Monday, February 22, 2010
Friday, February 12, 2010
Survival Routines
The final part of the project was to study survival routines. Several choices were given - eating, drinking, sleeping, etc. And also there were several units of measure in which you could keep track of your habits.
Over the course of 4 days I monitored my sleep habits, where I was at the time, when I was sleeping and whether it was intentional or not. I also measured my eating habits based on my nutritional intake of calories. All 4 days were very average for me so I do not believe I have any spiked results, if anything my calorie intake might be slightly lower than it should to account for cone cups of soft drinks while at my job.
I took a graphic representation approach to map my behaviors, using circles to show a 24 hour period and the average activity within. Color theory played a small role in determining the key for the sleep habit chart - showing planned and unplanned and the extent of time I spent sleeping.
The chart on the left describes my sleeping habits and the chart on the right describes my average caloric intake every hour over a 24 hour period.
Over the course of 4 days I monitored my sleep habits, where I was at the time, when I was sleeping and whether it was intentional or not. I also measured my eating habits based on my nutritional intake of calories. All 4 days were very average for me so I do not believe I have any spiked results, if anything my calorie intake might be slightly lower than it should to account for cone cups of soft drinks while at my job.
I took a graphic representation approach to map my behaviors, using circles to show a 24 hour period and the average activity within. Color theory played a small role in determining the key for the sleep habit chart - showing planned and unplanned and the extent of time I spent sleeping.
The chart on the left describes my sleeping habits and the chart on the right describes my average caloric intake every hour over a 24 hour period.
Advertising
Another part of the assignment encompassed creating an advertisement for the finished product. I chose a catchy and witty take that didn't play on the visual image of a tie attached to someones face. I took humor and facts along with a bit of color theory for contrast and put them into a humerus yet enlightening ad - one that speaks of the tie as a sophisticated and fashionable piece of everyday protection.
Final. Finally.
For my final tie several alterations were made, obviously most aimed at bringing the presentation quality up. However some of the functional changes included adding two metal strips from surgical masks to the bottom of the tie. This allows the mask to utilize its natural shape more and create a lock-tight fit to the users face.
Another change was the elastic. These pieces were too bulky in the original and actually sat uncomfortably behind the ear. The new elastic is round and softer and thinner. This also allows the elastic to be concealed within the tie easier than before.
The third major change was for bulk reasons. Extending the filter fabric to cover the entire back of the tie made the knot unusually large and at times uncomfortable to wear around the neck. Since the tail of the tie holds no purpose in filtration I changed the backing to a lightweight and thin cotton black fabric. Now the tail has less body and becomes more ergonomic when worn around the neck.
As for aesthetic looks the zipper is now actually sewn into the inseam instead of glued under the fabric. The elastic strips have been carefully sewn into the filter fabric and even drawn through corresponding holes on the mesh to alleviate any stitching being evident on the outside of the tie. The tie is still hand stitched on the back of the tie so it seems as if there are no stitches existing.
In real world application there would be some sort of adhesive used that could easily release when pulled on to hold the elastic pieces in the body of the tie. But for the fact that its functionality will be heavily demonstrated I have decided to leave them loose and just use the tie itself to hold them inside.
I chose the color of the tie because red is a business staple for ties and it is also a striking and bold color for fashion appeal. Below are some pictures and descriptions of the finished piece.
The finished Plague tie Facing front
Finished Plague Tie facing back (elastic strips are barely visible, 4 white dots. Notice the zipper)
A close up of the tie unzipped and the elastic drawn out.
A view of the tie in action on me, notice the form fit across the nose and cheekbones. The zipper closes the gap across the bottom of my chin
The tie opened after being taken off my face. Notice the metal strips still held in position causing the bump at the tip of the tie.
Another change was the elastic. These pieces were too bulky in the original and actually sat uncomfortably behind the ear. The new elastic is round and softer and thinner. This also allows the elastic to be concealed within the tie easier than before.
The third major change was for bulk reasons. Extending the filter fabric to cover the entire back of the tie made the knot unusually large and at times uncomfortable to wear around the neck. Since the tail of the tie holds no purpose in filtration I changed the backing to a lightweight and thin cotton black fabric. Now the tail has less body and becomes more ergonomic when worn around the neck.
As for aesthetic looks the zipper is now actually sewn into the inseam instead of glued under the fabric. The elastic strips have been carefully sewn into the filter fabric and even drawn through corresponding holes on the mesh to alleviate any stitching being evident on the outside of the tie. The tie is still hand stitched on the back of the tie so it seems as if there are no stitches existing.
In real world application there would be some sort of adhesive used that could easily release when pulled on to hold the elastic pieces in the body of the tie. But for the fact that its functionality will be heavily demonstrated I have decided to leave them loose and just use the tie itself to hold them inside.
I chose the color of the tie because red is a business staple for ties and it is also a striking and bold color for fashion appeal. Below are some pictures and descriptions of the finished piece.
The finished Plague tie Facing front
Finished Plague Tie facing back (elastic strips are barely visible, 4 white dots. Notice the zipper)
A close up of the tie unzipped and the elastic drawn out.
A view of the tie in action on me, notice the form fit across the nose and cheekbones. The zipper closes the gap across the bottom of my chin
The tie opened after being taken off my face. Notice the metal strips still held in position causing the bump at the tip of the tie.Thursday, February 11, 2010
Learning to Fly... err.. Sew
The prototype process is difficult for me. Fabric is not a medium I am proficient in. It has definitely been a learning process to move from scissors to a rotary cutter and from clogging a sewing bobbin every 5 minutes to not having any problems. So needless to say I have gotten better at sewing over the course of this project.
The tie pattern I purchased for this project was extremely helpful although it had to be modified to accommodate the changes and still resemble a normal necktie. One of the largest changes was that the interlining was no longer an adhesive piece run through the middle, it becomes a complete backing for the tie so when it unfolds the whole area can perform as a filter. The next change was the addition of a 9 inch zipper the bottom back of the tie where the two halves meet. The 3/8 inch seam allowance given for the overlap of the pieces becomes the seam allowance to sew the front and back together. Given that this was the first model the zipper was glued in place to see if the functionality was in tact for its position.
Two elastic straps were meant to circumvent the head above and below the ears but this idea gave way to straps that snugged in behind the ears. This allowed for a tighter fit and also less elastic material to conceal within the tie. these were sewn directly onto the back (leaving stitch marks on front). I also stitched part of the cover piece that wraps to the back down to prevent any unwanted bunching. The tail of the tie is made in the same way except for the lack of an elastic piece and zipper. Once both ends are trimmed and turned right side out to conceal the seams the pieces are then sewn together and again trimmed up.
The entire tie is then quickly pressed to give it shape and folded to resemble its final shape. Starting at the tail it is then hand stitched up the zipper. A finished prototype, what a beautiful thing.
The tie pattern I purchased for this project was extremely helpful although it had to be modified to accommodate the changes and still resemble a normal necktie. One of the largest changes was that the interlining was no longer an adhesive piece run through the middle, it becomes a complete backing for the tie so when it unfolds the whole area can perform as a filter. The next change was the addition of a 9 inch zipper the bottom back of the tie where the two halves meet. The 3/8 inch seam allowance given for the overlap of the pieces becomes the seam allowance to sew the front and back together. Given that this was the first model the zipper was glued in place to see if the functionality was in tact for its position.
Two elastic straps were meant to circumvent the head above and below the ears but this idea gave way to straps that snugged in behind the ears. This allowed for a tighter fit and also less elastic material to conceal within the tie. these were sewn directly onto the back (leaving stitch marks on front). I also stitched part of the cover piece that wraps to the back down to prevent any unwanted bunching. The tail of the tie is made in the same way except for the lack of an elastic piece and zipper. Once both ends are trimmed and turned right side out to conceal the seams the pieces are then sewn together and again trimmed up.
The entire tie is then quickly pressed to give it shape and folded to resemble its final shape. Starting at the tail it is then hand stitched up the zipper. A finished prototype, what a beautiful thing.
Models
For this project I have three site models. One is myself, for presentation to display to functionality of the tie. The second model is a chipboard contour model of a neck to showcase the exact area the tie interacts with on a normal basis and how it connects to the body. The third model is a tape body cast.
The two models I created took entirely different processes. The chipboard contour started as a sketchup model from the warehouse, then imported as an object into Rhino. From Rhino using my eye as a base I was able to scale the model down to a correct size. I then took the thickness of 2-ply chipboard (5/64) and contoured the entire model. Each piece was flattened and imported to AutoCAD where I then numbered and arrayed pilot holes for dowel rods. Each piece was then cut on a laser cutter and then assembled.
The two models I created took entirely different processes. The chipboard contour started as a sketchup model from the warehouse, then imported as an object into Rhino. From Rhino using my eye as a base I was able to scale the model down to a correct size. I then took the thickness of 2-ply chipboard (5/64) and contoured the entire model. Each piece was flattened and imported to AutoCAD where I then numbered and arrayed pilot holes for dowel rods. Each piece was then cut on a laser cutter and then assembled.
For the tape model the materials are very simple. Only the object in which you are modeling (me), plastic wrap, and clear packing tape. The process is pretty self explanatory - wrap your object in saran wrap and then apply 2-6 layers of tape to create a rigid structure. Cut your object out and then repair the cuts you make. After some tweaking I realized the model would not stand on its own when clothed due to the weight. I added in about 7 pounds of sand into each foot and then stuffed the body excluding the arms up to the neck with crumpled newspaper. The model was then clothed. Obviously there were precautions taken to ensure my safety, the main one being we only wrapped portions of my body at a time to allow the majority of my skin to breathe. It was a humerous and long process.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Materials
I have collected all the materials used in my process for the plague tie. They have been arranged below and listed for reference and documentation purposes.
(In order from left to right)
(In order from left to right)
- Bolt of black filter fabric
- 1 Yard of thin black fabric (for backing the tail)
- Mesh fabric (to carry resistant qualities)
- Cutting mat
- 36x4 plastic cutting guide
- Ironing board
- Iron
- Zipper
- Thread ripper
- Thread holder w/ black thread (Red block)
- Rotary cutter
- Fabric Pencil
- Elastic
- Elastic from surgical mask
- Metal strips from surgical masks
- Pins & Needles
- Super glue
- Tacky glue
- Tie & Vest formal wear pattern
- Sewing machine
Plague Tie
As I have previously stated I believe the best way to ward off the Plague is to take a dual approach to the problem. One of a passive design and one of an active effort if necessary. I have decided to use the neck as the site of my device. In brainstorming about everyday wear items for a large majority of people (items that are also considered formal at times) I have decided on a necktie. Neckties are worn by a large majority of people all around the world, and even across the gender line as some schoolgirls are required to wear them as a part of uniforms. They are considered a fashion sense and are always popular in some sort.
The tie traces origins into Europe during the early 17th century. Since then it has changed styles in many ways. Since the 1920's the tie has remained largely unaltered except in length and width of the bottom of the tie. The Industrial revolution in the US and Europe brought many people into the city and thus put the tie into immense popularity. Since then it has remained a staple to business world wide with some exceptions such as Google.
My research into ties has lead me to believe that not only is this a lasting item of business, formal, and fashion wear but we have not seen its lifetime yet and it will continue to be an important piece of apparel for some time to come. Most importantly that makes it a good candidate as a base to my alterations in an effort to protect from the Plague. It is already widely accepted so if the alterations made can blend in to the original tie then a worldwide switch to "Plague Ties" should not be unreasonable. Another important factor in my estimates is price. The average tie costs between 25-60 USD. So, if the price of a Plague Tie can be kept within this range there would be no hard press to switch.
I have researched on possible adaptations of the tie and I have devised a way to meet the criteria of passive and active adaptations. For passive the technology has existed for some years now to imbue fabric with some chemical qualities. To add a repellent to the outer layer of fabric to ward of fleas possibly carrying the disease would provide adequate protection from largely unnoticed pests. This technology can be seen in things such as flea collars and Insect Shield outdoor wear. For the active application the tie can be used as a filter. By some modifications and expanding the interlining all the way across the bottom of the tie, adding a zipper to the bottom and elastic ear straps as the tie unfolds on the back it can be placed over the face. When the interlining of the tie is changed to a heavyweight yet breathable filter fabric the tie can be used as short term protection in case of an epidemic - long enough to move to a quarantine shelter.
The tie traces origins into Europe during the early 17th century. Since then it has changed styles in many ways. Since the 1920's the tie has remained largely unaltered except in length and width of the bottom of the tie. The Industrial revolution in the US and Europe brought many people into the city and thus put the tie into immense popularity. Since then it has remained a staple to business world wide with some exceptions such as Google.
My research into ties has lead me to believe that not only is this a lasting item of business, formal, and fashion wear but we have not seen its lifetime yet and it will continue to be an important piece of apparel for some time to come. Most importantly that makes it a good candidate as a base to my alterations in an effort to protect from the Plague. It is already widely accepted so if the alterations made can blend in to the original tie then a worldwide switch to "Plague Ties" should not be unreasonable. Another important factor in my estimates is price. The average tie costs between 25-60 USD. So, if the price of a Plague Tie can be kept within this range there would be no hard press to switch.
I have researched on possible adaptations of the tie and I have devised a way to meet the criteria of passive and active adaptations. For passive the technology has existed for some years now to imbue fabric with some chemical qualities. To add a repellent to the outer layer of fabric to ward of fleas possibly carrying the disease would provide adequate protection from largely unnoticed pests. This technology can be seen in things such as flea collars and Insect Shield outdoor wear. For the active application the tie can be used as a filter. By some modifications and expanding the interlining all the way across the bottom of the tie, adding a zipper to the bottom and elastic ear straps as the tie unfolds on the back it can be placed over the face. When the interlining of the tie is changed to a heavyweight yet breathable filter fabric the tie can be used as short term protection in case of an epidemic - long enough to move to a quarantine shelter.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
The Task at Hand
Several weeks ago our studio was given a purpose: to explore and study quarantine. With it we were given a list of several possible threatening diseases. I have chosen to research on the Plague. Although the plague is not currently a headline making case within the past several years it still poses a threat to many areas.
The Plague is best known for its complete devastation in Europe during the middle ages where reports think it may have killed 9 to 14 million people. The disease originated in black rats aboard trade ships brought into Europe. In those times the cause behind the spread of the Plague was unknown - today we do.
The disease spreads in three ways:
1) Through contact with an open wound - especially one left by the effects of the disease
2) Through airborne particles - aerosol droplets emitted from sneezing and coughing, even talking, can carry the disease up to 30 feet without the wind.
3) Through fleas - This is the most common method of transportation and also the reason for the spread of the plague in the middle ages. Fleas infested with the plague will continue to feed on a victim with an insatiable appetite and then regurgitate tainted blood back into the wound.
If left untreated, the Plague will cause imminent death. In history the survival rate of the Plague was less than 1%. Today, in the United States, there are 10-15 cases reported each year. If properly and promptly treated the death rate is below 15%. While the U.S. has relatively few cases there are some 1,000 to 3,000 cases reported worldwide.
In fighting the spread of this disease I plan to address two of the three ways it infects people. I assume from a standpoint of common sense for all that is good health most people will be smart enough not to go playing in anyone's open wounds, especially not open plague wounds. To combat the spread via fleas some sort of repellent. If you can keep them off of you then they cannot feed and infect you. For airborne particles, some sort of filtration system. With the rarity of this disease in the US and even most of the world the threat from airborne particles seems to address a standpoint more from an epidemic point of view. Whatever method is devised perhaps it can have a dual function to it to protect in normal times and then to take on an additional role in the scene of an outbreak - whether natural or bio-terrorist in origin.
The Plague is best known for its complete devastation in Europe during the middle ages where reports think it may have killed 9 to 14 million people. The disease originated in black rats aboard trade ships brought into Europe. In those times the cause behind the spread of the Plague was unknown - today we do.
The disease spreads in three ways:
1) Through contact with an open wound - especially one left by the effects of the disease
2) Through airborne particles - aerosol droplets emitted from sneezing and coughing, even talking, can carry the disease up to 30 feet without the wind.
3) Through fleas - This is the most common method of transportation and also the reason for the spread of the plague in the middle ages. Fleas infested with the plague will continue to feed on a victim with an insatiable appetite and then regurgitate tainted blood back into the wound.
If left untreated, the Plague will cause imminent death. In history the survival rate of the Plague was less than 1%. Today, in the United States, there are 10-15 cases reported each year. If properly and promptly treated the death rate is below 15%. While the U.S. has relatively few cases there are some 1,000 to 3,000 cases reported worldwide.
In fighting the spread of this disease I plan to address two of the three ways it infects people. I assume from a standpoint of common sense for all that is good health most people will be smart enough not to go playing in anyone's open wounds, especially not open plague wounds. To combat the spread via fleas some sort of repellent. If you can keep them off of you then they cannot feed and infect you. For airborne particles, some sort of filtration system. With the rarity of this disease in the US and even most of the world the threat from airborne particles seems to address a standpoint more from an epidemic point of view. Whatever method is devised perhaps it can have a dual function to it to protect in normal times and then to take on an additional role in the scene of an outbreak - whether natural or bio-terrorist in origin.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)