SENSE IT
CONTENTS Introduction
P7
The world of Senses
P10
Touch It
P18
Taste It
P22
See It
P26
Hear It
P30
Smell It
P34
Interview: with Astrik
P38
Interview: with Sharis Amirian
P48
End It
P57
Acknowledgements
P58
#SENSEIT ‘Sense It’ is an interactive and immersive experience that allows you to awaken all 5 of your senses. Using a mix of sensory enhancement and deprivation to play with the way you hear, smell, feel, see and taste, Sense It has taken different existing technologies and theories that have been used in science, medicine and art, to create and experience unlike any other. This book is full of imagery and articles that stimulates all of these senses.
EMENT
MOV
The World of Senses Typically, we have been told from a young age that we have 5 senses. The ability to touch, taste, see, hear and smell. This isn’t incorrect that we have these senses, but it turns out those aren’t the only ones we possess. According to research there are at least nine senses and most researchers think there are more like twenty-one or so. The commonly held definition of a “sense” is “any system that consists of a group of sensory cell types that respond to a specific physical phenomenon and that corresponds to a particular group of regions within the brain where the signals are received and interpreted”.
There are some maybe not so well known senses. Or at least you know what they are and have almost definitely experienced them, but didn’t know the name for it. Here are some to list a few:
Proprioception: This sense gives you the ability to tell where your body parts are, relative to other body parts. This sense is one of the things police officers test when they pull over someone who they think is driving drunk. The “close your eyes and touch your nose” test is testing this sense. This sense is used all the time in little ways, such as when you scratch an itch on your foot, but never once look at your foot to see where your hand is relative to your foot. Tension Sensors: These are found in such places as your muscles and allow the brain the ability to monitor muscle tension. Nociception: In a word, pain. This was once thought to simply be the result of overloading other senses, such as “touch”, but this has been found not to be the case and instead, it is its own unique sensory system. There are three distinct types of pain receptors: cutaneous (skin), somatic (bones and joints), and visceral (body organs).
Equilibrioception: The sense that allows you to keep your balance and sense body movement in terms of acceleration and directional changes. This sense also allows for perceiving gravity. The sensory system for this is found in your inner ears and is called the vestibular labyrinthine system. Anyone who’s ever had this sense go out on them on occasion knows how important this is. When it’s not working or malfunctioning, you literally can’t tell up from down and moving from one location to another without aid is nearly impossible.
B A L A N C E
Stretch Receptors: These are found in such places as the lungs, bladder, stomach, and the gastrointestinal tract. A type of stretch receptor, that senses dilation of blood vessels, is also often involved in headaches. Magnetoception: This is the ability to detect magnetic fields, which is principally useful in providing a sense of direction when detecting the Earth’s magnetic field. Unlike most birds, humans do not have a strong magentoception, however, experiments have demonstrated that we do tend to have some sense of magnetic fields. The mechanism for this is not completely understood; it is theorized that this has something to do with deposits of ferric iron in our noses. This would make sense if that is correct as humans who are given magnetic implants have been shown to have a much stronger magnetoception than humans without.
Time: This one is debated as no singular mechanism has been found that allows people to perceive time. However, experimental data has conclusively shown humans have a startling accurate sense of time, particularly when younger. The mechanism we use for this seems to be a distributed system involving the cerebral cortex, cerebellum, and basal ganglia. Long-term time keeping seems to be monitored by the suprachiasmatic nuclei. Short-term time keeping is handled by other cell systems.
SENSORY DEPRIVATION TANK
Sensory deprivation is different from isolation. The first is an absence of senses. The second is an absence of people. The first can drive you
insane.
The second is depressing, but can be overcome by
ANONYMOUS
any mind capable of entertaining itself.
UP IN THE CLOUDS
EXTREME ISOLATION
This sense is distributed throughout the body. Nerve endings in the skin and other parts of the body transmit sensations to the brain. Some parts of the body have a larger number of nerve endings and, therefore, are more sensitive. Four kinds of touch sensations can be identified: cold, heat, contact, and pain. Hairs on the skin magnify the sensitivity and act as an early warning system for the body. The fingertips and the sexual organs have the greatest concentration of nerve endings. The sexual organs have "erogenous zones" that when stimulated start a series of endocrine reactions and motor responses resulting in orgasm. Thermoception: Ability to sense heat and cold. This also is thought of as more than one sense. This is not just because of the two hot/cold receptors, but also because there is a completely different type of thermoceptor, in terms of the mechanism for detection, in the brain. These thermoceptors in the brain are used for monitoring internal body temperature.
ANONYMOUS
TOUCHING A CLOUD CAN FEEL LIKE A LOSS OF SENSATION
This sense is sometimes argued to be five senses by itself due to the differing types of taste receptors (sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami), but generally is just referred to as one sense. For those who don’t know, umami receptors detect the amino acid glutamate, which is a taste generally found in meat and some artificial flavoring. The taste sense is a sense based off of a chemical reaction.
This sense is distributed throughout the body. Nerve endings in the skin and other parts of the body transmit sensations to the brain. Some parts of the body have a larger number of nerve endings and, therefore, are more sensitive. Four kinds of touch sensations can be identified: cold, heat, contact, and pain. Hairs on the skin magnify the sensitivity and act as an early warning system for the body. The fingertips and the sexual organs have the greatest concentration of nerve endings. The sexual organs have "erogenous zones" that when stimulated start a series of endocrine reactions and motor responses resulting in orgasm. Thermoception: Ability to sense heat and cold. This also is thought of as more than one sense. This is not just because of the two hot/cold receptors, but also because there is a completely different type of thermoceptor, in terms of the mechanism for detection, in the brain. These thermoceptors in the brain are used for monitoring internal body temperature.
YOU CAN SEE WORLD WITHOUT
AN ENTIRE YOUR EYES.
This sense is made up of detecting vibrations along some medium, such as air or water that is in contact with your eardrums. Our ears, which help us hear, are made of two separate parts; the outer ear and the inner ear. The outer ear is the part that others see. It works like a cup to catch sound as it travels past our heads. sound travels to the inner ear by the three smallest bones in your body. The inner ear is a spiral shaped tube, which translates vibrations into sound and sends that message to the brain through the auditory nerve. The brain uses the sounds from both the left and the right ear to determine distance and direction of sounds.
ANONYMOUS
ONCE YOU STOP SEEING, YOU START LISTENING
This sense is yet another of the sensors that work off of a chemical reaction. This sense combines with taste to produce flavors. Our sense of smell is capable of identifying seven types of sensations. These are put into these categories: camphor, musk, flower, mint, ether, acrid, or putrid. The sense of smell is sometimes lost for a short time when a person has a cold. In addition to being the organ for smell, the nose also cleans the air we breathe and impacts the sound of our voice.
ASTRIK
SENSE IT talks to Astrik about her life and losing her ability to see from such a young age. LAUREN: Hi Astrik, hope you are doing well today. May I ask, have you always been blind? ASTRIK: Pretty much, yeah. Technically I was born being able to see, but at 2 months old I got chicken pox which spread to my eyes and I can’t remember anything really before that, so it feels like my whole life.
L: Do you think that being blind from such a young age has helped you adapt to living without one of your senses? A: Yeah definitely. If I had grown up being able to see and being used to relying on my eyes, then suddenly having it taken away from me, I’d probably find it far harder to cope. But then again, I’d never know.
L: how
So to
did you learn read Braille?
A: Yes I learnt, but not till I was much older. Now I’ve come to this country and met other blind people, I found out that a lot of them learnt during high school. Things were a little be-hind in Iran when I was a young girl. They have things here that we didn’t have, for example at a crossing there is raised bumps on the floor to let me know when I am getting near to the road and also a little device under the button that spins when its green for me to walk. Little things like that help on a day-to-day basis. L: Are you able to go out by yourself? A: If its not very far, and somewhere I’m used to walking then yes I am. But the majority of the time I will need
someone to look after me, as I don’t use the blind cane to help navigate. L:
Who
usually
helps
you?
A: Either my niece or nephew usually as I have no kids of my own. There are carers who you can have come in and help you, but I’m absolutely fine around the house its just when I go out. Doesn’t stop me from going to bingo though. L:
How does that work then?
A: oh it’s really great they have bingo cards with raised numbers on them so I know which numbers I have and can feel if I get a row. L:
Had
A: (Laughs) much as
any
luck
Some. I’d like
yet?
Not as though.
L: So what do you like to do for fun? A: Well other than bingo, I like to read. I have access to an electronic braille display that allows me to read lots of books, and the plus side is I don’t even have to carry loads and loads of books around. My favourtie to read are the classics, but I have a little teenage girl in me who likes reading what might be considered “teen rubbish” (laughs). L: Oh don’t worry, me too. I love a bit of teen trash books. Is there anything else you enjoy doing? A: Watching TV! I know technically I’m not actually “watching” the television but now they have the people who describe what’s going on for those who cant see and it make watching series like Emerdale and
Britain’s Got Talent much more fun. Makes for a nice change from having my nephew explain everything for me. L: So does your nephew help you with most things then? A: Yes almost everything. He helps me in the morning, heads of to work then when he gets back likes to keep me company even if I don’t need any help with something. L: So live
does your with
nephew you?
A: No he has a wife and a family of his own. But he brings them to see me, and spends a fair bit of time with me. He’s a wonderful man. He’s like my own son. L: Oh that’s lovely. So how do you feel technology has helped aid you?
A: Oh I’m sure there are lots of technologies that could help me, but I’m an oldie and I’m used to my ways. I think the younger generation benefit more from the new technology. I’ve heard of lots of different apps that are great for smart phones of iPhones or what ever they are called but personally I don’t really use them. L: If someone was around to help you learn about the latest technologies, would you use be more likely to use the facilities? A: As learn L:
in take the from these Yeah
offer to people? exactly.
A: Yeah I would but there might be a bit of a language barrier.
L: That must make it very difficult to have both the language barrier and being blind. A: Yes definitely I always thought that if I spoke better English I’d be much more open to doing a lot of things. L: Do you think losing your sight has enhanced any of your other senses? A: DEFINITELY! I don’t like using a cane so I tend to walk around and just bump into things and I feel like I’ve developed a sixth sense, well fifth in my case, to know when an object is there. It’s really weird. I once managed to untangle all the Christmas lights on my own when everyone else had a go and simply couldn’t. My use of my hands is very important to me.
L: Would you say your sense of touch is your most valuable sense then?
feel for the collection by certain smells, textures and music etc.
A: Its one of them, but I don’t think one sense is more important than another. As I’ve lost one the others are all enhanced and I use them as much as I can to replace my sight. So just listening out if someone is in the same room as me or when I’m cleaning I know the rubbish bag is full because I can smell it, not the best way but it definitely helps (laughs).
A: Wow that sounds fantastic. That sounds great for someone who has all 5 senses, but even better for someone who might not have all there senses. That would be a great opportunity for people like me. Its not very often we can enjoy a fashion show but something like that would be very different. I’ve never seen anything like that before.
L: Would you be interested in attending a fashion show that plays on all your other senses? A:
What
do
you
mean?
L: Well, a fashion show that uses sensory enhancement and sensory deprivation, so you can get a
L: Well thank you so much for meeting with me today. Was fantastic meeting you. You’re a real inspiration. A: No, thank you, it was my pleasure.
CAN YOU SEE A NUMBER?
SHARIS
SENSE IT talks to Sharis Amirian about the struggles that come with being colourblind. Lauren: Hi Sharis, hope you’re good today. Getting straight into it, have you been colourblind since you were born? Sharis: Hello, yeah I have been, its not something you can develop as far as I know.
L: Does colourblind mean you can’t see any colours at all? Do you see everything in black and white? S: (Laughs) No its not like your blind, its just a matter of getting things mixed up. So colours like pink and blue, or red and green, or orange and yellow with
green, or green and red with brown. That kind of thing. When your colourblind you find that rather than looking at the colour of an object, you tend to look at the shape or like the texture of it. L: How did you were
you
find out colourblind?
S: It runs in my family. My dad is colourblind. My uncle is colourblind. My grandpa was colourblind. Then I was in school when the teacher noticed some of my artwork and recognized typical traits of someone who is colourblind. She called my mum and suggested I go take a colourblind test. I remember taking the test, they asked me what number do I see and all I saw was a bunch of dots (laughs).
L: Have you ever thought something was one colour and it turned out to be another? S: Yeah all the time. When im getting ready to go out I think I’ll be wearing a blue dress and it turns out to be pink, and I’ll be way off (laughs). And I don’t even like pink (laughs). L: Does someone help you get dressed in the mornings? S: No it’s not that bad. It’s only really an issue when things need to match. If I need to co-ordinate an outfit I’ll have to ask my mum or my brother, not my dad cause he’d see what I see (laughs), what colour my top is if I’m unsure. But I’m pretty used to my own clothes that
even if I see that the top is blue, I know it’s actually purple. Its more when I buy new clothes that I need help.
Oh and they have better night vision, but I’m not one of those lucky individuals it seems (laughs).
L: Is it hard to be colourblind?
L: Would a fashion show, that played on all of your senses using sensory enhancement and sensory deprivation, sound like something you would be interested in?
S: It hasn’t affected my life that much, not that I know of at least as I’ve always been colourblind. My life is no different from what I imagine it would be like if I wasn’t colourblind. As far as not having one of my senses, its pretty minor. L:
Are to
there any Advantaes being colourblind?
S: I’m really not sure, its no different to me. But apparently studies show that colourblind people are better at detecting camouflage (laughs).
S: Oh wow, yeah that sounds quite cool. Would you like get different perfumes sprayed out or something? L: Something like that, you would control which senses you’d like to enhance or deprive, so you can get a feel for a collection without even having to see it. S:
Yeah
that
sounds
amazing!
L: Well thank you very much for talking with me today. S: Of course not, it was my pleasure. Thanks for the interview.
END IT SENSE IT wants you to take this book away and share it with others. Bring awareness to the growing technologies and entertainment facilities that are being created and used to help aid those who have lost one or more senses. Imagine a world where you couldnt see the images in this book, or possibly feel the texture of the pages. Awareness fuels progression.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ASTRIK NAZARIAN armenian motivational speaker for the blind SHARIS AMIRIAN csun graduate LAUREN RODERICKS editor, art direction, design and text lauren-rodericks.squarespace.com EX WHY ZED prnting, finishes and binding www.exwhyzed.co.uk