Design in Our Lives Reaction

Field Trip 2

       At the Museum of Modern Art, the "Talk to Me" exhibits are really interesting. Some exhibits are pretty silly and useless, while others, in my opinion, are great inventions. This is where i separate the two from high functionality and low functionality.
    
       The two exhibits that i found to be the most high functionality is the "Square" by Jack Dorsey and the "Doublewide Chair" by Robert James Leonetti. "Square" is literally a square shaped gadget that connects to your Iphone or any android phone from the headphone jack. The purpose of this device is to accept credit card payments with your mobile phone by swiping a credit card in the square and using the touch screen as a signing pad. "Square" is good for people who own businesses and are always on the go. "Square" is activated online, where you are asked a few personal questions, including your banking route and account number. "Doublewide Chair" is a folding chair for two people. Usually you see folding chairs for a single person but i found it really interesting how Robert made it for two people. This is great for people who have parties. They can use less folding chairs and it gives people a chance to interact since they kind of have to sit next to someone else.
    
      These two exhibits have nothing in common but both are resourceful for businesses and can be used for everyday life. "Square" seems like a device that will advance quickly and a lot of people could use. "Doublewide Chair" is good for party businesses that rent out chairs for event. It will take up less space and its practical.
    
       As i walked around the museum i found some exhibits that seem to be like a joke, these are low functionality. For example, someone invented a menstrual cycle machine so men and children can know how it feels to have your monthly period. The two most low functionality that i chose are "Talk to Yourself Hat" by Kate Hartman and "Animal Superpowers" by Chris Woebken and Kenichi Okada.
    
       The "Talk to Yourself Hat" is literally what it sounds like. Its a hat meant for you to talk to yourself. It has a trunklike tube that connects to the top of the hat so that you can talk through it and have your thoughts transmitted to your head. I don't see anyone buying this to really use it for its purpose, but i can see someone buying it as a joke or for a Halloween costume. "Animal Superpowers" are toys made for children to explore the senses of animals. There is one giraffe like toy that has a long neck with a mirror on the middle that projects to the mirror up top. The child is suppose to put the long neck over their head and look from mirrors. This will help them to see objects that a out of sight due to their height. The other toy is ant like. Its gloves attached to a helmet. In the gloves are microscopes that magnify minuscule surface details up to fifty times and send the images to the helmet. Its how you would see the world from an ants eyes.
    
       These two exhibits don't have anything in common and to me are both useless. The "Animal Superpowers" might be a good way to have your children entertained but in my opinion its not good because its not educational. "Talk to Yourself Hat" is just humiliating if you buy it and use it for its purpose. Nobody will take you serious!


Citations
1."Square" 2010 - Jack Dorsey
2."Doublewide Chair" 2002 - Robert James Leonetti
3."Talk to Yourself Hat" 2008 - Kate Hartman
4."Animal Superpowers" 2008 - Chris Woebken and Kenichi Okada