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Jenny Tillotson - Scentient Beings - Humanity+ @Parsons 2011

269 views · Published 18 April 2013 · 11:37 · Indexed 10 November 2026

Channel: Science, Technology & the Future · 2013 · Science & Technology

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Scentient Beings: The AScent Through The Emotional Spectrum
'Scentient Beings' explores the future of multi-sensory fashion informed by science fiction and the 'emotional spectrum'; the power source of the Green Lantern Corps, featured in the DC Comic series. It is a collection of responsive clothes that explores the expanding frontier of smell and its correlation with colour and emotion. Inspired by a quote from J.G.Ballard: 'Fashion is the recognition that nature has endowed us with one skin too few, that a fully Sentient Being should wear its nervous system externally', the collection builds on the latest developments in 'aromachology' (the science of fragrance), electronic nose sensors and emerging technologies to enhance cognition performance.  This talk describes the development of a wearable 'electronic nervous system' as a new 'Scentsory' platform to improve memory. It investigates computerised scent-output systems worn on the body for fashion and health applications, offering a personalised scent symphony experience which is intimate in nature. It merges fashion, technology, fragrance and colour therapy to 'enhance mood', improve lifestyle, and will be placed alongside those in vogue such as alternative healing practices. As a luxury fashion item, it can be programmed to deliver a colourful 'wardrobe of fragrance', depending on emotion, mood, occasion and time of day (most women change fragrances because of a shift in mood). The purpose is to appeal to the user's ancient and primitive olfactory sense whilst complementing the audio/visual senses. Designed for psychological end benefits, embedded electronic nose sensors sniff stress and diseases, whilst minute delivery mechanisms produce aromatic [colour] molecules in controlled ways, responding to personal need.

Transhumanism Meets Design - http://humanityplus.org/conferences/parsons/  http://humanityplus.org
On May 14-15 2011, Humanity+ International is partnered with Parsons The New School for Design in New York City to produce Transhumanism Meets Design. The conference was co-chaired by Ed Keller, Associate Dean of Distributed Learning at Parsons and Natasha Vita-More, Chairperson of Humanity+. The aim was to explore emerging technology, transdisciplinary design, culture and media theory, and biotech.

The conference brings together futurists, cyberneticists, life extensionists, singularity advocates, A[G]I and robotics experts, human enhancement specialists, inventors, ethicists, philosophers, and theorists to meet with the creativity and rigorous scholarship of design at Parsons.

Technological innovation permeates all aspects of society—from tiny water purification packets and portable LifeStraw filters, to GPS tracking devices, wearable Timex iPods and Gel-Kinsei high-tech running shoes. Because technology and society evolve together, it has become increasingly important to develop a greater understanding of how technology is shaping the course of our lives. We are faced with a need to continuously become more innovative in harnessing and controlling technology's acceleration. Nevertheless, innovation develops in stages. When it speeds up, we are faced with an urge to become ever more resourceful. When it slows down there is an impending impatience to compete with the exuberance of China. There is no doubt that even the most conservative thinkers agree that we have stepped into an era of a massive change. The good news is that our human diversity continues to spawn inventiveness and novelty.

Humanity+ @ Parsons NYC explores how society can establish innovative thinking through design to harness this adventurous ride into the future where Transhumanism Meets Design!

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