Brainscapes Week 1
Brainscapes Week 1
Brainscapes Week 1
noticing the fleeting moments, romanticising the everyday
noticing the fleeting moments, romanticising the everyday
noticing the fleeting moments, romanticising the everyday
Micro Unit
Workshop Design
Workshop Design
Team & Duration
Team & Duration
Team & Duration
Dylan, Izzy, Sakshi, Sarthak, Stav
Dylan, Izzy, Sakshi, Sarthak, Stav
Dylan, Izzy, Sakshi, Sarthak, Stav
6th Mar - 13th Mar
6th Mar - 13th Mar
6th Mar - 13th Mar
THE brief
THE brief
THE brief
Design a way to make brain activity responding to aesthetic experiences visible, tangible, or interactive.
Design a way to make brain activity responding to aesthetic experiences visible, tangible, or interactive.
Design a way to make brain activity responding to aesthetic experiences visible, tangible, or interactive.
We started by studying the brief, and trying to understand the different parts of it.
We started by studying the brief, and trying to understand the different parts of it.
We started by studying the brief, and trying to understand the different parts of it.
Breaking down the brief
Breaking down the brief
Breaking down the brief
Exploring the context
Exploring the context
Exploring the context
We explored multiple questions and research areas around how the brain experiences pleasure, empathy, and aesthetics. This included investigating whether positive brain stimulation can help us enjoy typically unpleasant tasks, and how we might use sensory tools to evoke or share unfamiliar mental states—such as those experienced by people with ADHD or under the influence of stimulants (Ghanizadeh, 2011).
Next, to learn more about what ‘aesthetic experiences’ even mean for us, we did affinity diagramming & interviews.
We explored multiple questions and research areas around how the brain experiences pleasure, empathy, and aesthetics. This included investigating whether positive brain stimulation can help us enjoy typically unpleasant tasks, and how we might use sensory tools to evoke or share unfamiliar mental states—such as those experienced by people with ADHD or under the influence of stimulants (Ghanizadeh, 2011).
Next, to learn more about what ‘aesthetic experiences’ even mean for us, we did affinity diagramming & interviews.
We explored multiple questions and research areas around how the brain experiences pleasure, empathy, and aesthetics. This included investigating whether positive brain stimulation can help us enjoy typically unpleasant tasks, and how we might use sensory tools to evoke or share unfamiliar mental states—such as those experienced by people with ADHD or under the influence of stimulants (Ghanizadeh, 2011).
Next, to learn more about what ‘aesthetic experiences’ even mean for us, we did affinity diagramming & interviews.
Our aesthetic experiences
Our aesthetic experiences
Our aesthetic experiences
Affinity Diagramming
Affinity Diagramming
Affinity Diagramming
We also looked into the role of pleasure chemicals like serotonin and oxytocin (McGilchrist, 2019), and how the brain responds to beauty. Additionally, we considered posthuman perspectives, questioning whether non-human brain activity—like that of a cat or plant—could be part of this sensory and emotional exploration (Hayles, 1999).
We also looked into the role of pleasure chemicals like serotonin and oxytocin (McGilchrist, 2019), and how the brain responds to beauty. Additionally, we considered posthuman perspectives, questioning whether non-human brain activity—like that of a cat or plant—could be part of this sensory and emotional exploration (Hayles, 1999).
We also looked into the role of pleasure chemicals like serotonin and oxytocin (McGilchrist, 2019), and how the brain responds to beauty. Additionally, we considered posthuman perspectives, questioning whether non-human brain activity—like that of a cat or plant—could be part of this sensory and emotional exploration (Hayles, 1999).
We explored different personas that have unique definitions and how these differences affect their aesthetic experience. We also looked into various methods to measure brain activity, focusing on what we can realistically do. Additionally, we studied which parts of human physiology can be measured effectively. This would help us understand what data is practical to collect and how personas influence our approach.
We explored different personas that have unique definitions and how these differences affect their aesthetic experience. We also looked into various methods to measure brain activity, focusing on what we can realistically do. Additionally, we studied which parts of human physiology can be measured effectively. This would help us understand what data is practical to collect and how personas influence our approach.
We explored different personas that have unique definitions and how these differences affect their aesthetic experience. We also looked into various methods to measure brain activity, focusing on what we can realistically do. Additionally, we studied which parts of human physiology can be measured effectively. This would help us understand what data is practical to collect and how personas influence our approach.
Personas - to understand how different aspects would impact their definition of 'aesthetic experience'
Personas - to understand how different aspects would impact their definition of 'aesthetic experience'
Personas - to understand how different aspects would impact their definition of 'aesthetic experience'
Realisations & feedbacks
Realisations & feedbacks
Realisations & feedbacks
We needed to focus on the physiological signs of brain activity. We could research what doctors and nurses do to observe this and look for simple, low-tech ways to measure or show brain activity. We were confused about how to approach the brief, so our tutor, Dr. Alaistair advised us to take the following steps: first, find easy ways to measure brain activity externally; second, explore different, very specific everyday experiences with a few people, avoiding clichés and not spending too much time on each; and third, use what we learn from measuring brain activity to create ways of turning these experiences into something people can feel or interact with.
Overall, we were asked to look at it as designers, not as scientists, through which I understood — emotions, not numbers.
We needed to focus on the physiological signs of brain activity. We could research what doctors and nurses do to observe this and look for simple, low-tech ways to measure or show brain activity. We were confused about how to approach the brief, so our tutor, Dr. Alaistair advised us to take the following steps: first, find easy ways to measure brain activity externally; second, explore different, very specific everyday experiences with a few people, avoiding clichés and not spending too much time on each; and third, use what we learn from measuring brain activity to create ways of turning these experiences into something people can feel or interact with.
Overall, we were asked to look at it as designers, not as scientists, through which I understood — emotions, not numbers.
We needed to focus on the physiological signs of brain activity. We could research what doctors and nurses do to observe this and look for simple, low-tech ways to measure or show brain activity. We were confused about how to approach the brief, so our tutor, Dr. Alaistair advised us to take the following steps: first, find easy ways to measure brain activity externally; second, explore different, very specific everyday experiences with a few people, avoiding clichés and not spending too much time on each; and third, use what we learn from measuring brain activity to create ways of turning these experiences into something people can feel or interact with.
Overall, we were asked to look at it as designers, not as scientists, through which I understood — emotions, not numbers.
References
References
References
Ghanizadeh, A. (2011) ‘Sensory Processing Problems in Children with ADHD, a Systematic Review’, Psychiatry Investigation, 8(2), pp. 89–94. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3149116/
Hayles, N.K. (1999) How We Became Posthuman: Virtual Bodies in Cybernetics, Literature, and Informatics. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.
McGilchrist, I. (2019) The Master and His Emissary: The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
Ghanizadeh, A. (2011) ‘Sensory Processing Problems in Children with ADHD, a Systematic Review’, Psychiatry Investigation, 8(2), pp. 89–94. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3149116/
Hayles, N.K. (1999) How We Became Posthuman: Virtual Bodies in Cybernetics, Literature, and Informatics. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.
McGilchrist, I. (2019) The Master and His Emissary: The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
Ghanizadeh, A. (2011) ‘Sensory Processing Problems in Children with ADHD, a Systematic Review’, Psychiatry Investigation, 8(2), pp. 89–94. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3149116/
Hayles, N.K. (1999) How We Became Posthuman: Virtual Bodies in Cybernetics, Literature, and Informatics. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.
McGilchrist, I. (2019) The Master and His Emissary: The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
Thank You For Reading.
Thank You For Reading.
Thank You For Reading.
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© 2025 | Designed and developed by me with ♡ | All Rights Reserved.
© 2025 | Designed and developed by me with ♡ | All Rights Reserved.