Future Pendant

London, 2015.

Autonomous technology is distributed unevenly across industry and society, consequently so too are our experience of these interactions. In one instance, a restaurant card payment, we are clear as to what is human and what is machine; in another, a self serve till, we make a conscious decision to follow instructions of a machine. In both instances we have a level of control.

How are we to trust a machine that has no obvious parameter to it’s mass, one that has eyes in every room and is part of the architecture. London motorists are used to the antonymous interaction with the congestion zone, presence results in an automatic payment. However when the algorithms that read car licence plates are rewritten to enhance your high street shopping experience; the meaning and behavioural change is a human outcome we are yet to see.

If autonomous technology is to serve then how might it comment on your attire, though form and tone or your outfit? or though object and brand recognition by image search analysis? The result would be to ascertain a contemporary opinion and make recommendations, to help you shop.

The Future Pendant introduces the wearer to this communication scenario, and with the reversible form allows two apposing messages: “How do I look? ;)” and “Go scan yourself”.

This concept is based on these research projects :

Image-Net : Stanford Vision Lab’s image database.

RoboBrain : Cornell University’s Large-Scale Knowledge Engine for Robots.

RoboEarth : Eindhoven University of Technology’s World Wide Web for Robots.

Thanks to :

Makerversity, Producer

Selfridges, Producer

Chris Waggott, Video & Photography

Staff, fellow collaborations, workshops, speakers and the inquisitive public.