so I’m a curator at cooper-hewitt Smithsonian design Museum in New York
Smithsonian design Museum in New York
Smithsonian design Museum in New York City come visit a museum curator do you
City come visit a museum curator do you
City come visit a museum curator do you know any museum curators do you hang out
know any museum curators do you hang out
know any museum curators do you hang out with museum I didn’t think so and you
with museum I didn’t think so and you
with museum I didn’t think so and you know why we are very single-minded and
know why we are very single-minded and
know why we are very single-minded and we are obsessed with one thing
eyeballs museum curators love eyeballs
eyeballs museum curators love eyeballs and our favorite slogan as you probably
and our favorite slogan as you probably
and our favorite slogan as you probably know is do not touch so you go to a
know is do not touch so you go to a
know is do not touch so you go to a museum and you look and you look and you
museum and you look and you look and you
museum and you look and you look and you look until you’re so tired you want to
look until you’re so tired you want to
look until you’re so tired you want to shut your eyeballs and go to sleep don’t
shut your eyeballs and go to sleep don’t
shut your eyeballs and go to sleep don’t you get exhausted at museums you just
you get exhausted at museums you just
you get exhausted at museums you just can’t wait to get to the gift shop and
can’t wait to get to the gift shop and
can’t wait to get to the gift shop and the cafe I get tired at museums and so
the cafe I get tired at museums and so
the cafe I get tired at museums and so recently I started to think what if we
recently I started to think what if we
recently I started to think what if we made an exhibition that wasn’t just
made an exhibition that wasn’t just
made an exhibition that wasn’t just about eyeballs what if we had an
about eyeballs what if we had an
about eyeballs what if we had an exhibition where you could touch and
exhibition where you could touch and
exhibition where you could touch and taste and smell and listen to the stuff
taste and smell and listen to the stuff
taste and smell and listen to the stuff in the galleries right now you’re
in the galleries right now you’re
in the galleries right now you’re sitting in a chair you hardly know this
sitting in a chair you hardly know this
sitting in a chair you hardly know this chair but this chair is touching you in
chair but this chair is touching you in
chair but this chair is touching you in a very intimate way it’s not even
a very intimate way it’s not even
a very intimate way it’s not even running for president it’s just a chair
so I’m working on a new exhibition is
so I’m working on a new exhibition is called design for the senses send me
called design for the senses send me
called design for the senses send me ideas I’m on a listening tour in a
ideas I’m on a listening tour in a
ideas I’m on a listening tour in a scratching tour and a touching tour to
scratching tour and a touching tour to
scratching tour and a touching tour to find out what designers are doing to go
find out what designers are doing to go
find out what designers are doing to go beyond the eyeball things that we use
beyond the eyeball things that we use
beyond the eyeball things that we use the places that we inhabit embrace our
the places that we inhabit embrace our
the places that we inhabit embrace our whole body they show us where to go they
whole body they show us where to go they
whole body they show us where to go they give us information not just through the
give us information not just through the
give us information not just through the eyeballs why does that matter
eyeballs why does that matter
eyeballs why does that matter when designers start to activate
when designers start to activate
when designers start to activate multiple senses we create a world that’s
multiple senses we create a world that’s
multiple senses we create a world that’s more interesting for everyone and more
more interesting for everyone and more
more interesting for everyone and more accessible to everyone so I want to show
accessible to everyone so I want to show
accessible to everyone so I want to show you some projects tactile city is a
you some projects tactile city is a
you some projects tactile city is a project created by faculty and students
project created by faculty and students
project created by faculty and students at the Cooper Union in New York and the
at the Cooper Union in New York and the
at the Cooper Union in New York and the idea is to create sidewalks that are
idea is to create sidewalks that are
idea is to create sidewalks that are accessible to people with blindness and
accessible to people with blindness and
accessible to people with blindness and low vision so there’s a tactile stripe
low vision so there’s a tactile stripe
low vision so there’s a tactile stripe that runs down the middle of the
that runs down the middle of the
that runs down the middle of the sidewalk and as someone is communicating
sidewalk and as someone is communicating
sidewalk and as someone is communicating with that stripe with their walking
with that stripe with their walking
with that stripe with their walking stick pattern tiles indicate trash cans
stick pattern tiles indicate trash cans
stick pattern tiles indicate trash cans street signs bus stops entrances to
street signs bus stops entrances to
street signs bus stops entrances to buildings and when a construction
buildings and when a construction
buildings and when a construction barrier appears there’s a textured mat
barrier appears there’s a textured mat
barrier appears there’s a textured mat that alerts you before you get to the
that alerts you before you get to the
that alerts you before you get to the barrier that there’s a barrier and a
barrier that there’s a barrier and a
barrier that there’s a barrier and a sound emitting beacon that tells you to
sound emitting beacon that tells you to
sound emitting beacon that tells you to move to turn and then if necessary a
move to turn and then if necessary a
move to turn and then if necessary a ramp that brings a pedestrian down to
ramp that brings a pedestrian down to
ramp that brings a pedestrian down to the street level and tactile barrier is
the street level and tactile barrier is
the street level and tactile barrier is a tactile Bannister with information in
a tactile Bannister with information in
a tactile Bannister with information in Braille to give more information about
Braille to give more information about
Braille to give more information about this obstruction and what to expect from
this obstruction and what to expect from
this obstruction and what to expect from it sometimes I have trouble crossing the
it sometimes I have trouble crossing the
it sometimes I have trouble crossing the street because I’m always looking at my
street because I’m always looking at my
street because I’m always looking at my phone
phone
phone and if you think about crosswalks
and if you think about crosswalks
and if you think about crosswalks they’re designed for people that are
they’re designed for people that are
they’re designed for people that are looking straight ahead but lots of
looking straight ahead but lots of
looking straight ahead but lots of people aren’t so a design company in
people aren’t so a design company in
people aren’t so a design company in Melbourne Australia created this amazing
Melbourne Australia created this amazing
Melbourne Australia created this amazing proposal that adds lights to the tactile
proposal that adds lights to the tactile
proposal that adds lights to the tactile paving at the crosswalk and that leads
paving at the crosswalk and that leads
paving at the crosswalk and that leads people safely across the street even if
people safely across the street even if
people safely across the street even if they’re not looking where they’re going
this is the Bradley II one time piece
this is the Bradley II one time piece it’s called the timepiece not a watch
it’s called the timepiece not a watch
it’s called the timepiece not a watch because it’s entirely tactile so you can
because it’s entirely tactile so you can
because it’s entirely tactile so you can tell the time without looking at your
tell the time without looking at your
tell the time without looking at your watch it’s an amazing piece of
watch it’s an amazing piece of
watch it’s an amazing piece of engineering and design it uses two ball
engineering and design it uses two ball
engineering and design it uses two ball bearings that travel around the watch
bearings that travel around the watch
bearings that travel around the watch and give you the hour and the minute
and give you the hour and the minute
and give you the hour and the minute hand and it’s named for Bradley Snyder
hand and it’s named for Bradley Snyder
hand and it’s named for Bradley Snyder who’s a Paralympic athlete and war
who’s a Paralympic athlete and war
who’s a Paralympic athlete and war veteran who lives in Baltimore a great
veteran who lives in Baltimore a great
veteran who lives in Baltimore a great hero
hero
hero this is tactile kitchenware designed to
this is tactile kitchenware designed to
this is tactile kitchenware designed to make kitchen activities safer and more
make kitchen activities safer and more
make kitchen activities safer and more pleasurable for people with low vision
pleasurable for people with low vision
pleasurable for people with low vision so the cup has an indent which gives you
so the cup has an indent which gives you
so the cup has an indent which gives you a place a signal to where to hold the
a place a signal to where to hold the
a place a signal to where to hold the cup and when you pour liquid into the
cup and when you pour liquid into the
cup and when you pour liquid into the cup you can feel the temperature of the
cup you can feel the temperature of the
cup you can feel the temperature of the material change and then you’re less
material change and then you’re less
material change and then you’re less likely to pour too much beautiful
likely to pour too much beautiful
likely to pour too much beautiful tactile feedback this is a cutting board
tactile feedback this is a cutting board
tactile feedback this is a cutting board with grooves that guides the hand while
with grooves that guides the hand while
with grooves that guides the hand while you’re cutting and the high contrast
you’re cutting and the high contrast
you’re cutting and the high contrast black and white graphics are accessible
black and white graphics are accessible
black and white graphics are accessible to people with low vision and they look
to people with low vision and they look
to people with low vision and they look great black and white always looks great
great black and white always looks great
great black and white always looks great everything we eat has texture what if
everything we eat has texture what if
everything we eat has texture what if your spoon had its own texture these
your spoon had its own texture these
your spoon had its own texture these amazing experimental pieces stimulate
amazing experimental pieces stimulate
amazing experimental pieces stimulate your tongue and your palate with
your tongue and your palate with
your tongue and your palate with textures that are smooth or bumpy or
textures that are smooth or bumpy or
textures that are smooth or bumpy or rough to amplify the feeling and taste
rough to amplify the feeling and taste
rough to amplify the feeling and taste of what’s in your mouth texture affects
of what’s in your mouth texture affects
of what’s in your mouth texture affects taste
taste
taste also effect sound this is a desktop
also effect sound this is a desktop
also effect sound this is a desktop speaker that has removable inserts each
speaker that has removable inserts each
speaker that has removable inserts each insert has a different texture and
insert has a different texture and
insert has a different texture and material that actually changes the sound
material that actually changes the sound
material that actually changes the sound that comes out of the speaker making it
that comes out of the speaker making it
that comes out of the speaker making it warmer or wider or crisper or softer
musicians talk about color as the unique
musicians talk about color as the unique tone or texture of music I’m going to
tone or texture of music I’m going to
tone or texture of music I’m going to play you a short piece by the composer
play you a short piece by the composer
play you a short piece by the composer Michelle Qureshi where she’s applied a
Michelle Qureshi where she’s applied a
Michelle Qureshi where she’s applied a filter to a short phrase of music to
filter to a short phrase of music to
filter to a short phrase of music to suggest different architectural settings
suggest different architectural settings
suggest different architectural settings for that music this room has a unique
for that music this room has a unique
for that music this room has a unique sound the cafe next door has a different
sound the cafe next door has a different
sound the cafe next door has a different sound so I want you to experience this
sound so I want you to experience this
sound so I want you to experience this mute this music and imagine the spaces
mute this music and imagine the spaces
mute this music and imagine the spaces that this phrase is playing in
[Music]
[Music] you
you
you [Music]
different architectures of sound this is
different architectures of sound this is a project by one of my graduate students
a project by one of my graduate students
a project by one of my graduate students at mica Ron Jiang she created a system
at mica Ron Jiang she created a system
at mica Ron Jiang she created a system for visualizing sound
for visualizing sound
for visualizing sound she took the loudness and the frequency
she took the loudness and the frequency
she took the loudness and the frequency of sound and cued that to size and
of sound and cued that to size and
of sound and cued that to size and sharpness of the shape so the sharper
sharpness of the shape so the sharper
sharpness of the shape so the sharper the sound the point here the shape and
the sound the point here the shape and
the sound the point here the shape and it results in these beautiful pictorial
it results in these beautiful pictorial
it results in these beautiful pictorial abstract portraits of a place
all sound is vibration the vibrations at
all sound is vibration the vibrations at the lower level or the base notes and
the lower level or the base notes and
the lower level or the base notes and sound or music you can actually feel as
sound or music you can actually feel as
sound or music you can actually feel as vibration against your skin at a concert
vibration against your skin at a concert
vibration against your skin at a concert a subwoofer amplifies that effect and
a subwoofer amplifies that effect and
a subwoofer amplifies that effect and that’s why that loud music you actually
that’s why that loud music you actually
that’s why that loud music you actually feel it against your heart against your
feel it against your heart against your
feel it against your heart against your chest it isn’t just our ears it’s our
chest it isn’t just our ears it’s our
chest it isn’t just our ears it’s our whole body experiencing that music this
whole body experiencing that music this
whole body experiencing that music this is a beautiful simple speaker that the
is a beautiful simple speaker that the
is a beautiful simple speaker that the artist created to translate the sound of
artist created to translate the sound of
artist created to translate the sound of music into vibrations felt against the
music into vibrations felt against the
music into vibrations felt against the skin and the last piece I want to show
skin and the last piece I want to show
skin and the last piece I want to show you is an amazing working prototype
you is an amazing working prototype
you is an amazing working prototype created by a young designer in Israel
created by a young designer in Israel
created by a young designer in Israel and it’s a piece of jewelry like
and it’s a piece of jewelry like
and it’s a piece of jewelry like equipment that translates a much wider
equipment that translates a much wider
equipment that translates a much wider frequency of sound into vibrations that
frequency of sound into vibrations that
frequency of sound into vibrations that can be felt against the skin so it’s a
can be felt against the skin so it’s a
can be felt against the skin so it’s a way for people who are deaf or have
way for people who are deaf or have
way for people who are deaf or have hearing impairments to experience music
hearing impairments to experience music
hearing impairments to experience music in a really unique way as a tactile
in a really unique way as a tactile
in a really unique way as a tactile engagement with the skin
engagement with the skin
engagement with the skin [Music]
and what she’s created here is a
and what she’s created here is a wonderful social experience where these
wonderful social experience where these
wonderful social experience where these two people are sharing the music
two people are sharing the music
two people are sharing the music together listening to the music together
together listening to the music together
together listening to the music together but not with their ears their bodies so
but not with their ears their bodies so
but not with their ears their bodies so designers are doing so much to activate
designers are doing so much to activate
designers are doing so much to activate our senses to go beyond the Empire of
our senses to go beyond the Empire of
our senses to go beyond the Empire of the eyeball and communicate to people on
the eyeball and communicate to people on
the eyeball and communicate to people on multiple levels making the world more
multiple levels making the world more
multiple levels making the world more interesting and more inclusive and I
interesting and more inclusive and I
interesting and more inclusive and I think museums should be that way too I
think museums should be that way too I
think museums should be that way too I think they should be noisier and scratch
think they should be noisier and scratch
think they should be noisier and scratch here and stinkier and just more engaging
here and stinkier and just more engaging
here and stinkier and just more engaging of our whole self so I’m going to end
of our whole self so I’m going to end
of our whole self so I’m going to end with this very short piece by Michele
with this very short piece by Michele
with this very short piece by Michele Qureshi called Museum in the dark
thank you very much thank you
thank you very much thank you [Music]
”
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