Io: A Newtonian Designers Exploration by Abi Green

A Newtonian Designers Exploration

Io: A Newtonian Designers Exploration Written and Designed by Abigail Green

Contents 1

Abstract

3 - 11

Welcome to A New Frontier

13 - 31

One Gravity Meet Science Fiction

33 - 45

Two The Selfishness of Gravity

47 - 65

Three The Gravity of Design

67 - 81

Four My Gravity

83 - 93

The End is Nigh

94 - 95

References

Hubble Space Telescope-telegraph.co.uk

Abstract Gravity is nature’s weakest force. However, it still has the potential to both create and destroy. Its differing effect on periodic elements, and ability to act with and against other forces, effectively gives it power over all materials. Through observation and exploration, determining a use for gravity within design entailed material experimentation and an understanding of the forces reaction to various materials properties. Using the forces of gravity as a process with which to design and formulate objects, these communicate and educate about the power of gravity itself. Researching and referencing existing mechanisms and processes, led to a design that visualises the invisible force. This directs towards its outcome being aesthetically pleasing and able to interact with its audience. Aiming to become a ‘Newtonian Designer’, using Sir Isaac Newton’s methodologies, with adaptations to aid the creative process, this visualised the physicality of gravity. Newton made some of the most ground-breaking discoveries of his time, so by using this successful but now creatively charged methodology, the development of a stronger creative process begun. Drawing inspiration from various creatives interaction with scientific ideas and theories along with scientific research, the practical and theoretical inter-twine, in order to explain the physicality of gravity in a visual and memorable way.

Welcome to a New Frontier

abduzeedo.com/clevernegativespaceartworks

There is no such thing as a fact.

Of Of course, course, to to believe believe this this you you must must understand understand that that this this fact fact could could be be false, false, beginning beginning aa cycle cycle of of mistrusting mistrusting what what you you are are told told and and questioning questioning your your sense sense of of reality. reality.

Due to our need to explore and explain the world around us, ‘facts’ are being rapidly disproved and means that most of what will follow has been disproved or soon will be. This is known as the ‘half life of facts’ (Arbesman,S. 2013). Regardless of this timeline evidenced by scientists and historians, I intend to pretend that everything I reference is still a fact. Sir Isaac Newton is still to date the man who discovered gravity, producing his most famous publication the ‘Principia’. In the preface, Newton speaks of Mr. Edmund Halley and how “through his solicitations that it came to be published; for when he had obtained of me my demonstrations of the figure of the celestial orbits, he continually pressed me to communicate the same to the Royal Society…” (Thayer and Randall. 1953:11) This shows how Newton’s discoveries were initiated to supplying answers for his own understanding of the world.

In a collection of letters to Reverend Dr. Richard Bentley at the Bishop of Worcester’s House in Westminster, it is interesting how Newton explains that his discoveries are not to disprove God but are his reflections on the universe God created. Answering the reverends questions, he also explains his ideology of natural philosophy (Thayer, H.S and Randall JR, J.H. 1953). Relating his work to the religious culture of that time, Newton’s work aimed not to offend or impress the thinkers of the time. It was all for the purpose of self enlightenment. His curiosity and need to question his surroundings is something that connects the creative and the scientific mind. Using the now typical methodology for experimentation, Newton’s process was revolutionary for his time (Proff. Cox, B. 2013).

By observing, questioning and experimenting with the everyday, this is a process that can cross from the scientific technique of discovering to the designer’s methodology of creating. Being obsessive about his work, rational thought and science were in the beginning of being accepted in Newton’s time, so his aspiration to prove all his theories resulted in creating experiments. These experiments were then designed to demonstrate and realise his hypothesis. The idea of ‘we need to see it to believe it’ is something that relates strongly to both science and design. In science, experimenting without an intended result for a hypothesis is called “Blue Sky” research, in design is can be termed as ‘pure’ or ‘fundamental’ research. Both work with the idea of using the abstract and exploring them without the constraints of industry or ‘the man’ (Walker, S. 2011:22). Although these are easy to dismiss, sometimes an accident can lead to discovering a unique and enticing idea.

Defining a type of creative person based on Newton’s work and theories I have created the idea of a ‘Newtonian Designer’. This role is to create and demonstrate the discoveries Newton made that were radical for his time. By looking back at ‘facts’ and making them approachable and understandable, a Newtonian Designer should sit between a physicist and a nonphysicist. Focusing on Newton’s most profound discovery, gravity, the role of the designer is to bridge the gap between scientific theory and physical reality. “When we create things we draw on materials of the Earth. In this process, we unavoidably alter and in some way diminish the natural world.” (Walker, S. 2011:143) By taking a natural force and using it to aid creation, a Newtonian Designer must look at how materials relate to gravity, how they can be used and the limits their properties can be pushed to.

Creating devices specifically for Newtonian Designers to measure and test gravity could be the start of an interesting exploration between science and design. A Newtonian kit in which to question, observe and design the world. Like any scientist, a designer needs materials to assess the object, place or person they are investigating in order to collect detailed and accurate results. Engineers, product designers and 3D designers often follow the rules of ergonomics and elements of physics in order to produce outcomes that are appropriate and can be used for assessment with ease. We use design as a means of exploration and answering the questions we ponder.

http://spacesquarterly.com/wp-content/uploads/SQ-Harsha-Image07.jpg

Gravity Meet Science Fiction

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Scraping the surface of gravity, as a force is easy. However intending to find out more through interviews and develop an understanding of the universe is not as simple. Meeting with physicist Dr. Ben Still and asking him to explain how the universe works, in an elegant visual language the doctor described the universe as a sheet of black latex. Infinite in size, this sheet is full of dips where planets and anything of mass is rushing downward, stretching to create space around the mass. Fighting to reach its lowest energy “the degree of warp depends on the mass of the object” (Dr. Still, B. 2013). When the sheet warps, a gap is created between the mass and the sheet. In this ‘gap’ moons and smaller masses orbit resulting in local potential.

The largest and strongest gravitational pull in the universe shapes the main degree of warp that everything else orbits and creates space within. This is the Black Hole that is slowly absorbing everything. Over time it absorbs anything in its path, until eventually it dies and explodes. Casting out everything, it forms a new universe beginning the life cycle again. This is a theory explained by astrophysicist Niayesh Afshordi (Zeeya, M. 2013). While still alive the Black Hole creates the largest warp within the sheet and holds everything else in place. The reason that everything rotates and stays in orbit within this sheet, is because everything in the universe is moving in a downward motion. This giant spiral, Dr. Still explained, is how the universe moves.

http://mashable.com/2013/09/06/gravity-day/

Gravity is often associated with the story of Newton’s epiphany involving a falling apple. The symbolism now placed on the common fruit tells a story of the search and discovery of knowledge that revolutionised Newton’s theories and understanding of the relationship between the Earth and the surrounding universe. ‘GravityDay’ is modern culture’s way of celebrating one of histories ground-breaking discoveries. On the September 8th in celebration of gravity measuring at 9.8m/s squared, the iconic falling apple is used to depict our understanding of gravity and encourages people to create a viral chain of appreciation. By videoing, illustrating and visualizing gravity using an apple, millions post, tweet or go viral with gravity as the center point.

Science fiction has dazzled us with ideas of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Zero Gravityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; environments although zero gravity does not exist. Gravity is always influencing even in a tiny way. Dr. Still explained how Zero Gravity occurs when gravitational pulls of equal amounts in all directions act on a mass at the same time, creating weightlessness. Suspending the mass between the equal amount of force, there are few places in the universe were true Zero Gravity exists, mainly because everything has a gravitational pull and often sits within another masses gravitational field.

Images of floating in space is something that has always been fascinating to see, so when we finally witnessed this along with hearing the famous quote ‘That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for man-kind’ from Neil Armstrong (1969), striving to experience and recreate these environments on Earth kick started into action. Zero G is a company who specialise in training astronauts and allowing people to experience ‘zero gravity’. Reaching highs of 34,000 feet, a set arc is then created as the plane falls matching the inside falling rate to that outside. This forms a weightless environment something similar to what Neil Armstrong would of experienced in during his time in space. Although his famous quote had elements of truth, at the height of the space race it was something most of the world wanted to be involved in. Placing one or two feet on a mass other than Earth was something everyone wanted. For NASA it is the center of research even now. For physicists there is more to the universe than just stabbing a flag into it and claiming it for oneself. It is a wondrous expanse of knowledge yet to be discovered. It is this curiosity that drove Newton’s research and fascination with observing the world around him and is something we need to regain touch with. Looking for answers not for ownership.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Neil_Armstrong_pose.jpg

Hui Liu and his team at Nanjing University in China have successfully created an artificial black hole using molten acrylic, glass and plastic. Combining these two materials on a spinning quartz sheet, the artificial black hole acts the same as the real thing by demonstrating how light is absorbed, without the risk of destroying Earth, by creating a dramatic amount of gravity. Using a laser and pointing light through the center of the glass (which is slightly bent) it is absorbed and disappears. This is a way of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;mimicking gravitational lensing. This can be used to detect galaxies, stars and planets when it occurs in space.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; (Aron, J. 2013:10).

Through using easily accessed materials, this creation can lead to research aiding our understanding of what a black hole is and more excitingly what could be on the other side of it. Hui Lui and his team are an example of how our curiosity and use of simulating nature helps us to gain a better understanding of how it works. By combining physics, an understanding of materials and design techniques this group of physicists where able to simulate the strongest and most destructive thing known in the natural universe. Our curiosity leads us to wanting to understand how things occur but also how we could use them to our advantage. Scan from New Scientist Published: Sep 2013

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=26077.0

Research into plants and in particular their roots, scientists have discovered that they do not need gravity in order to grow. Due to the natural programming of the seed, although difficult to initially germinate, the roots will grow down and away from the developing seed. Appearing to follow a set of ‘cues’ that include moisture, nutrients, and light avoidance, Plant Geneticist AnnaLisa Paul explains how “features of plant growth we thought were a result of gravity acting on plant cells and organs do not actually require gravity” and that the “bottom line is that although plants ‘know’ that they are in a novel environment, they ultimately do just fine.” (Owen, J. 2013) This information is an exciting prospect in relation to inter planetary habitation as this means we could potentially grow vegetation to aid survival that in turn could balance an eco-system.

Watching ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ is an informative experience. Comparing the predicted technology to what is available today, it is exciting to see what we developed before 2001. In the film, character Dr Heywoord R. Floyd is shown using a live video chat, which at the time of its release seemed impossible. However by 1994 the first ‘Quickcam’ (formally known as Connectix) by Logitech was commercially available. (Edwards, B. 2010). 7 years before the predicted future of ‘2001’ we had developed a piece of technology that in the 60’s appeared far out of reach and under the genre science fiction. Sir Arthur Clarke’s original science-fiction novel was published in 1951 showing how his science background and imagination produced a piece of history’s greatest predictive science fiction to date.

http://www.cinemasterpieces.com/cine_numbers.htm

http://lakdiva.org/clarke/obit2008.html

In an article ‘Beyond Gravity’ published by The National Geographic, Clarke raises various interesting points that relate to where his novels came from along with his ideas on how gravity would affect our move to another planet. When discussing how society could possibly be affected by interplanetary living, Sir Arthur Clarke explains how new generations would never be able to return to Earth due to the evolution of the species. Raising an interesting theory on society, he describes how we would see “gravitational segregation”. With different groups evolving to the various planets gravity, some would “adapted to zero, fractional, and one gravity.” (Clarke, A. 2013).

Clarke’s ideas of how societies would react with interplanetary living, although his personal opinion, are an interesting insight of his ideas on how humanity deals with change. “The truth is indeed out there, and one day we will find it— or it will find us. Then we will learn whether we are closer to the angels or the apes.” (Clarke, A. 2013). Questioning our intelligence and wondering if we are the only form of intelligent life is something science fiction writers and scientist are constantly hoping to find an answer for. However far away this answer is, we can be sure that the search will continue for years to come and the lengths we will go to discover it will not stop to amaze.

http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/all/spirit.html

http://hubblesite.org/gallery/wallpaper/pr2009025f/

The Selfishness of Gravity

http://airandspace.si.edu/explore-and-learn/multimedia/detail.cfm?id=3345

Gravity is selfish. It is constantly trying to increase its strength and develop the mass that surrounds it. This is a trait similar to us, the human design of always wanting more. What we produce is often for a created need and leaves a feeling of dissatisfaction. Stuart Walker explains in ‘The Spirit of Design; Objects, Environments and Meaning’ how our material culture works and where it is situated in todays society. When we create products, Walker explains how “…these objects are not products but simply questions in forms; silent queries that invite pause for reflection and ask it what our present course might be otherwise.” (Walker, S. 2011:185).

Silent queries and the answering of them is, in my opinion, the purpose of design. Designers are meant to answer the silent queries and create new ones in the process, continuing the search for answers. During our search for answers it has led us to huge technological advancements that fill every corner of our planet and have begun to leak out into our Solar System. The last 10 years has seen a huge leap into the unknown for scientists and engineers alike. Learning more about how the world works and increasing our understanding of what happens outside our atmosphere, we have landed on other planets and begun to learn how special Earth truly is.

Nima Arkani-Hamed is a theoretical physicist who during a talk at the Dana Centre (ArkaniHamed, N. 2013) explained how we are now on the journey of asking new questions. These questions, he explained, may never be answered due to our lack of language to articulate the right choice of words. The interesting and bewildering idea that we cannot ask questions due to a lack of language resulted in Nima asking two questions that he believes we may not be able to answer. His first point was centred on Spacetime and how “it is doomed and needs something to replace it” the second was “How is the Universe so big?”. The latter was a question I found thought provoking, as the LHC is now our best chance of finding the answer. The study of the smallest things in existence can carry the answers to the biggest unanswerable questions.

http://onlyhdwallpapers.com/space/outer-space-eclipse-the-universe-journey-of-desktophd-wallpaper-939001/

The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is the largest experiment created to date. Covering over 29 kilometres CERNâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s powerful toy changes energy into mass using temperature, superconductivity (magnetism) and pressure to recreate 10 to the power of 10 seconds, a minuscule amount of time, after The Big Bang. Consuming 200 megawatts of power on average, the LHC is an example of the scale we are prepared to go to find answers. Visiting the exhibition â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Colliderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; at the Science Museum, the explanations of the science behind the LHC where designed to be informative, providing the viewer had previous knowledge on what the Higgs Boson was.

Assuming that the audience would research the show before attending demonstrated how the design took into account the type of audience it would gain. From this visit my understanding is that the discovery of the Higgs Boson is a groundbreaking achievement as it is the final piece of the Standard Model. This model is the small menu of particles physicists use to equate for everything within nature apart from two things, Gravity and Dark Matter. These two stand alone unsure of where they belong but involved in everything.

Gravity and Dark Matter are so stubborn they cannot and will not fit into the Standard Model. By studying the smallest particles, this consumes such a large amount of energy that in order to gain a more in depth understanding, we would need such a strong energy burst that it would create a Black hole and destroy the universe. Being stubborn limits the lengths we can research Gravity and Dark Matter, as it wants to remain an aloof character in our knowledge of the universe. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s selfish characteristic is also what makes gravity an interesting topic of exploration for a designer. Having an important role within the creation of everything, gravity gives the illusion of being a weak, easily dismissed part of daily life and only attracts attention when it appears to stop working. Edited Image from Collider Exhibition

So, from a Newtonian Designerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perspective, Gravity is a stubborn and selfish force that creates a persona of being delicate and aloof until it becomes restless and power hungry. It then challenges its opponent and tries to gather its strength (mass) until it becomes an unstoppable force that can destroy universes. This is how I think good design should be, a strong enough character to stand-alone however able to fit within everything and influence its surroundings. As design covers an array of scales gravity also has the same property. From holding solar systems in place to keeping our feet on the ground, design links us to the world around us and worlds further away.

The Gravity of Design

‘…there has been a growing interest in trying to gain inspiration for creation from indescribable events and phenomena that have become an integral part of people’s everyday lives…’ (Yoshioka, T (2008).

This quote sums up what my projects journey aims to. Using something invisible and part of the everyday in a new way, design creates a pathway of exploration. Combining the scientific with the creative in order to understand and explain the natural phenomena of gravity. Known as the weakest force, gravity is still powerful. With the ability to create universes or destroy worlds, it is a vital part in the creation of life. When everything begun, it was the tiny masses of particles that grew and became our Earth all thanks to the gravitational pulls that became stronger and stronger. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s these tiny pulls and its growing strength that, in my view, makes gravity more important than the credit it is given by physicists.

With around 40,000 tonnes of meteorites, mainly in the form of dust, falling to Earth per year our planet is still growing as well as aging due to gravity (Hammond, R. 2013). When meteorites that are more than dust hit Earth they can create 2 megatons of energy on impact, which is a highly destructive force as demonstrated in the 2013 Chelyabinsk Meteor, which caused large amounts of damage where â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Windows were shattered in more than 3,600 apartment blocks, and a factory roof collapsedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; (Sample, I. (2013). The creative and destructive ability of gravity is something as a designer I find exciting.

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Design today takes an array of forms and with its interdisciplinary nature allows designers to take on the world, making it a key part of the lives we lead. Taking inspiration from our surroundings and questioning them until we can squeeze no more reasoning from it, is the trait that has driven our development into the technologies we use today. However, now we are at the point where we are creating new things without a specific purpose. Aimlessly creating more and more â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;stuffâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; with no idea of its implication and effect on the world.

http://www.kyouei-ltd.co.jp/gravity_painting.html

We will continue creating, but I want to make my design a bridge between what we know already and how to explain it in an understandable medium. Looking into designers and artistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s use of gravity to create projects and work that is engaging has unearthed an array of disciplines used to take on gravity as a method of creation. Visualising the invisible is a task that can, from current research, be displayed in to two outcomes; photography capturing the moment and materials reacting to gravitational pulls.

Looking at inspiration from photographers, I stumbled across Bernice Abbott’s collection when aimlessly looking at science within art. Creating minimal black and white images in the 1930’s Abbott collaborated with scientists in order to capture experiments on film. Capturing scientific moments and creating a narrative around the outcome, inspired my interest at the start of my project’s journey. Delving into the more extreme and surreal photography that deceives the viewer, Yves Klein and company Capacitor experiment with creating images of ‘zero gravity’ using the layering of photographs and water.

http://www.mocp.org/digital-exhibition.php?t=objects&type=group&gid=1345

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/okeanos-a-performance-where-dancersmove-like-octopuses-and-seahorses-180947573/

Kleinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fearless jump from a window depicts a seemingly painful landing however the final image is a clever layering of two moments, the jump with a crash matt and the empty street. Creating a fake newspaper and placing it within shops, the image was added to the front page with a story explaining how the man could fly. A humorous â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;you need to see it to believe itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; intervention using photography to realise a moment and make the story more realistic.

http://hyper-power.blogspot.co.uk/2011/03/le-saut-dans-le-vide-leap-into-void.html

Capacitors ‘Okeanos’ is an underwater performance where dancers move through the water like sea creatures. The floating photographs depict the dancers in a frozen moment of levitation between the surface and the bed of the bay. By capturing the illusion of floating, the dancer looks as though they are suspended in space and time, something ‘zero gravity’ has told us is exciting and an experience to strive for.

These three photographers caught my interest as they use easily recreated situations to demonstrate the weakness of gravity. They also demonstrate how we can use and manipulate what the audience sees to instill a different perspective of a moment or movement. Capturing an image makes the viewer doubt it could be a fake image as ‘the camera doesn’t lie’ but of course sadly today we know it does, often. Gravity may be weak, but materials can be manipulated to demonstrate its strength. Jolan Van der Wiel’s collections (Van der Wiel, J. 2013) are created through his own ‘gravity tool’. Mixing magnetic materials to create ferrous fluid looking objects, they defy gravity through the manufacturing process. However gravity’s grip and strength is what shapes the stool into the stalagmites and stalactites that form the legs and seat. Although the collection is slightly out of the everyday, the process is what makes these pieces impressive, showing that sometimes the process can be the key to an interesting outcome.

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http://www.kyouei-ltd.co.jp/magnetic_field_record.html

Making the process an experience demonstrating gravity, Kouichi Okamoto of Kyouei Design Studio (Okamoto, K. 2013) has created a series of works that focus on using gravity and magnetic forces to influence ink or a spray cans direction across and above a canvas. Using the forces to create the outcome without human manipulation or interaction is an interesting element of performance within design. There is always something fascinating about seeing a device do something without it needing to be guided or held.

Roman Signer states, “I wish to see the world in slow motion” and describes his work as ‘time-sculpture’ (Withers, R. 2014). Using a release of energy, Signer’s work combines photography and video with physical installations. In the installation ‘Tisch’ the location reflects the use of water. Placed by a rocky body of water, when pressure is added to a table it elevates spraying water in the opposite direction to the current, disrupting the waters flow. Although not directly related to gravity, it is an interesting demonstration of performance meeting materials.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:GravityLight_-_01.png

Looking at more practical uses of gravity within design, studio Therefore has created a gravity driven light â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;GravityLightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; to be sold in third world countries as a cheap light source. Using a bag and adding weight to it, gravity pulls it to the ground winding up the mechanism which charges 30minutes of energy. The weight is removed and light is produced. This product combines gravity with a product that has a strong relation to the lives of people today. As a product that can be mass-produced and used to aid the daily lives of its users, GravityLight is designed to integrate into the everyday using a power source that will not expire.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:GravityLight_-_bag_-_01.jpg

All having very different uses of the forces and visualising them through different mediums, all the work creates a curiosity around what it does and how it does it. Harnessing the invisible energy gravity can create and demonstrating its power through different mediums, all are linked by the simplicity of gravityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s downward force. This is something that I wish to take forward and use within my own work to create a link between audience and project, something to observe and interact with in a stimulating experience.

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http://www.duffylondon.com/furniture/tables/monolith-table

My Gravity

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I will design using gravity. The main role as a Newtonian Designer is to use gravity and design as a way of describing and explaining what the selfish force is and how it works. Instead of designing for a ‘zero gravity’ outcome, I want to focus on using the force as it is, and demonstrate the power it can have over materials. Looking at gravity’s relationship with materials begun with Jupiter’s moon Io. The mythological story of Io talks of how the delicate girl was a lover of Jupiter (Zeus) and his strong embrace was to hide her from his jealous wives. In relation to the planet and its moons however the story does not have such a romantic outlook. Due to the gravitational pull of Jupiter and its other moons Io is continually pulled and flexed, tearing the moons crust and making it an intense and highly active surface. The power gravity has over Io inspired my interest in material properties and how gravity can affect them.

When an object has mass it begins to create its own gravitational pull, something that has been used to measure mass of other objects. The Schiehallion Experiment in the 1772 was used to calculate Earth’s mass using a plumb line, astronomer Nevil Maskelyne and the Scottish mountain Schiehallion. Considered by Sir Isaac Newton as a way of demonstrating his theory of gravity (Newton, I. 1962), the experiment uses the gravitational attraction of the mountain, which pulled the plumb line. Measured on different sides of the mountain the degree of ‘arc’ from the true zenith (the imagined vertical point that is the opposite direction to gravitational force) was used as a comparison to the stars. This then underwent an array of calculations and processes until a mass was finalised. The main interest I had with this experiment was the use of a simple piece of equipment, a plumb line. Demonstrating gravity’s hunger to gain mass the pull of the line visualises the invisible using a simple tool.

Looking into mechanisms and the use of movement to produce a visual outcome I begun to research into horology. Visiting the Measuring Time exhibition at the Science Museum, I later arranged an interview with the museums horologist Francis Brodie to discuss how time pieces work and the use of technologies development. Discussing the collection of timepieces, it was interesting how the mechanisms run through different forces. Older pieces rely on a ‘slave and master’ mechanism, the slave often uses gravitational pulls to power the motion which then makes the master, normally a pendulum, swing and pass the kinetic energy around the clock. Brodie referred to horology as a “dead art” and sadly I have to agree with him. With the development of digital, making timepieces is something that lives in the past. The mechanisms however are very inspiring in relation to my area of interest. The use of “gravity as the earliest form of drive” (Brodie, F. 2013) for a mechanism through different materials, links with my interest in gravity within design. Brodie was very passionate about his craft and referred to his practice as “a portal to the past” explaining how each piece has its own personality.

As most are made by hand each timepiece has its own signature that can be seen by looking at its mechanics. Often the horologist will â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;signâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; the piece through the craftsmanship they put into it. The tools used to create the tiny pieces are also interesting to look at separate from the final pieces. Beautifully crafted and designed to create batches of mechanisms, the elegance of this past making technique holds something enticing to research.

Horology is the “rocket science of vocational science” according to Francis Brodie and I agree, the depth of knowledge about materials reaction to friction, heat and movement proves that to be a horologist you need to be an expert of your practice. In order to understand more about the relationship between tools, mechanisms and materials from gravity’s point of view, the beginning of a journey of experimentation and research has begun to unfold. Looking into the tools of the past, how they function and are made will lead to current equipment and possibly the future of making.

Beginning with the equipment used to measure gravity and in experiments of the past, I begun by looking at the Newton Meter and the Plumb Line. As these measure the mass of objects, experimenting with how far these can be pushed and the experience they can create, will lead to understanding how they work and experimenting with how they can be used differently. Both visualising gravity, it is interesting to question how far they can be pushed into visualising the force. Visiting a laboratory and looking at the scientific equipment used, it is interesting to see how these ‘high tech’ pieces have lost an element of discovery. Computer programmed and controlled, although this increases accuracy, the part of human interaction and the feeling of participation within a discovery is lost.

Hands on tools build an experience and a connection with the piece you have created and it is this experience I wish to carry into my own work. Experimentation with materials and its reaction to gravity, how they react when left to be manipulated by the weakest force, will aid my own insight into the power and strength gravity can have. As it can create kinetic energy, this too could be something to experiment and push into how we experience gravity. The infamous quote says, “We shape our tools and thereafter they shape us” (McLuhan, M. 1964:21) so this could be used to gain an experience and understanding of gravity.

To begin to build a bridge between science and design as an experience of exploration, the Newtonian Designer will become the engineer of a new way of understanding something we all experience everyday but do not question or understand the power it holds. Looking at gravity as the strongest rather than the weakest force and making this character approachable to all. Initial experimentation with basic materials has included looking into Newtonian Fluids such as silly putty and PVA glue by observing its movement. Adding paint to PVA glue and allowing it to fall, the patterns created formed a texture that resembled bark. As trees loose sap and it drips down the outside the PVA followed a similar movement with the same downwards motion. The movement gravity creates is something that designers have used in work before but explaining why it moves in this manor is something that appears to be dismissed. The fluidity of its movement holds something aesthetically pleasing and also unsettling creating an emotional response to watching a downward motion that we often see everyday.

Attempting to create something we dismiss as being reliant on gravity, making a set of working scales from card and tape resulted in developing it into a device that compares the gravitational pull of Io with Earth. Visualising the difference of 18.3% aided my own understanding of just how versatile gravity can be. This â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;toolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is an initial start point towards a more in depth exploration of how to explain gravity. Creating a hands-on experience through a tool and connecting audience to information.

On the horizon of a product design based project, combining experience with product design creates a collection of simple rules to follow. The outcome must be engaging and accessible to all, this means it must not pretend that it knows everything but simply act as a gateway between gravity and the user. Educating without preaching. Secondly, it should be designed to be easy to use and understand. Overcomplicated technology of today limits us to having no understanding of how a product actually works which is something this project should not fall into. Part of engaging with a product is the understanding of how it works.

Basic outlines of good product design include ergonomics and aesthetics and with making something an experience, looking attractive and its ease of use will be important. Adding an element of showmanship within its presentation and use is also something to strengthen the bond between product and experience. Everyone loves a good show and creating something memorable is what drives designers to keep creating.

The End is Nigh

The voyage has only just begun.

https://www.nasa.gov/audience/forkids/kidsclub/text/currentevent/Image_Gallery_prt.htm

Exploring the world of physics as a designer has led to an inspirational take on the theories and experiments undertaken by scientific minds. This is a journey that designers are becoming more influenced by. With artists, designers and scientists beginning to collaborate, institutions have begun to question what the differences are between the two and what the future holds for the creative and the scientist. On the 28th October 2013 the Science Museum and the Design Museum collaborated for a live discussion to question where the boundaries are for science and design.

With an audience consisting of an array of characters from multiple disciplines, the comments triggered an exciting anticipation of what the future holds. I found this inspirationally poetic comment that came from the Science Museumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s debate team that explains what makes science and design different and yet unarguably similar â&#x20AC;&#x153;Science starts out there in the world and ends up in the head. Design is the other way around.â&#x20AC;? (Science Museum, 2013). This sliding doors image describes how close yet apart the two areas can be. Both involve questioning and searching for answers but on an array of scales.

Science and design as disciplines have already begun their journey to reduce the gap between each other. Engineers work within this limbo where they rely on science and mathematics to accurately create structures while having a creative instinct. Designers are more on the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;blue skyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; side, however we have begun to realise how alike our minds and thought processes are. This new area of design is where the Newtonian Designer will come into its own. Scientific process includes questioning and exploring for an answer through experimentation, design follows the same steps but from a slightly different angle. Both search for answers but what they do to find it is what separates these disciplines. Thinking and idea generation occurs at the start, finding a question to ask and looking at what already surrounds it. Then experimentation, this can be handson or theoretical but involves the searching for supporting research. The outcome then arrives and this is where the two separate. A designer will develop and push the answer to breaking point, arriving at an end point with something to place into the world. A scientist will find the answer and present it to other scientists then move onto another question. By not placing their work into the world and reflecting how accessible and understandable it is to the public, science is becoming more alien.

Screenshot from ‘The Blue Box White Paper’

Finding ‘The Blue Box White Paper’ by Dr. Benjamin K. Tippett and Dr. David Tsang (Tippett and Tsang. 2013), this is a fantastic example of physicists placing their research into the world, although from a science fiction angle. Explaining how space-time and time travel would work, complex theories are described using examples from BBC television series Doctor Who. As a nonphysicist, I found the writing style, illustrations and explanations easier to understand due to the use of fictional characters. Adding jokes and storylines made the paper more engaging.

http://zowbux.com/otheryes/view/post:94635

The lack of creativity within standard physics papers is, in my opinion, what is missing from scientific research and how results are presented. Bringing science back from the alien territory it is heading into and making it more approachable and engaging. With more â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;popular scienceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; television series being aired, it is clear that the public want to know more. Design can help with developing easy access to science in an exciting and memorable way. Choosing a force that can make or break the universe, gravity itself sits within the theory of relativity and quantum mechanics so the pool of knowledge to connect with the audience is vast.

As NASA plans to grow plants on the moon by 2015, designers are being called in to aid creating a ‘1kg “self-contained habitat” containing seeds and germination material to send to the moon.’ (Vincent, J. 2013) demonstrating the increasingly likelihood of man’s big move into space. Designers will become important within this new life, as the lifestyle we have grown accustomed to will be in the past. As a new dawn approaches, the design of life is about to change. Within my own practice, I question the world from a different angle as a designer with the scientific drive of asking “why?”.

Research into the tools we use and the development they have gone through has now lead to the Newtonian Designer using material exploration and a growing understanding to push forward and create new ways to question the world. Meeting physicists, horologists, engineers and designers the journey towards understanding gravity and how it can be used has involved talking to people that do not normally associate their practice with a scientific or creative perception. The questions they asked have aided my own development and understanding of where the Newtonian Designer will fit within the world of today.

The Newtonian Designer, capable of crossing

from the universe of physics to world of design will be a part of the new dawn that approaches and it will be this role that guides the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;average Joeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; into the new frontier.

http://hubblesite.org/gallery/wallpaper/pr2006001a/

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Thayer, H.S and Randall JR, J.H (1953) Newton’s Philosophy of Nature; Selections from his writings, New York: Hafner Publishing Company Dr. Tippett, B.K. (2013) Dr. Tsang, D. (2013). The Blue Box White Paper. Available: http://arxiv.org/abs/1310.7983. Last accessed 18th Sep 2013 Van del Wiel, J. (2013). The Gravity Tool. Available: http://jolanvanderwiel. com/the-gravity-tool. Last accessed 13th Sep 2013. Vincent, J. (2013). Nasa to grow plants on the moon by 2015: ‘If they can thrive, we probably can too’. Available: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/ gadgets-and-tech/nasa-to-grow-plants-on-the-moon-by-2015-if-they-canthrive-we-probably-can-too-8972642.html. Last accessed 1st Dec 2013. Walker, S (2011) The Spirit of Design; Objects, Environment and Meaning, USA: Earthscan Withers, R. (2014). Portrait. Available: http://www.romansigner.ch/en/portrait/. Last accessed 12 Sep 2013. Yoshioka, T (2008) Second Nature Exhibition Catalogue Zeeya, M. (2013). Did a hyper-black hole spawn the Universe?.Available: http://www.nature.com/news/did-a-hyper-black-hole-spawn-the-universe-1.13743. Last accessed 15 Sep 2013. Interviews: Dr. Still, B. 2013, Queen Mary’s College Interviewed: 30th October 2013 Arkani-Hamed, N. 2013, Fundermental Physics Attended: 14th November 2013 Brodie, F. 2013, Discussion on Horology Interview: 12th October 2013 Science Museum vs Design Museum Live Broadcast: 28th October 2013 95