All Post’s: Maddison Rutter-Malley

1A. An Outline of the Future of Love

Futuring, I have learned, is not merely the practice of predicting one but several possible futures – prognosticating a range of trajectories stemming from contemporary trends (Zulin, 2017).

Futuring is a process that requires the assessment of past and current trends in order to speculate a vast range of outcomes. This is part of the expanding practice of design which has moved from a purely creative discipline into one that has unfolded into four directions: ‘design thinking’, ‘interaction design’, ‘design research/studies’ and ‘speculative design’.

Why do we future? 

In an almost science-fiction like paradox, the future has already been “filled with attainments and mistakes of the past” (Fry, 2009), providing an array of possibilities to consider. The need for futurist studies sprouted from the devastation of WW2 as well as the inconvenient truth of climate change. Today, with “an increasingly complex and heterogeneous world,” futurist studies can help people to “create the world in which they wish to live” (Inayatullah, 2008). Not only is futurist studies a science with an emphasis on making the world a better and more hospitable place — it is a discipline integral to strategic business innovation enabling the ideation and creation of human-centred processes and services as well as products that will endure todays rapidly changing landscape.

How do we future? 

‘Future scenario building’ is a vital tool that forecasts (or rather backcasts) from the “future to present” (Fry, 2009). It incorporates a range of methods, such as the ‘double variable’, using polarising points, that decide  upon a range of likely scenarios (utopian to dystopian) with an intended focus on what is needed to reach the desirable outcome. The scholarly article “Fashion Futures”, explores the importance of futuring with particular regard to the fashion industry via an emphasis on not only the industry itself, but the macro/micro-economic factors that drive it. The article demonstrates the degree to which; “resource shortages, climate change, demographic change, new technologies, and seismic shifts in the global economy” (Levi Strauss & Co, 2010), can affect the fashion industry for both business and consumer. Strauss & Co develop a series of four scenarios (aka stories) of the future that incorporate those factors. These stories will assist in creating new opportunities for the industry and help them plan for the future by outlining how we should act in the present.

What does the future of love look like? 

Looking through a specified stream allows us to funnel scenarios into a more refined space. Using the lens of ‘love’ as well as certain keywords distills this even further into how we speculate the future of ‘love’ in 2040. By reducing ‘love’ into keywords and plotting them on polarising points we were able to postulate a series of outcomes that are probable for 2040. “Technology” and “interaction” were the keywords explored in building our scenario. In his article Just Design: Being Dogmatic about Defining Speculative Critical Design Future Fiction, Cameron Tonkinwise argues that “despite seemingly rapid technological change, the majority of North Atlantic cultures for instance, still eat, bathe, clean, sleep, commute, and even learn and love, in much the same ways as 50 if not 100 years ago” (Tonkinwise, 2015). This is in contrast to VICE video’s, “The Japanese Love Industry” which explores the commodification of love via relationship replacement services – there is an emphasis on the changing landscape of romantic love and how dating, marriage and children are falling by the wayside. The affect of which will cause Japan’s population to shrink by half in 2050. These examples outline the slow and progressive constituents of what is influencing the future of love. In his article “Brave new world: Predictions for Australian society in the year 2050”  Nick Wigham predicts “the biggest innovation expected to transform our way of life is the growing emergence of artificial intelligence and machine learning”, suggesting that the relationships and interaction between artificial intelligence and humans, (wether it be professional, industrial, customer service based or even romantic and sexual) is to be expected as a prominent feature of love in the near future.

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1B. Positioning: My Vision of the Future. 

Prior to commencing my studies in Lab A — how I envisioned the world in 2040 stemmed from my assumption that developments to; products, services, tech and economy would be gradual. The term “rapidly changing landscape” would come up often when myself, friends, family and colleagues would enjoy conversations of some new advanced ‘thing’ we heard or read about. I never truly considered what that meant. It could be argued that perhaps our landscape is so rapidly changing that myself and my ‘Gen-Y’ peers hardly notice it. Retrospects of technological change in my lifetime conjure up vague memories from my early youth. For instance, dial up internet and fighting to use the phone. Or having a massive roadmap book on my lap when I was seven years old and giving my dad directions as I sat in the backseat. Today, I can connect to wifi remotely from almost anywhere. I am able to type a destination into an app, throw my phone in the backseat and listen to a robot give me directions.

The introduction of social networking and smartphones has paved the way for new markets, economies, and technologies that have heavily influenced social dynamics. In his book ‘Philosophy of Technology’ Don Ihde suggests that humankind has long produced systems, tools and objects with the intent of modifying the world around them to satisfy their needs (Ihde, 1993). Looking through the stream of love, I view the most common needs to be connectivity and interaction.

In todays epoch, there is a paradox in our ability to connect and interact. It is so accessible through a plethora of social networks via computers we keep in our pockets. We are constantly ‘connected’, however it seems as though there is a strong physical disconnect. A range of pseudo-interactions formed from a collection of snippets compiled into an everlasting feed. Through Instagram stories for instance, we have the ability to gain insight into the intimate details of someones daily life without talking to them. This and interactions such as a ‘like’, ‘poke’ or ‘dm’ I consider to be low-investment. It is a common thought that these technologies are blurring the lines between real and artificial connection — facilitating the epidemic of loneliness amongst millennials. Social connection no longer requires an automobile, telephone call or plan to physically meet – just a click. The internet temporarily satisfies a persons need to connect in a way that is synonymous with instant gratification by engaging with someone virtually. The neural reward system it produces is similar to taking illicit drugs. And like drugs, these types of low-investment interactions will only temporarily satisfy the individual.

Despite the points I have outlined my vision of connectivity and interaction in 2040 is not a dystopia. Through my research thus far and the ethos of conversations I have engaged in, I believe that society is aware of the negative trajectory we are on and are already implementing strategies to combat it. For instance, smartphones offer its users the ability to analyse their screen time, empowering them to make informed decisions about how often they use their devices. Technology mirrors humanity – how we use it will reflect the good and the bad. It is us who are in control, not our devices.

I am interested to see how we will tackle the next phase of technological advancements. It is widely believed that VR (virtual reality) and AI (artificial intelligence) will be on the next frontier of human connectivity and interaction. The assumption being that we are likely to divide human interaction equally with non-human. I’ve postulated this through contemporary examples such as our experiences of using AI through Google Home and AI’s incorporation into mental health recovery strategies. With regard to VR, Facebook, who acquired Oculus VR in 2014, I am sure have plans to integrate those services to its 2.23 billion users. There is also a growing market in “teledildonics” that is expected to alleviate the strain of long distance relationships, evoking physical intimacy for geographically challenged couples.

My vision of love, connectivity and interaction in 2040 is one that embodies a range of products and services to satisfy our needs for connectivity and interaction.

There are people who are susceptible to falling in love online…

There are people that struggle with the ‘otherness of others’ and would prefer an object that will respond to them in ways that they need…

There are people who would benefit from virtual interactions…

However, for most of humankind, I do not think that products and services will ever be as substantial as real— physical— human to human connectivity and interaction.

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1C. Primary Research: The Roundtable.

Our group ‘MDCM love’ have been developing a scenario focused on the notions of connectivity, interaction, big data and death. The primary driver for change we chose to explore were human-technology-relationships. Analysing how they have impacted human behaviour and social dynamics in the current zeitgeist as well as our theories on what these relationships will evolve into in less than a generation. To explore this even further, I set up a roundtable with my housemates for their opinions on how technology has changed over their lifetime and what they believe the world of 2040 would look like. The interviewees are Laura – 26, Talent Agent. Lewis – 26, Producer. Tim – 28, Musician.

We commence our talk by exploring how our means of communication have changed in our lifetimes.

How do you think communication has changed in your lifetime?

Laura – Communication today is a lot more surface level as apposed to deep and meaningful. I feel that with the exception of my closest friends, my primary communication is centred around groups in forums such as WhatsApp or public settings… as apposed to a one on one dialogue. Even still, communicating with people in a real and physical form can sometimes feel disconnected because they are distracted by things such as their phone.

Tim – I feel that the internet and social media has had the greatest influence in how I communicate. My form of communication is largely constructed of sharing content rather than being voice or written.

Lewis – Yeh, I feel that a lot of the interaction I have with people is centred around my phone. However, that doesn’t mean that I use calling as a means to communicate.

Can you pinpoint a time in your life where you’ve noticed a particular shift in how you and others interact?

Laura – Instagram direct messaging and Instagram Stories. It facilitated a day to day interaction through posts. I knew what my friends, family and acquaintances were up to all the time, I had an intimate knowledge of peoples lives that I would otherwise have no insight into and could respond to it immediately.

Tim – When I-Messaging connected to my computer. I was able to respond a lot quicker as I didn’t need to switch devices.

Lewis – When I got my first iPhone. The medium I used before to communicate with friends would be MSN. I remember ‘brb’ being a common phrase to use when you’re mid conversation with someone via a messaging thread and needed to temporarily leave your device. Nowadays people just respond in a fashion that suits them.

Are more likely to ‘Google’ an issue you are having rather than open up to a friend / lover / relative about it?

Laura – Physical issues I will always google it. But if its an emotional issues, I will talk to someone about it.

Tim – I prefer talking to people.

Lewis – Yeah, ill often google something. This doesn’t mean I am opposed to talking to someone about it, I just like to inform myself first.

Do you feel like an accessibility to stay somewhat involved in the lives of people you’ve had relationships with in the past (relatives, spouses, friends) that have ended – makes it harder to move on? 

A resounding “YES!” among the group.

What are your thoughts on digitisation being the most likely trajectory connectivity and interaction is heading? 

Laura – A potential pathway of disconnect

Tim – There are certain elements that I think are cool and would benefit humanity. Although, I am aware that currently people are isolating themselves physically in order to stay connected. Which is sad and I wouldn’t like to continue.

Lewis – I can totally see people using VR to ‘meet’ as apposed to taking the action of getting into a car, travel and meet with someone. I feel like the generation after us will use this as a primary means of communication.

What do you think connectivity, communication and interaction will be like in 2040? For instance, would it be likely to sustain a long distance relationship on Mars? 

Laura – More long distance relationships for sure but I don’t know if that would mean they’d be any more fulfilling than they are today. I’d really like to see the internet be ‘policed’ – like a set of laws centred around online behaviour as it becomes more and more engrossed in peoples lives. Were seeing that with international privacy policies already.

Tim – I don’t think we’d be on Mars in 2040… I wonder what the black market would be?

Lewis – Definitely placing yourself somewhere digitally, wether it be a VR avatar or even a hologram. I can see our connectivity being embedded with fully immersive digital interactions. All these new jobs and practices are eliminating the need to actually go anywhere and with the emergence of the gig economy businesses and consumers often correspond online. I also think, contributing to Tims comment, that there is a potential black market for identity theft. I mean, that exists already today, but like downloading the essence of someone and being able to completely embody them in a virtual way. Maybe there would even be voice robots used for scams and people will need to use certain code words for when they answer their phones.

End. 

1D. Prototyping 2040.  

Our scenario explored the possibility that in 2040 you would be able to upload an individuals data into an augmented eternity. Replicating their essence and allowing you to communicate with a digitised version of their consciousness. These ideas are being explored, developed and even implemented in 2018. For instance, Director of Research & Innovation at Ryerson University’s Digital Media Zone, Hossein Rahnama is working on something more immediately realisable than mental duplicates: chatbots crafted from personal data. He believes that soon we will reach a point in our lives where each of us will have collected zettabytes [1 trillion gigabytes] of data — the essential ingredients to creating a digital version of oneself.

Rahnamas AI program feeds a digital archive into artificial neural networks that understand language patterns and process’ new information. Aka machine learning, a tool that is prominent today — it is what allows Netflix, Amazon and Spotify to recommend shows, products and music you’d probably like. Factoring in these trends and trajectories regarding our deeply personal entwinement with data and emerging technologies, my prototype was influenced by concerns of privacy and security.

Wearable technologies seem to be rolling off of the production lines of finance institutions. When it comes to security — services such as Apple Pay, Visa and American Express use tokenisation enabling consumers to process their payments without exposing actual account details.

Screen Shot 2018-11-01 at 11.40.57 am
Image of the ‘Amex Band’: Amex Band is an adjustable wearable worn around the wrist. This allows you to enjoy the convenience of making hands-free contactless payments. Amex Band is linked to your Card so you can continue to earn Membership points while you shop. Image sourced from: https://www.americanexpress.com/au/credit-cards/amex-band.html

My prototype stemmed from a desire to critically intervene in the future of tech-security and big data. I was inspired by my primary research as my interviewees and I briefly discussed what we think the next black market would be and what courses of action would be taken to combat it. Dunne and Raby (2013) believe critical design to be a tool to create such action and often speak of critical design as being “dark or deal with dark themes” (Dunne and Raby, 2013). My prototype conceptualises what wearable security technologies may look like and do in 2040.

smart headwear

Conceptualisation of my prototype

Smart Headwear and ‘brain passwords’ was the product I constructed. Speaking about biohacking in our lectures, I considered how we would implement systems-thinking into human biology and how we would utilise that to enhance and protect ourselves. Passwords, usernames and biometric credentials (fingerprints, eye scans etc) are vulnerable — and likely to be targeted in the next wave of data breaching. So the need to develop a new kind of biometric, uniquely tied to an individual, is essential. Smart Headwear would work via sensors that read electronic impulses from the brain when activated by a stimulus. Producing a digital reading of the brain. The ‘password’ would be set using multi-factor authentication.

Customer journey:

1 – A person would enter a password to the device verbally,

2 – Scan a biometric part of themselves. For instance, a fingerprint.

3 – This will ‘unlock’ the headwear to read brain waves. The person would place it on their head.

4 – The person would look at a series of random images. Their neural response would be recorded and saved to the device.

5 – This response is the unique password, catered to the individuals brain activity when evoked by a particular stimulus.

My prototype is a response to the potential issues we may face with regards to technological advancements and how they could compromise personal security.

Below, for your consideration, is the process to how I conceived of this speculative-prototype.

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