TASSIMO is not just a coffee maker, it’s a Brewbot, an advanced brewing system made by the engineers at Bosch. The Brewbot is programmed to make seven different beverages at the touch of a button. That’s because Brewbot uses T DISCs, which are
single-serve discs packed with a variety of coffees, teas and hot chocolates. The Brewbot reads the barcode found on each T DISC to know exactly what to make and how to brew it.

It’s this technology that distinguishes the TASSIMO Brewbot from regular brewers and guarantees a perfect cup of whatever you’re in the mood for every time.

Why do I blog this? I started collecting how internet of things technologies now pervade kitchen appliances.

The Frascati Manual is the internationally recognised methodology for collecting and using R&D statistics. It defines research as follows:

Research and experimental development (R&D) comprise creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of man, culture and society, and the use of this stock of knowledge to devise new applications.

The term R&D covers three activities: basic research, applied research and experimental development.

• Basic research is experimental or theoretical work undertaken primarily to acquire new knowledge of the underlying foundation of phenomena and observable facts, without any particular application or use in view.
• Applied research is also original investigation undertaken in order to acquire new knowledge. It is, however, directed primarily towards a specific practical aim or objective.
• Experimental development is systematic work, drawing on existing knowledge gained from research and/or practical experience, which is directed to producing new materials, products or devices, to installing new processes, systems and services, or to improving substantially those already produced or installed. R&D covers both formal R&D in R&D units and informal or occasional R&D in other units.

Why do I blog this? Collecting definitions of what is defined as “research” (i.e. what I do) is always interesting. Especially when it comes to normative material such as Frascati manual (which is used as the de facto definition of research in the European Union). Always important to keep up my sleeve when discussing potential project with partners.

Eiffel Tower reflected onto Tativille glazing, from Playtime (1967)

This collapsing of window onto facade becomes yet another way to erase any distinction between building and image.  And this is even more so in Tati’s film, where glazed curtain walls reflect other parts of Paris.  Here, then, glass becomes architecture.  Architecture becomes a screen that reflects images onto public space.  In short, as demonstrated by the various buildings (and reflections of buildings) in Playtime, architecture has become a true urban screen.

Why do I blog this? interesting perspective about the role of images and reflections on Playtime (by Jacques Tati) that could be seen as early instantiations of “urban screens”.

“The future was once represented in fantastically romantic ways: white spacesuits, buildings infinite in height, interplanetary travel, alien interactions, an abundance of wealth, and robot servitude. Now the future is represented as something more compressed and accessible. The future is on the Internet, in those screens we glance at intermittently at all waking hours of the day. Our expectation is the “IRL” world will look not much unlike what we see today. It is a future of gradual changes, incorporating familiar aspects with new but not too crazy updated technology. What is in abundance is not wealth but information.

The idea of the future is now a distorted mirror. It is the future of screens. Like the daguerreotype, screens contain memory and reflection, as well as an unknown difference only discerning eyes can see. We are overfutured. We’ve reached the point where the past, present, and future look no different from one another.“

Why do I blog this? a great quote that echoes with personal observations.

“Traverse Me is a map drawn by walking across campus with a GPS device to invite the viewer to see a different landscape to that which surrounds them. It questions the possibilities of where they are and inspires a personal reading of their movements and explorations of the campus. (…) I responded to the structure of each location and avoided walking along roads and paths when possible. The route was recorded with GPS technology and was walked in stages over the 300 hectare site.“

Why do I blog this? interesting attempt to produce a different form of map. Interestingly, it exemplifies the performative nature of the GPS technology. The map is influenced by the structure of the locations, and, in return, it can influence movement.

“ What is important, Richards declares, is “being able to replay something immediately without all that terrible stricture of written music, the prison of those bars, those five lines. Before 1900, you’ve got Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, Chopin, the cancan. With recording, it was emancipation for the people. “It surely can’t be any coincidence that jazz and the blues started to take over the world the minute recording started, within a few years, just like that.” (…) “I’d discovered a new sound I could get out of acoustic guitar,” he writes. “That grinding dirty sound came out of these crummy little motels where the only thing you had to record with was this new invention called the cassette recorder….Suddenly you had a very mini studio. Playing acoustic, you’d overload the Philips cassette player to the point of distortion so that when it played back it was effectively an electric guitar. You were using the cassette player as pick up and amplifier at the same time. We were forcing acoustic guitars through a cassette player, and what came out the other end was electric as hell.” “

Why do I blog this? An inspiring quote from a practitioner (!), to be re-used in my course about the evolution of technical objects. It leads to an interesting discussion about how to go beyond technological determinism.

When connected to the PlayStation Network, online play is integrated into the single-player experience. Throughout levels, players can briefly see the actions of other players as ghosts in the same area that may show hidden passages or switches. When a player dies, a bloodstain can be left in other players’ game world that when activated can show a ghost playing out their final moments, indicating how that person died and potentially helping the player avoid the same fate in advance. Players can also leave messages on the floor that can also help others such as forewarning safe or hostile positions, trap locations and tactics against enemies or bosses, among general comments. When playing with other players, co-operative play allows up to three characters to team up in the host’s game world where visiting players appear in soul form that can only be returned to their bodies when a boss is defeated. In competitive play, players can invade a player’s adventure as a Black Phantom to engage in combat with the host player. If the Black Phantom kills the host, they can be returned to their body in their own game whereas if killed themselves, the host gains a portion of the Black Phantom’s souls.

Why do I blog this? An interesting example of geolocalized communication pointed to me by my friend Mirweis Sangin. The idea here is that location-based written traces (left by other players) can inform and help.