Week 8 | Nanotechnology + Art

Nanotechnology was first used by Norie Taniguchi from Tokyo Univesity in a 1974 conference to describe semiconductor process such as thin film desposition and ion beam milling exhibiting characteristics control on the order of a nanometer. Nanotechnology gives people the ability to look closer to the nano world, where lie the answers to many problems hard to be solved. For example, nanotechnology improves chemical engineering by making chemical bonds tunable. By Scanning Tunneling Microscope, scientists are able to experiment chemical substance in a level of atom, which is exactly the same idea brought up by Richard Feynman that “the principles of physics, as far as I can see, do not speak against the possibility of maneuvering things atom by atoms”.

Another application of nanotechnology is in the field of nano-medicine, which includes nano-therapy and nano-treatment. One interesting example is that people can use nanodots to tag certain disease within animal body, thus trace and identify how the condition of disease evolve while during the treatment.

Engines of Creation: The Coming Era of Nanotechnology is a landmark in the history of nanotechnology. Drexler imagines a world where the entire Library of Congress can fit on a chip the size of a sugar cube and where universal assemblers, tiny machines that can build objects atom by atom, will be used for everything from medicinal robots that help clear capillaries to environmental scrubbers to clear pollutants from the air. In the book, Drexler first proposes the gray goo scenario—his prediction of what might happen if molecular nanotechnology were used to build uncontrollable self-replicating machines.

Nanotechnology is the tool for scientist and artist to create a whole new world beyond people’s imagination. It vastly expands the potential of development of science and art, because now they could reach out the hands in a tiny yet fascinating and profound domain.

Citations:

1. CRN. N.p.. Web. 24 Nov 2013. <http://crnano.org/whatis.htm>.

2.  Jingna Zhao, ”Turning to Nanotechnology for Pollution Control.”  Dartmouth Undergraduate Journal of Science., Feb 2009 Web. 24 Nov 2013. <http://dujs.dartmouth.edu/winter-2009/turning-to-nanotechnology-for-pollution-control-applications-of-nanoparticles#.UpHOREDa5a1>.

3. ”Engines of Creation.” . N.p.. Web. 24 Nov 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engines_of_Creation>.

4.  ”Nanotechnology.” . N.p.. Web. 24 Nov 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanotechnology>.

5.”Nanomedicine.” Wikipedia. N.p., 4 2012. Web. 24 Nov 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanomedicine>.

Week 7: Neuroscience+ Art

As one of the newest sciences, neuroscience stands at the front of scientific studies and researches. The most basic part of neuroscience comes from phrenology, which was first introduced by Franz Joseph Gall. He claims that human brain functions as different parts but integrated.

 While the study on human brain went deeper and further, it elevated to psychological level from structural level when Sigmund Freud wrote his master piece The Interpretation of Dreams. This book opened a window, through which people understand more about themselves and become more conscious about their inner life by studying their unconscious dreams, since dreams are forms of wish fulfillment-attempts by the unconscious to resolve a conflict of some sort, whether something recent or something from the recesses of the past. Also the images in the dreams are often not what they appear to be, rather the unconscious must distort and wrap the meaning of its information to make it through the censorship, and need deeper interpretation if they are to inform on the structures of the unconscious.

The topic of LSD also interests me, because it represents a typical issue raised when the development of neuroscience and medical technology imposes an unprecedented challenge on human being. LSD is a semisynthetic psychedelic drug , well known for its psychological effects which can include altered thinking processes, closed- and open-eye visuals, synesthesia, an altered sense of time and spiritual experiences. It is used mainly as an entheogen, recreational drug, and as an agent in psychedelic therapy. Some artists use LSD to inspire their creativities. LSD is non-addictive, not known to cause brain damage, and has extremely low toxicity relative to dose. However, adverse psychiatric reactions such as anxiety, paranoia, and delusions are possible. This controversial drug draws discussion through the society.

There is no doubt that neuroscience gives people an alternative to understand themselves and contributes to the development of humanities and arts as well as to science and technology. Yet, we have to apply them in a proper way with a correct attitude. It is supposed to remember that curiosity killed the cat, especially when we face something new or things we really want to expose.

Citations:

1.Victoria, Vesna, dir. Neuroscience-pt2.mov. Film. 15 Nov 2013. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xlg5wXHWZNI&feature=player_embedded>.

2.Victoria, Vesna, dir. Neuroscience-pt3.mov. Film. 15 Nov 2013. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xlg5wXHWZNI&feature=player_embedded>.

3.. “The Interpretation of Dreams.” . N.p.. Web.15 Nov 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Interpretation_of_Dreams>.

4.”Phrenology.” . N.p.. Web. 15 Nov 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phrenology>.

5.”Lysergic acid diethylamide.” . N.p.. Web. 15 Nov 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lysergic_acid_diethylamide>.

6.“The truth about LSD.” . N.p.. Web.15 Nov 2013. <http://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/lsd.html>

Week 6 | BioTech + Art

Bio-Technology is always being at the forefront of development of human kind, and it needs imagination and creativity of art to stimulate its further development. Bio Technology intends to solve various types of problems people meet, so it is dynamic and constantly evolving, and often it crosses the borderline and touches other fields of study. One good example would be the collaboration between Bio Technology and art, not simply mixed, but rather in a sense of chemical reaction.

In Professor Victoria’s lecture, I am greatly inspired by the example of Joe Davis. I cannot agree any more with his perspective, which goes as following, “The most absurd things are connected in very absurd ways. I like to take the least connected things and try to build connections between them.” Davis made many great works both contributed to bio-techs and arts, including Microvenus, a project in protest of the censorship of radio messages sent into deep space. Davis’ idea is to put the human genome into a hardy strain of bacteria and send it into deep space. Additionally, the sculpture Earth Sphere, a landmark fog fountain at Kendall Square near the MIT campus; Rubisco Stars, a transmission of a message to nearby stars from the Arecibo Observatory radiotelescope in Puerto Rico; New Age Ruby Falls, a project to create an artificial aurora using a 100,000 watt electron beam fired into the magnetosphere from a NASA space shuttle. His works are not just of value of scientific and artistic study, but more importantly, Davis eschews the art versus science argument, insisting that he speaks both languages and could not possibly tear the two disciplines apart in his own mind.

The impact of vinculum of Bio Techs and arts on the human society is immeasurably significant. It shows the public how to create enormous value through trans-boundary scientific studies. Meanwhile, it raises people’s concerns on ethical standards of scientists and artists.

Citations:

1. Gibbs, W. Wayt. “Art as a Form of Life.” Scientific America. N.p.. Web. 9 Nov 2013. <http://www.viewingspace.com/genetics_culture/pages_genetics_culture/gc_w03/davis_j_webarchive/davis_profile_sciam/jd.htm>

2. ”Arts news.” . N.p., 13 2001. Web. 9 Nov 2013. <http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2001/artsnews-0613.html>.

3. ”Microvenus.” . N.p.. Web. 9 Nov 2013. <http://www.viewingspace.com/genetics_culture/pages_genetics_culture/gc_w03/davis_microvenus.htm>.

4. Davis, Joe . “RuBisCo Stars” and the Riddle of Life.” . N.p.. Web. 9 Nov 2013. <http://www.centauri-dreams.org/?p=10283>.

5. ”Joe Davis.” Wikipedia. N.p.. Web. 9 Nov 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Davis_(artist)>.

Midterm PDF

This is the link to my midterm pdf:
http://www.slideshare.net/CainGu/sijia-gu-desma9midterm

Week 4 : Medicine+Technology+Art

This week's material is mainly focus on the study of relationship among medicine, technology and arts.

Plastic surgery and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) are two fields that connect medical technology and art tightly, and the connections make sense to me. As introduced by Professor Vesna, plastic surgery was really an ancient idea that first developed Indian people and then learned by western society. As medical technology advances, surgeons are more adept and have better resources in transforming ordinary faces to ideal beauty. Medical technology advances the art of transforming human body’s appearance.

Instead of changing human body’s appearance, the technology MRI provides valuable information on glands and organs within the human body, and accurate information about the structure of the joints, soft tissues, and bones. Usually, surgery can be deferred or more accurately directed after knowing the results of an MRI scan. The image and resolution produced by MRI is quite detailed and can detect tiny changes of structures within the body. The MRI technology gives people the possibilities of exploring the inner world of human body, which is fascinating and gives artists profound inspiration in depicting the beauty of human.

The combination of medical technology and arts is one of the best creations that human beings made. Medical techs provide people more opportunities for chasing their health and beauty. Meanwhile, arts bring more inspiration and developments to carry medicine and technology on. They make each other a better one, and make this world better as well.

Citations:

1.      Vesna, Victoria, dir. Medicine pt3. 2012. Web. 25 Oct 2013. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIX-9mXd3Y4&feature=player_embedded>.

2.      Shiel, William C.. “Magnetic Resonance Imaging.”medicinenet. N.p.. Web. 25 Oct 2013. <http://www.medicinenet.com/mri_scan/article.htm>.

3.      Plastic surgery. N.d.. checkinthemirror.blogspot.comWeb. 25 Oct 2013. <http://checkinthemirror.blogspot.com/2012/11/plastic-surgery.html>.

4.      Todorovic, Zoran . N.d. www.culturebase.netWeb. 25 Oct 2013. <http://www.culturebase.net/artist.php?188>.

5.      MRI. N.d. MedFriendlyWeb. 25 Oct 2013. <http://www.medfriendly.com/magneticresonance.html>.

Week 3: Robotics+Art

Through the lecture part 1 of Professor Vesna’s, Walter Benjamin’s idea that mechanical mass production destroys and puts an end to the uniqueness and authenticity of arts, is quite inspiring. The idea is so profound and crystal, even it was first brought up in an earlier period. One of the examples would be the digital paintings on sale in a lot of the supermarkets, which were unique when paintings could only be created by people’s hands before mechanical production came out.

 “Mechanical reproduction of art changes the reaction of the masses toward art”, actually in both positive and negative ways, in my perspective.

Take automobile industry as an example. Before Henry Ford introduced the pipeline production, which was an inchoate model of industrial robotics, people never imagine average middle class family could afford one or more cars, and cars are made by hands and they were each treated as an art project, because the bore more aesthetic value. Ford stream line destroyed some artistic values in cars. Yet as science and technology develops, people are no longer satisfied with a car can only serve the purpose of transportation, they want artistic value added back to their cars. Then different kinds of concept cars, super fast, fancy model, equipped with high-tech artificial intelligent control system, shows up and able to do much beyond transportation. Since this kind of nontraditional cars cannot be put into mass mechanical production, they can be treated as artistic works because of their uniqueness and artistic value. 

The art in my mind is not the beauty only lives in the libraries or on the papers, but the true happiness that everyone deserves to feel and enjoy. That is the advantage mechanical production brings. Meanwhile, what we can’t deny is the inevitable negative-influence during the fusing. However, I deem that advantage is more than disadvantage for sure. Mechanical reproduction of art makes arts getting greater ever. 

Citations:

1. Vesna, Victoria, Robotics pt1. Web. 18 Oct 2013. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRw9_v6w0ew&feature=player_embedded>

2. “Walter Benjamin.” . Wikipedia,. Web. 18 Oct 2013.<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Benjamin>.

3. Benjamin, Walter. “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction.” . UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television. Web. 18 Oct 2013

<http://www.marxists.org/reference/subject/philosophy/works/ge/benjamin.htm>. 

4. Ford Assembly Line. 2012. n.p. Web. 18 Oct 2013. <http://www.autolife.umd.umich.edu/Labor/L_Overview/Ford_Assembly_Lines.htm>.

5. Cool Concept Cars. 2011. n.p. Web. 18 Oct 2013. <http://xaxor.com/engine/23480-cool-concept-cars-part-3.html>.

Week 2: Math+Art

This week’s topic hits a resonance in me while I begin to watch the lecture video, since something about Leonardo Da Vinci, the virtuoso of forever, comes up to my mind. One of my favorite novels the DaVinci Code, pictures various connections in diverse fields. Mathematics is a sort of tool, but it really plays a momentous role in the arts. Meanwhile, its influence is profound and constructive.

What impresses me in Professor Vesna’s lecture is the Cartesian Coordinates from a French mathematician --- Rene Descartes, which provides a good basis to the future scientists and artists to build within a concise and efficient 3-D system.

In the novel the DaVinci Code, the curator of the Grand Gallery in Louvre Museum Master Uacques Saunière left a secret message, which is combined of a series of Fibonacci number, to his grand-daughter Sophie Neveu before died of an assassination. The pass word actually led to the Saint Grail, which is the crucial treasure with power. Even we cannot validate the authenticity of the novel, yet still the connection Dan Brown draws among mathematics, painting, symbology, religion and history are fascinating and enthralling.

Another production combined of mathematics and arts is very attractive to me, which is Golden Ratio, beautiful mathematics phenomena ubiquitous in the nature, was recognized by human beings long time ago, and applied to various art paintings, buildings and statues; it is an obvious example where mathematics stands at the center of art. From an article by Brett Dusek, I am pretty sure about the great influence mathematics inserts on art. Below are some visual examples of the Golden Ratio.

If you are looking for an improvement in your own aesthetics, Golden Ratio will be a great resource and tools.

Citations:

1.Vesna, Victoria, dir. Mathematics, perspectives, time, space. Web. 10 Oct 2013. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMmq5B1LKDg&feature=player_embedded>.

2.Brown, Dan. The Da Vinci Code. 1st ed. New York: Doubleday, 2003. Print.

3.DUSEK, BRETT. “Golden Ratio – The Secret to Aesthetics?.” Creative Sagest. N.p., n.d. Web.10 Oct 2013. <http://creativesagest.blogspot.com/2009/03/golden-ratio-secret-to-aesthetics.html>.

4.Da Vinci, Leonardo. Vitruvian Man. N.d. Painting. n.p. Web. 10 Oct 2013. <https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtTzGTgfESLHvTGounZzSNmInIDA34q5q9LIBf3TOV7KaevsMYZapOzFUTAaBe08sTUmN6F5fbRPxtbAbqpogrSvBgtW-fUyWFkuy5R07HcxHac4LIRXOYsV8cyZiacmwTyTYenXZN3Yk/s1600-h/davinci_vitruvianman.jpg>.

5.The Great Wave Off Kanagawa. N.d. Painting. n.p. Web.10 Oct 2013. 

<https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyUN-FYy0jLrCTCqWoGScn923XT6CxLktR1HkhkPkkp4uucdmAhvC0JcJtFHjILTVMzLSxQdkmytl7PskKwO_rry5zdyNkbbuYE0oaY0X4U5uZrf3IsAoz7IB4MDFnka0emfmP6AuRAVo/s1600-h/goldenratio_2.png>.