2018
ROLE
From ideation to product design.
Design Researcher + Product Designer + Developer
Arthur Carabott helped me writing Python scripts.
Peter Krige helped me to put together the electronics.
HARNESSING OUR UNCONSCIOUS PREFERENCES (COGNITIVE BIASES) TO MAKE BETTER DECISIONS
Context
Every day we make between 2 to 10 thousand decisions, however, most of them without noticing. We suppose that as rational human beings our decisions are most likely logical, this is a bias. Cognitive biases are systematic errors happening in our brain that are predictable, they influence our decision-making process and sometimes, if traced back, they can be used to persuade or manipulate us.
I designed Puffed, a wearable tech connected to the brain, and when the system detects an unconscious preference happening through the brain activity, it alerts the wearable making it puff-up like a pufferfish, therefore, alerting the user that an unconscious preference is happening in the brain. Puffed unlocks a new sense by providing feedback in real-time to make better decisions.
Puffed harness the mechanisms of cognitive biases, those predictable, systematic errors in our decision-making process.
This project is divided into 3 sections:
1.Design and execution of the experiment (study) 2. Design and development of the AI engine 3.- Design of the wearable
FINAL WEARABLE-TECH PIECE
A puffed-up wearable alerting the user that an unconscious bias is happening in real-time.
Problem
If cognitive biases are systematic errors happening in our brain that are predictable, how can we alert the decision-maker that a bias is happening in their brain? How can we reduce the number of biased decisions in the judiciary system, the police and the recruiting agencies?
User / Audience
Designed for key decision-makers that their decisions will impact someone else’s life. (i.e. judges, policeman, recruiters)
Client
A personal research project that evolved in a wearable-tech.
Un-puffed wearable
Puffed-up wearable
Materials
I used a myriad of materials, software and cloud-based API’s.
Wearable: black waterproof fabric (neoprene), sewing machine, black thread.
Video: Premiere Pro
Tech: air pump DK10-AIR and TCS-304 for reversing the flow, Arduino, Bluetooth dongle, piece of code in python and Github
Brain Headset: Epoc Headset
DESIGN PROCESS
I designed an experiment to trigger biases in real-time through music.
The FC6 shows a peak in activity while listening to music
Participant listening to music while I recorded her brain activity
Comparison of brain activity while listening to preferred vs non-preferred songs
Music Experiment
How to trigger an unconscious preference? Through Music!
I designed an experiment where participants selected:
3 songs they preferred
3 songs they disliked
The results were thought-provoking.
THE TECH
The technology behind the wearable.
Tech System - Arduino + Air Pump
The system architecture of the wearable
Visualising brain activity in real time
DESIGNING THE GARMENT
The wearable is inspired in the puffing mechanism of the pufferfish when scared or threatened
Feathers, lights, buzzers, and more
Testing out some lighting flexible tube under a piece of cloth
Testing the air flow
Prototype #35 cloth + 3D printed choker
WIP of final piece
Puffing-up
Short video showing the puffing up mechanism.
FINAL PIECE WIP
Prototype #43 paper cones
Prototype #45 paper cones
I learn how to saw in a sewing machine
Zoom to the WIP piece
Testing out some ideas
Puffed displayed at The Royal College of Art