersambitionsarerealised?Wherewillthetechnologygo?Howwillitbemarketedandconsumed?Whomightwantit,andwhatfor?ThesequestionsanimateTheInVitroMeatCookBook(2014)byKoertvanMensvoortandHendrikJanGrievink,whoserecipesforhypotheticalproductsaresampledabove.Theauthorsopenended,imaginativeapproachmakesthebookagoodexampleofanewwayofquestioningtechnology:designfiction.Asquestionsabouttechnologicalchoicestroubleusmoreandmore,itcouldbethatdesignfiction,notscience,hasthebetteranswers.
Thestorieswetellourselvesabouttechnologytypically,optimisticonesfromwouldbeinnovators,pessimisticonesfromtheircriticsareusuallytoosimple.Makingthemmorecomplexcansupportaricherdiscussionaboutwhereatechnologymightbegoing,andthekindoffuturesitcouldopenup.Thatcallsforakindofrealisminthedepictionoftechnicalpossibilitiesthatisinspiringanewcadreofpractitionersofdesignfiction,orcriticaldesign.Inthecookbook,forexample,thatrealismcomesfromusingafamiliarrecipeformattotakethereaderintounfamiliarworlds.Thefuturefactsareimagined,butnotfancifulinthecontextofcurrentresearch.Theymightneverhappen,buttheycould.
Thereareplentyofotherexamplesofthisefforttospurustonewthinking.In2014,theNearFutureLaboratory,aUSEuropeandesign
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4/13/2015 HowdesignfictionimaginesfuturetechnologyJonTurneyAeon
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studio,publishedtheTBDCatalog,anentirecompendiumofpossiblefutureproducts,fromdronedogwalkerstoenvironmentallysoundseedbasedfeedstockfora3Dprinter.Otherdesignersarecommittedtomakingactualobjectsorconvincingmockupstothinkwith.Eitherway,itisthedetailthatdiverts.The3Dprintercartridges,completewithmodelnumbersandprices,lookcloseenoughtorealadvertsforthingsyouvealreadyboughttocarryconviction.Thesefinelytextureddepictionsofthepotentialaccoutrementsofthefuturestimulatediscussioninwaysthatearliereffortstoimaginetechnologyoftenfailtodo.Theymightevenofferamoreeffectivewaytocreatefuturesweactuallywant.
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Designfictionsdrawonalongtraditionoftechnologicalstorytelling.Everytechnologystartswithastory.Wedontknowhowthefirsthominidswhofashionedahandaxefromaflintshapedtheirthoughts,buttheveryactionofflintknappingimpliesaplanforthefuture:theresultwillbebetter,insomeway,thantheflintsalreadytohand.Soitiswithalltechnologies.Atoolalwaysimpliesatleastonesmallstory,writesthehistorianoftechnologyDavidNyeinTechnologyMatters(2006).Itbeginsintheimagination,andthatimaginingextendstowhatthetoolswillhelpustoachieve.
Thesestoriescanbeasdryasapatent,orasfancifulasacommercialforsomenewgadgetthatwillmagicallyendowyourlifewiththeshiningperfectionoftheproductyouarebeingsold(GoogleGlass,anyone?).
Theyarealsointerwovenwithmorefamiliarkindsofsciencefiction.Thetiesbetweenscientificspeculation,technologicalimaginationandscifiareclose,andcomplex,evenifgenuinelynewideasmostoftencomeupinthetecharenafirst.ArthurCClarkeisoftencitedasatechnovisionaryforhisideasaboutgeostationarycommunication
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4/13/2015 HowdesignfictionimaginesfuturetechnologyJonTurneyAeon
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satellites,butthesewerefirstoutlinedin1945inatechnicalessay,notinfiction.Andyetthecausalchaincanrunintheotherdirection:ClarkesroadmaptotheplanetsfundamentallyshapedNASAsspacepolicyinthe1960sand,earlier,thepioneersofrocketrydrewheavilyonthefictionsofJulesVerneandHGWells.
Oftentheimaginingsofscifiandtechnologyworkasanechochamber,reflectingideasbackandforth,withtechinnovatorsclaimingscifiinspirationasawayofcommunicatingwhattheirdevicesmightdo.MartinCooper,theUSengineerwholedtheteambehindthefirstcellphonedemonstratedin1973happilytoldreportersitwasinspiredbytheStarTrekcommunicatoryet,atthetime,hehadbeenworkingforMotorolaonhandheldpoliceradios,andthemobilephonewasasimpleextensionofthatidea.ButnamecheckingStarTrekwasagoodwaytogetpeoplesattention.
Scifimediacanbeastonishinglyeffectiveatpromotingpossibletechnologies.Thistakesonanewdimensioninfilm,whichtradesinrealisticdepictionsofnewtechtounderpinfictionalworlds.Sometimesthiscinematicrealismisdirectlyexploitedbyinnovators.ThecomputerinterfacethatTomCruisescharacterusestomanipulatedatawithgesturesinMinorityReport(2002)wasbasedondesignsbyJohnUnderkoffler,aformerMITMediaLabresearcherinvisualisationwhowasworkingtowardsjustsuchaninterface.Althoughthefilmsnarrativewasdark,theinterfacecaughtpeoplesimagination,andUnderkoffleruseditscinematicimpacttohelpsecureinvestmentinhisresearch.
Suchultrarealistdepictionofpossibletechnology,whatDavidKirbyinLabCoatsinHollywood(2011)callsdiegeticprototypes,isanunbeatablewaytopromoteanewtechnologicalpossibility.AsKirby
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4/13/2015 HowdesignfictionimaginesfuturetechnologyJonTurneyAeon
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writesina2009paperforthejournalSocialStudiesofScience:cinematictextsrequiretechnologiestowork.And,inthiscase,visualrealismwasachievedbyenlistinghelpfrompeoplewhowantedtodeveloppreciselywhatwasbeingdepicted.Itisanewkindofselffulfillingprophecy,hesays,creatingpreproductplacementsfortechnologiesthatdonotyetexist.
Whenpromotionaleffortslikethisworkwell(fortechnologyadvocates),scifisbalefulwarningscanseemlesstroubling,evenwhenlodgedfirmlyinsidetheculture.Thedarkbecomeslight.Thinkofhowthe5millionpluschildrenbornsofarviainvitrofertilisationhavedispelledthedystopicshiversconjuredbyAldousHuxleyshatcheriesinBraveNewWorld(1932).
MinorityReportisnotaboutcriticaldesign.Ingooddesignfiction,thepossibilitiesareleftopen
ButtechnoJeremiadscanalsohobblediscussionofactualtechnologiesinthemaking,bypolarisingthedebatebetweenproandantifactions.Sometimes,thiscreatesseriousobstaclestointroducingatechnology.ThinkofhowGMfoodsareoftendepictedaseitheressentialtosaveaburgeoningpopulationfromstarvation,orelseasFrankenfoodsthatjeopardisehealthandenvironmentwhileenrichingcorporateagribusiness.
Designfictionseffortstocreateimaginativerealisationsoftechnology,whichconsciouslytrytoevokediscussionthatavoidspolarisingopinion,haveakeyingredient,Ithink.Unlikethenewworldsofscifinovels,ortheultradetailedvisualsoffuturisticcinema,theirstoriesareunfinished.MinorityReportisnotaboutcriticaldesignbecauseitsnarrativeisclosed.Ingooddesignfiction,thestoryismerelyhintedat,thepossibilitiesleftopen.Itisuptothepersonwhostumblesacrossthedesigntomakesenseofhowitmightbepartofastoriedfuture.
ConsideraprojectcreatedbythedesignersJamesAugeroftheRoyalCollegeofArtandJimmyLoizeauofGoldsmithsCollege,bothin
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4/13/2015 HowdesignfictionimaginesfuturetechnologyJonTurneyAeon
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London.Asmallrobotsportsamechanismthatunwindsarollofflypaper.Fliestrappedonthepaperarescrapedoffattheendofthetrack,andfedintoamicrobialfuelcell.Thecellpowerstherollerandalsoasmalldigitaltimedisplayonthefrontofthemachine.Thiscarnivorousdomesticentertainmentrobot,introducedtotheworldasaseriesofrealisticimagesin2009,drewstrongreactionsonline,frominvocationsofTheMatrixtothecommenterwhosaid:IcantwaituntilIcanthrowmyneighboursdogintothetrunkofmyPriustogettowork.Seeinganunfinishedstory,peoplerespondedbysupplyingtheirownscripts.
Inoneway,thiswasasuccessforAugerandLoizeau.Theflypaperequippedrobotisatechnicallyplausiblewaytostartaconversation.Butitstilldidntquiteachievethekindofcareful,criticalconversationtheyhopedtobegin.Biomassasanenergysourceisallverywell,butamechanismfeedingoffsmallcorpsesdivertsdebateintotheextremesofhorrororlevity.Populartechnoculturaltropesthatgetreflexivelyinvokedthiswaykillerrobotsforelectromechanicaldevices,Frankensteinsmonsterforbiologicalcreationstakeupsomuchbandwidththattheysqueezeoutmorenuancedresponses.
Designfictionsproponentswanttocraftproductsandexhibitsthatarenotopentothissimplifiedresponse,thatfiretheimaginationintherightway.Thatmeansbeingnottoofanciful,notsimplydystopian,andnotjusttappingintoclichdsciencefictionalscripts.Whenitworks,designfictionbringssomethingnewintodebatesaboutfuturetechnologicallife,andinvolvesustheusersinthediscussion.
AthonyDunneandFionaRabyareleadingtheoristsandpractitionersofcriticaldesign,andpartnersinthedesignstudioDunneandRabyinLondon.InSpeculativeEverything:Design,FictionandSocialDreaming(2014)theysurveyprettywelltheentirefield,itsforebearsanditsoffshoots,lookingforprojectswithsomethingofartspowertodisturb.Criticaldesign,theywrite,shouldbedemanding,challenging,andifitisgoingtoraiseawareness,dosoforissuesthatarenotwellknown.
Therecipesforinvitromeatareacaseinpoint,foregroundinganewapproachtoatechnologythathasbeendepictedbefore,inmore
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4/13/2015 HowdesignfictionimaginesfuturetechnologyJonTurneyAeon
http://aeon.co/magazine/technology/howdesignfictionimaginesfuturetechnology/ 7/14
conventionalscifinarratives.Artificiallygrownmeatbecamea20thcenturyfixationaftertheFrenchsurgeonandbiologistAlexisCarrelexperimentedwithtissuecultureearlyinthecenturyandmanagedtomaintainchickheartcellsinthelab.Worldwidepublicityfortheheartinajarensuredthatculturedproteinfeaturedinmanyfuturologicaltracts.Itmadeitswayintofiction,suchasFrederikPohlandCyrilKornbluthsclassicscifinovelTheSpaceMerchants(1952),withitsworkingclassfedonmealspreparedfromChickenLittle(anindustrialscaletissueculture,fedwithalgaegrownonsolarheatedponds),rightuptoMargaretAtwoodsOryxandCrake(2003),withitsunappetisingheadless,readytoeatChickieNobs.
theremightbecheap,massproducedmeat,culturedinmassivefacilitiesinthecountryside
Boththosestorieshadstayingpower,butTheInVitroMeatCookbookismoreprovocativestill.Itoffers45recipesenoughforseveralweeksdining.Youcantcookthemyet,saysthepublicity,buttheyveallbeendevelopedwithstrictculinaryrigour.ItsoundsasifHestonBlumenthalhadbeenonavisittoanadvancedtissueculturelab.AndlikesomeofBlumenthalsownnovelties,thisplayful/seriouscompilationsetsthemindworkinginnewways.Therecipesandingredientsherehelpbringhometheideathatifthisbarelyexistingtechnology(Iwasgoingtosayembryonicbutthatrisksanunfortunateconfusion)developsintorealproducts,therewillbecomplexchoicestomakeaboutwhichonestouse.
MensvoortandGrievinksupplementtheirrecipeswithspeculativeessays,includinga2025visionofTheCarneryafoodiesparadisewithanextensivemenuofmeatsculturedonpremises,andinvitroleatherseats.Thepossibilityofsubstitutemeatproductionnotinvolvinganimalsis,um,fleshedouthereinimpressivelyconvincingdetail.Thesameessaysuggeststhattheremightbecheap,massproducedmeat,culturedinmassivefacilitiesinthecountryside.Midrangeproductswouldcomemainlyfromlocalcarneriesincities,whileafewrestaurantswouldoperatemicrocarneriesthewaythatsome
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4/13/2015 HowdesignfictionimaginesfuturetechnologyJonTurneyAeon
http://aeon.co/magazine/technology/howdesignfictionimaginesfuturetechnology/ 8/14
nowrunmicrobreweries,ormaketheirownsourdough.Thisisdesignfictionvividlytellingustobeginthinkingaboutwhichnewproductswemightchoosetosamplenow,beforetheymaterialise,andabouthowtotakethetechnologyintoourownhands.
Butwhathappenswhengeneticmanipulationistakentoanewlevelinwhatisknownassyntheticbiology?This,whenitcomesintobeing,willmarkanepochalshift.Wehavespentaroundacenturyandahalfgettingusedtothepowerofevolutionbynaturalselection,whichaccountsforthewealthoflivingformsandtheirappearanceofhavingbeendesigned,withoutanyneedforadesigner.Nowthereiseveryprospectofbringingdesign,inthepropersenseoftheword,backintobiology.
Atpresent,publicdebateaboutmodifyinglivingthingstoservehumanprojectsremainsdominatedbyvisionsofmonstrosity,aswitnessedbydebatesaroundGMfood.Evengeneticallyalteredmicroorganismstendtobepresentedassupergerms.Weneedwaystoenvisionabravenewbiologicalworld,waysthatleadtorealdebateaboutbalancingcostsandbenefitsofrealisticallyconceivedprojects.Thequestionis,candesignfictionhelp?Accordingtoanewbookofcollaborationsbetweensyntheticbiologistsandartists,itcan.
SyntheticAesthetics(2014),amultiplyauthoredbiodesignmanual,offersaseriesofnovelresponsestoscientificvisionsofreengineeredlife.Itcoverstherangefromartpiecestodesignfictions,includingplantsmodifiedtogrowcomponentsofaherbicidedispenserselfhealingbuildingmaterialspackagingthatgrowshealthfulnutrientstoimprovefoodproductswhenyouaddwaterandcheesesmadebybacteriaharvestedfromhumanskinandthennamedfortheirowners(Daisy'sArmpit,Philosopher'sToe).Whilenotinvolvinganyspeculativescienceortechnology,thesecheesesnicelyembodythespiritoftheproject.
ThebiologistChristinaAgapakis,nowofNewYorkUniversity,andtheNorwegianartistSisselTolaasswabbedmicrobesofftheskinofthebook'svariousauthors,fromtheirarmpits,hands,toesandnoses,inordertofermentmilk.Reassuringly,perhaps,itwasorganicpasteurisedwholemilk.Afteranovernightincubation,theyfound
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4/13/2015 HowdesignfictionimaginesfuturetechnologyJonTurneyAeon
http://aeon.co/magazine/technology/howdesignfictionimaginesfuturetechnology/ 9/14
cheeseinthemaking,thendidwhatregularcheesemakersdo,andseparatedthecurdsfromthewhey.Theresultwasacollectionofeightcheeses,nottheagedmasterpiecesofartisancheesemakers,butmicrobialsketches,capturingsomeoftheecologicaldiversityofdifferentbodiesanddifferentbodyparts.Theyproduced,theyreport,awiderangeofsmells.
Itwouldbeunwisetoeatanyofthem,astheirinitialbacterialloadwasundefinedalthougheachonewasanalysedindetaillateron.Butthereactionswhentheywerepassedroundalecturetheatreforsniffingwerestillrevealing.Asoneoftheinstigatorsoftheproject,theUKdesignerandartistAlexandraDaisyGinsberg,writes:
Theaudiencepassedthemalong,tentativelysmellingeachcheese,sometryingtodistinguishthemselveswithameasuredairofobjectivitybycomparingsmellingnoteswiththeirneighbours.Forothers,thesmall,white,moistcheeseswerejusttoomuch,transgressingacceptedboundariesofdecency
ShereportsthatDaisyArmpitwasjudgedthebestsmellingpreparation,withafresh,yoghurtlikearoma.
designerstestanearfuturebycreatingproductmanualstoprobableimprobablethings
Forme,thehumancheeseexperimentdisplaysthequalitythatsuccessfuldesignfictionneeds.Itproposesadifferentworld,oneinwhichwearenotdisgustedbyhumanderivedbacteriabuthappytoconsumecheesemadewiththeirhelp.Andtheexistenceofthevariousrealcheeseseffortlesslyfulfilstheessentialconditionformorefictionaleffortsinthisvein.AstheUKfuturistPaulGrahamRavenwrote:adesignfictionhastobelieveinitself,oratleastgivetheimpressionofbelievinginitself.
Asdesignfictioncomestoberecognisedasadistinctiveactivity,itwillcontinuetofindnewformsofexpression.TheUSdesigntheoristJulianBleeckeroftheNearFutureLaboratorysuggeststhattheTBD
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4/13/2015 HowdesignfictionimaginesfuturetechnologyJonTurneyAeon
http://aeon.co/magazine/technology/howdesignfictionimaginesfuturetechnology/ 10/14
Catalogwithitsrealisticdepictionsoffictionalproductsmodelsadifferentwayofinnovating,inwhichdesignersprototypeandtestanearfuturebywritingitsproductdescriptions,filingbugreports,creatingproductmanualsandquickreferenceguidestoprobableimprobablethings.Theguidingimpulseistoassistusinimagininganewnormality.Designandartisticpracticecanbothdothat.
OronCatts,directorofthebiologicalartslabSymbioticA,andIonatZurr,anartistandlecturer,bothattheUniversityofWesternAustralia,describeSyntheticAestheticscompilationoffuturevisionsasartisticexpressionsthatofferglimpsesofthepossibleandthecontestableworksthatareneitherutopicordystopicbutratherambiguousandmessy.ThisisthekindofsubtletythattendstogethammeredoutofHollywoodscreenplays,butcanflourishinthemorediverseecosystemofdesign.
Designfictionsarenotapanaceaforsomeidealfutureofbroadparticipationinchoosingtheensembleoftechnologiesthatwewilllivewith.Mostfuturetechnologieswillcontinuetoarriveasadonedeal,despitetalkamongacademicsofupstreamengagementorcomingintofashioninstitutingresponsibleresearchandinnovation.TheUSDepartmentofDefense,forinstance,anditslavishlyfunded,somewhatsciencefictionalDefenseAdvancedResearchProjectsAgency(DARPA)hasanextensivecatalogueofresearchanddevelopment(R&D)projectsontopicsfromroboticstoneuralenhancement,selectedaccordingtoasingleoverridingcriterion:mighttheygivetheUSAamilitaryadvantageinfuture?DARPAsBiologicalTechnologiesOfficetellsus,inaghastlycombinationofsalestalkandbureaucratese,thatitislookingforthebestinnovatorsfromallfieldswhohaveanideaforhowtoleveragebio+techtosolveseeminglyimpossibleproblemsanddelivertransformativeimpact.Here,asinotherfields,military,securityandmuchcommercialR&Dwillprobablygoitsownway,andwellgetweaponisedbiologywhetherwelikeitornot.
Fortherest,though,thereisarealcontributiontobemadethroughaplayful,freewheelingdesignpractice,opentomanynewideas,andwhichistechnicallyinformedbutnot
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4/13/2015 HowdesignfictionimaginesfuturetechnologyJonTurneyAeon
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constrainedbyimmediatefeasibility.Therearealreadyenoughexamplestoshowhowdesignfictioncaninvitenewkindsofconversationsabouttechnologicalfutures.Recognisingtheirpossibilitiescanopenuproadsnottaken.
Designfictionwithalesscritical(andmorecommercial)edgewillcontinuetoappealtoinnovativecorporationsanxioustoconfigurenewofferingstofitbetterwithasyetundefinedmarkets.Theiroverridingaimistoreducethechancesofaninnovationbeinglostinthevalleyofdeathbetweenabrightideaandasuccessfulproductthatpreysonthemindsofbudgetholders.
Butthegreatestpotentialofthisnewwayofworkingisasatoolforthosewhowanttoencourageamoreimportantdebateaboutpossiblefuturesandtheirtechnologicalingredients.Thisisthedebatewerestilltoooftennothaving,abouthowtoharnesstechnologicalpotentialtoimprovethechancesofuslivingtheliveswewishfor.
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