Memory Architecture Project

Hi guys,
Sorry I couldn't attend, I was bed-ridden for a most of the week.

Anyway I wish you all a safe and happy holiday, and best wishes for the upcoming new year and new years to come.


Andrew.

photos from last critique

I'm sorry, but I only have three pix; nevertheless,
it is worthwhile to see, and if you have pix, please post. :)

Jill

Michelle

Fiona



~Bryn

Grounding Space

The final concept for the memory architecture project that I created is to design a space where patients at Baycrest, as well as general visitors to the space can rest and re-group their thoughts. The current location of the "Grounding Space" is at Art Metropole on the second floor of the building.

Through research into memory loss, I found that there is a positive correlation between cognitive memory loss and anxiety. When people forget the tasks that they had planned to do, anxiety increases because the person feels overwhelmed with the fact that they do not know what they have to do, and where they need to go, therefore feeling like they are "floating" out of their body and disconnected to the present reality. This is also known as dissociation. In order to cope, or to feel re-connected to present reality, it is helpful to practice grounding techniques, in a safe place like the "Grounding Space" in Second Life.

Some grounding techniques include: (from http://www.mosaicminds.org/safe-ground-new.shtml#list)

• Breathe - slow and deep, like blowing up a balloon.
  
  
• Take your shoes off and rub your feet on the ground.
  
  
• Open your eyes and look around. See you are in a different place than then.
  
  
• Move around. Feel your body. Stretch out your arms, hands, fingers.
  
  
• Peel an orange or a lemon. Notice the smell. Take a bite. Focus on the taste.
  
  
• Pet your cat, dog or rabbit.
  
  
• Spray yourself with favorite perfume.
  
  
• Eat ice cream! Or any favorite food. Pay attention to the taste.
  
  
• Repeat "this is now, not then"
  
  
• Go for a walk. Feel the sunshine (or rain, or snow!)
  
  
• Count nice things.
  
  
• Dig in the dirt in your garden.
  
  
• Turn lights on.
  
  
• Play your favorite music.
  
  
• Hug a tree!
  
  
• Touch things around you.
  

This list comes from "mosaic mind," which is mainly trauma-focused, but it is also about being mindful. Many of the items on the list have practical applications on Second Life, like putting feet on the ground/or floor, playing music. Some of the sensory applications like smell and taste can be mimicked virtually on second life, and at the same time, the participant can actually practice the grounding in real life. I think "Grounding Space" should be a mobile project, so that it can be moved between islands on Second Life, or for other practitioners to be able to buy the project to use in their work with patients as well.

I have approached this project on an emotional level, but it also addresses issues of physicality of emotions and feeling whole in your space. I had some challenges creating my Avatar, but I am happy with the concept and will continue to build on the project. Next year, I plan on incorporating Second Life into my thesis to research and produce applications in Second Life for trauma patients and to create healing environments in Second Life where the patients can create art as a form of therapy. This is also my interest for Grad School, so I am looking forward to exploring the project further to support my portfolio and research presentation at Concordia for the Art Therapy program.

Lev's Final: Instant Life In Second Life

Click on the title to check out my blog. Have fun.

Goldie the Memory Avatar

Unfortunately I was able to build my recreational room in SL I couldn't get the program to run long to build anything. This was extremely fustrating because I tried with my mac and my pc and neither were strong enough to run the program. I hoping to try later in the week when my projects are done because I found some interesting things that I would like to try out.

Anyways my memory avatar is based on my Grandmother who as you know has alzheimer's. The prototype of her family room and the function of it.
The tv actually serves as a memory bank for family events, social gatherings, vacations, personal experiences, and what I call "The Discovery Channel" which is a bank of pictures, videos, and descriptions of people in my Grandmother's life. On the memory avatar blog I created there is a more descriptive information about the use of the avatar from last class that I updated with the screen captures I created.


Even though I had a lot of difficulty with using SL, I found it useful on aiding me with my animation skills. I was able to build on how created three dimensional objects that were animated using scripts. I feel that this will help me understand flash and javascript actions a little more even though they're not exactly alike.


Created by Alicia Francis

Memento Machinima

Although I was unable to actually film a machinima on my own for this week, I developed a website that deals with the concept of a machinima filming service for people with impaired memory.

I may have struggled a great deal in the development of this project, I feel that I learned a lot about the filming process without even getting to the filming point.

Do please check out the link attached to the title to see the website I developed.

To see examples of machinima, I reccomend checking out:

Four Eyed Monsters Machinima
Odessy Art Machinima
Second Life Media Page
Bells and Spurs: a full-length feature film from Second Life



To read more about filming machinima,see:

Making machinima in Second Life
The Second Life Wiki: Machinima

Ghazaleh's Memory Architecture: thesis growth

Hi class,

I'm sorry I can't be there today, I'm out of town and I will be joining you on SL.

The objective of my thesis has been reflected in my virtual communities assignment and the avatar assignment. I have decided to update my architecture assignment with the new driving force of my approach to a networking site configured through a semester of "making connections":

measuring the potential evolution of an idea into actualization through collaboration

The avatar reflects the profiling component of my virtual community by framing identity (strengths, skills, accomplishments, education etc.) through fashion. The architecture is a reflection of the participation and collaboration component of my site which is what makes the site actually work.

It is about problem solving and collective intelligence to be the judge of effectiveness and impact of an idea into fruition based on user ratings.

So, here in Second Life I've created three cubicles:
-yellow is for idea
-pink is for method
-and green is for the problem
(no particular reason for the choice of colour)


This piece of architecture shows the type of activity that the users would be engaged in:

On one side you can go inside the cubicles and actually participate in the generated content. You are a part of making the site work, so you can contribute, critique and get inspired by other ideas, methods and problems - which all go in a cycle, by the way.

On the other side, all the content is generated and up for exposure and showcase. This reflects the type of audience that chooses not to participate and observe.

You can also just sit down and use the site as your source of media and get updated on what is happening based on your identified interests and preferences.

This concept works with memory because once you contribute, the content is tracked down by your profile and you will be able to identify yourself through your generated content and your contributed content to the network.

If you would like to know some more details, I have an earlier post describing my thesis and its growth.

My Memory Architecture

Hello everyone!











For this part of the project, I was interested in looking at how Second Life could assist with the prospective memory of individuals suffering from memory loss. Prospective memory (in the words of Brian Richards) relates to carrying out an intended action at some specified future time i.e. attending a doctor’s appointments or work. By using technologies offered by Second life such as notecards, external linking, date and time scripts, mailboxes and alert systems, I created a memory architecture that essentially works like online calendar system. The way it is set up is that there is a mailbox for each day of the week. Family members, friends, co-workers can help individuals suffering from memory loss keep their appointments and schedules by dropping off notecards in the respective day of the week mailbox. An upright flag on the mailbox is an indicator that someone has dropped off a message for the user.











These notecards that are received can/ should contain information such as:
when the appointment is
where it is and with a link to the google map
who they are meeting with a link to a picture
why he/ she is meeting them
what he/ she will be doing there.











The text indicating the day of week above the mailbox serves as a reminder that only appointments of that particular day can be dropped in this particular box. Likewise, separating the mail according to each day of the week makes it mentally and visually more clear to the user what day the notecard is relevant for.

By using an interface (mailbox) that is familiar and carries many semantic connotations to the real world, I think that users may feel more comfortable interacting with this system. One of the biggest hurdles I found with Second Life was how hard it was to figure how the interface worked as it was very unlike that of …say the interface of a cellphone or email system. For people who may not understand what a notecard is, this memory architecture can help them look at notecards as letters that you receive in the mail.

Also attaching a familiar artifact to the memory architecture (in this case my starbucks cup) I thought would make it more recognizable and personal to the user. This directly addresses something Guy Proux mentioned in his lecture about patients being able to recognize the environments better when filled with artifacts that are personal to them or speak to an event in their early past that they are still able to vividly remember.











Actually, as a side note here…I found an awesome article by the New York Times about the topic of "Alzheimer and Architecture" where they were saying that “familiar objects helped patients find their own room better than name tags” . Click on the title to read full article. Worth your time!

Cheers
Fiona

Memories and the Art of Second life

Hi everyone!

As you may all remember from my previous project, my mother created an avatar of how she remembered/perceived herself. I did this as she is in Montreal dealing with Cancer and I am here in Toronto, unable to be there for her.

To continue on this theme, I created a functioning scrabble game for her to play. Again, this is a way for her and I to connect online together. We have been playing scrabble together (in person) since I could spell.... she typically wins but I give her a good run for her money. This interaction reinforces our bond, and is a special moment between her and I. Since we are in separate cities, I wanted to provide her with a means to still play (or win) at scrabble with me. Additionally, she could also play it with others, if she pleases.

You will notice a blue orb right beside the scrabble board. The tiles are randomly generated and given to the avatars to a maximum of 7. It can also detect when u have 7 or not. This wasn't an easy feat of programming and I am quite proud that I managed to figure that one out! Its because of this orb that one doesn't need to posses the tiles in their inventory to be able to play.

I have yet to figure out an electronic form of score keeping. But i got so involved in getting this together that once the holidays have started, and I have more time, I am going to try and figure it out.

Much to my chagrin, this Second Life thing is growing on me. :)

Looking forward to seeing everyone else's in class!

Memory Final

2234177 Jill K

This is my final project for the semester for this class. It consists of two walls that will aid in memory loss. The two walls consist of photos from two different categories. One wall is a photo album and a reminder of who my immediate family is and what they look like. The second wall is the same deal but for my friends. These walls are to remind myself, if I am in the situation o f forgetting people’s faces, of the people I love and trust. If I ever get confused or disoriented I can go online either via cell phone, palm pilot, or my laptop and quickly log in and visit this area. To complete this project it would be even more use full if I could click on one of the pictures and it connects me to a website that me and that person have made together that documents our lives and reminds me of past events. Even if the link was to a website like Facebook.com it would be sufficient.
Anyone can uses this method can customize it to their own family and friends or even build more walls to create categories for co-workers, distant relatives and even second life friends and their first life equivalents.
So that is my final project. Have a good Holiday break.

Jill Korgemagi

Progress Report

Hey guys,

I'm having the same problem with logging into SL and staying functional. I finally got my laptop back but I can't stay on SL long enough to do anything and I can't get to Judith's house. ARGHHHHHHHH, I guess it's going to be a late and long night for me... see you guys in the morning!

Alicia

Second life maintenance work

heyy everyone,

Is anyone else having touble logging on to Second Life? Their maintenance work is taking rather long! I thought it would be over by now.

Fiona

Transit and Tribulations

UPDATE: Ok, it's Sunday at 3:45 and I'm at school. Apparently transit takes longer on Sundays. Like, nearly 3 hours each way. ARGH! Also - the school computers can't handle video capture in SL without crashing SL - and the school computers don't allow me to install new/seperate video capture software! Also... no one I know is ever online when I am! No one to ask about gestures or re-enactment/filming help....

Lesson learned: if Machinima Memories were ever to happen, the service would require fairly high-powered set of computers and a staff of 5 minimum. Website designing I go.

~Kat

ps- Judith, there's a bus and a shopping cart on your SL front lawn....

Machinima and Meltdowns

Hey everyone!

My memory architecture project is going very slowly... my home PC can't handle logging on without crashing, my boyfriend's macbook can't capture video without crashing secondlife either.... so I'm really not sure how I'm going to film this!

In lieu of a finished machinima, I think I might develop a prototype website for a machinima filming service. We'll see. I'm going to go to the school tomorrow to see if I can get it to work there.

If anyone has gotten a hold of a simple 'rain-making' object or a hug animation/gesture, a donation of one would really help me out!

I'll try to be filming tomorrow night or Monday night, depending on how it all goes.

~Kat

my memory avatar

So, this is my avatar, "Locitar Frog." I had a lot of trouble making it because SL was not working on my computer and I couldn't log-in sometimes too. Nevertheless, here she is and I'm content with the results.












Sitting under an installation at Art Metropole Sitting on a cushion at the Ah Lounge Amphlitheatre












Flying through the trees on Odyssey Isl. Sitting on an installation by Zenya Z. at Art Metropole