How Design Fiction Imagines Future Technology – Jon Turney – Aeon

4/13/2015 HowdesignfictionimaginesfuturetechnologyJonTurneyAeon

http://aeon.co/magazine/technology/howdesignfictionimaginesfuturetechnology/ 1/14

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Digiland.Acrossbetweenairportrunways,sportsfieldsandcarparks,densewithmarkingsthatnohumancandecode.Alandscapeexclusivelydesignedformachines.CourtesyDunneandRaby

Astechnologicalchoicesbecomeevermorecomplex,designfiction,notscience,hintsatthefutureweactuallywant

Pictureyourselfinasupermarketaislein2050.Thesenewmagicmeatballs,brightlycolouredforthekids,seemworthatry.Betterhavesomeofthemeatpowdertoo,oneofthemoreestablishedproductsfromthemassmanufacturersofculturedmeatyoucan



makethatcreamymeatbasedfonduethatalwayssatisfies.Youdontfancythemeaticecreamtoday,buttheresstilltimeleftforatriptothedelicounter,forsomeexpensive,butdeliciousrusticmeat,maturedinspecialvats,orperhapssomeknittedsteaks.Andyoucanpileyourcartsecureintheknowledgethatnoanimalswereharmedinthemakingofanyoftheseofferings.

Atthemoment,invitromeatisalaboratoryventure,yieldingexpensiveandunappetisinglookingmusclefibresthatmightbefitforfillerinpiesorburgers.Butsupposetheresearchersambitionsarerealised?Wherewillthetechnologygo?Howwillitbemarketedandconsumed?Whomightwantit,andwhatfor?ThesequestionsanimateTheInVitroMeatCookBook(2014)byKoertvanMensvoortandHendrikJanGrievink,whoserecipesforhypotheticalproductsaresampledabove.Theauthorsopenended,imaginativeapproachmakesthebookagoodexampleofanewwayofquestioningtechnology:designfiction.Asquestionsabouttechnologicalchoicestroubleusmoreandmore,itcouldbethatdesignfiction,notscience,hasthebetteranswers.

Thestorieswetellourselvesabouttechnologytypically,optimisticonesfromwouldbeinnovators,pessimisticonesfromtheircriticsareusuallytoosimple.Makingthemmorecomplexcansupportaricherdiscussionaboutwhereatechnologymightbegoing,andthekindoffuturesitcouldopenup.Thatcallsforakindofrealisminthedepictionoftechnicalpossibilitiesthatisinspiringanewcadreofpractitionersofdesignfiction,orcriticaldesign.Inthecookbook,forexample,thatrealismcomesfromusingafamiliarrecipeformattotakethereaderintounfamiliarworlds.Thefuturefactsareimagined,butnotfancifulinthecontextofcurrentresearch.Theymightneverhappen,buttheycould.

Thereareplentyofotherexamplesofthisefforttospurustonewthinking.In2014,theNearFutureLaboratory,aUSEuropeandesign

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studio,publishedtheTBDCatalog,anentirecompendiumofpossiblefutureproducts,fromdronedogwalkerstoenvironmentallysoundseedbasedfeedstockfora3Dprinter.Otherdesignersarecommittedtomakingactualobjectsorconvincingmockupstothinkwith.Eitherway,itisthedetailthatdiverts.The3Dprintercartridges,completewithmodelnumbersandprices,lookcloseenoughtorealadvertsforthingsyouvealreadyboughttocarryconviction.Thesefinelytextureddepictionsofthepotentialaccoutrementsofthefuturestimulatediscussioninwaysthatearliereffortstoimaginetechnologyoftenfailtodo.Theymightevenofferamoreeffectivewaytocreatefuturesweactuallywant.

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Designfictionsdrawonalongtraditionoftechnologicalstorytelling.Everytechnologystartswithastory.Wedontknowhowthefirsthominidswhofashionedahandaxefromaflintshapedtheirthoughts,buttheveryactionofflintknappingimpliesaplanforthefuture:theresultwillbebetter,insomeway,thantheflintsalreadytohand.Soitiswithalltechnologies.Atoolalwaysimpliesatleastonesmallstory,writesthehistorianoftechnologyDavidNyeinTechnologyMatters(2006).Itbeginsintheimagination,andthatimaginingextendstowhatthetoolswillhelpustoachieve.

Thesestoriescanbeasdryasapatent,orasfancifulasacommercialforsomenewgadgetthatwillmagicallyendowyourlifewiththeshiningperfectionoftheproductyouarebeingsold(GoogleGlass,anyone?).

Theyarealsointerwovenwithmorefamiliarkindsofsciencefiction.Thetiesbetweenscientificspeculation,technologicalimaginationandscifiareclose,andcomplex,evenifgenuinelynewideasmostoftencomeupinthetecharenafirst.ArthurCClarkeisoftencitedasatechnovisionaryforhisideasaboutgeostationarycommunication



satellites,butthesewerefirstoutlinedin1945inatechnicalessay,notinfiction.Andyetthecausalchaincanrunintheotherdirection:ClarkesroadmaptotheplanetsfundamentallyshapedNASAsspacepolicyinthe1960sand,earlier,thepioneersofrocketrydrewheavilyonthefictionsofJulesVerneandHGWells.

Oftentheimaginingsofscifiandtechnologyworkasanechochamber,reflectingideasbackandforth,withtechinnovatorsclaimingscifiinspirationasawayofcommunicatingwhattheirdevicesmightdo.MartinCooper,theUSengineerwholedtheteambehindthefirstcellphonedemonstratedin1973happilytoldreportersitwasinspiredbytheStarTrekcommunicatoryet,atthetime,hehadbeenworkingforMotorolaonhandheldpoliceradios,andthemobilephonewasasimpleextensionofthatidea.ButnamecheckingStarTrekwasagoodwaytogetpeoplesattention.

Scifimediacanbeastonishinglyeffectiveatpromotingpossibletechnologies.Thistakesonanewdimensioninfilm,whichtradesinrealisticdepictionsofnewtechtounderpinfictionalworlds.Sometimesthiscinematicrealismisdirectlyexploitedbyinnovators.ThecomputerinterfacethatTomCruisescharacterusestomanipulatedatawithgesturesinMinorityReport(2002)wasbasedondesignsbyJohnUnderkoffler,aformerMITMediaLabresearcherinvisualisationwhowasworkingtowardsjustsuchaninterface.Althoughthefilmsnarrativewasdark,theinterfacecaughtpeoplesimagination,andUnderkoffleruseditscinematicimpacttohelpsecureinvestmentinhisresearch.

Suchultrarealistdepictionofpossibletechnology,whatDavidKirbyinLabCoatsinHollywood(2011)callsdiegeticprototypes,isanunbeatablewaytopromoteanewtechnologicalpossibility.AsKirby

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writesina2009paperforthejournalSocialStudiesofScience:cinematictextsrequiretechnologiestowork.And,inthiscase,visualrealismwasachievedbyenlistinghelpfrompeoplewhowantedtodeveloppreciselywhatwasbeingdepicted.Itisanewkindofselffulfillingprophecy,hesays,creatingpreproductplacementsfortechnologiesthatdonotyetexist.

Whenpromotionaleffortslikethisworkwell(fortechnologyadvocates),scifisbalefulwarningscanseemlesstroubling,evenwhenlodgedfirmlyinsidetheculture.Thedarkbecomeslight.Thinkofhowthe5millionpluschildrenbornsofarviainvitrofertilisationhavedispelledthedystopicshiversconjuredbyAldousHuxleyshatcheriesinBraveNewWorld(1932).

MinorityReportisnotaboutcriticaldesign.Ingooddesignfiction,thepossibilitiesareleftopen

ButtechnoJeremiadscanalsohobblediscussionofactualtechnologiesinthemaking,bypolarisingthedebatebetweenproandantifactions.Sometimes,thiscreatesseriousobstaclestointroducingatechnology.ThinkofhowGMfoodsareoftendepictedaseitheressentialtosaveaburgeoningpopulationfromstarvation,orelseasFrankenfoodsthatjeopardisehealthandenvironmentwhileenrichingcorporateagribusiness.

Designfictionseffortstocreateimaginativerealisationsoftechnology,whichconsciouslytrytoevokediscussionthatavoidspolarisingopinion,haveakeyingredient,Ithink.Unlikethenewworldsofscifinovels,ortheultradetailedvisualsoffuturisticcinema,theirstoriesareunfinished.MinorityReportisnotaboutcriticaldesignbecauseitsnarrativeisclosed.Ingooddesignfiction,thestoryismerelyhintedat,thepossibilitiesleftopen.Itisuptothepersonwhostumblesacrossthedesigntomakesenseofhowitmightbepartofastoriedfuture.

ConsideraprojectcreatedbythedesignersJamesAugeroftheRoyalCollegeofArtandJimmyLoizeauofGoldsmithsCollege,bothin



London.Asmallrobotsportsamechanismthatunwindsarollofflypaper.Fliestrappedonthepaperarescrapedoffattheendofthetrack,andfedintoamicrobialfuelcell.Thecellpowerstherollerandalsoasmalldigitaltimedisplayonthefrontofthemachine.Thiscarnivorousdomesticentertainmentrobot,introducedtotheworldasaseriesofrealisticimagesin2009,drewstrongreactionsonline,frominvocationsofTheMatrixtothecommenterwhosaid:IcantwaituntilIcanthrowmyneighboursdogintothetrunkofmyPriustogettowork.Seeinganunfinishedstory,peoplerespondedbysupplyingtheirownscripts.

Inoneway,thiswasasuccessforAugerandLoizeau.Theflypaperequippedrobotisatechnicallyplausiblewaytostartaconversation.Butitstilldidntquiteachievethekindofcareful,criticalconversationtheyhopedtobegin.Biomassasanenergysourceisallverywell,butamechanismfeedingoffsmallcorpsesdivertsdebateintotheextremesofhorrororlevity.Populartechnoculturaltropesthatgetreflexivelyinvokedthiswaykillerrobotsforelectromechanicaldevices,Frankensteinsmonsterforbiologicalcreationstakeupsomuchbandwidththattheysqueezeoutmorenuancedresponses.

Designfictionsproponentswanttocraftproductsandexhibitsthatarenotopentothissimplifiedresponse,thatfiretheimaginationintherightway.Thatmeansbeingnottoofanciful,notsimplydystopian,andnotjusttappingintoclichdsciencefictionalscripts.Whenitworks,designfictionbringssomethingnewintodebatesaboutfuturetechnologicallife,andinvolvesustheusersinthediscussion.

AthonyDunneandFionaRabyareleadingtheoristsandpractitionersofcriticaldesign,andpartnersinthedesignstudioDunneandRabyinLondon.InSpeculativeEverything:Design,FictionandSocialDreaming(2014)theysurveyprettywelltheentirefield,itsforebearsanditsoffshoots,lookingforprojectswithsomethingofartspowertodisturb.Criticaldesign,theywrite,shouldbedemanding,challenging,andifitisgoingtoraiseawareness,dosoforissuesthatarenotwellknown.

Therecipesforinvitromeatareacaseinpoint,foregroundinganewapproachtoatechnologythathasbeendepictedbefore,inmore



conventionalscifinarratives.Artificiallygrownmeatbecamea20thcenturyfixationaftertheFrenchsurgeonandbiologistAlexisCarrelexperimentedwithtissuecultureearlyinthecenturyandmanagedtomaintainchickheartcellsinthelab.Worldwidepublicityfortheheartinajarensuredthatculturedproteinfeaturedinmanyfuturologicaltracts.Itmadeitswayintofiction,suchasFrederikPohlandCyrilKornbluthsclassicscifinovelTheSpaceMerchants(1952),withitsworkingclassfedonmealspreparedfromChickenLittle(anindustrialscaletissueculture,fedwithalgaegrownonsolarheatedponds),rightuptoMargaretAtwoodsOryxandCrake(2003),withitsunappetisingheadless,readytoeatChickieNobs.

theremightbecheap,massproducedmeat,culturedinmassivefacilitiesinthecountryside

Boththosestorieshadstayingpower,butTheInVitroMeatCookbookismoreprovocativestill.Itoffers45recipesenoughforseveralweeksdining.Youcantcookthemyet,saysthepublicity,buttheyveallbeendevelopedwithstrictculinaryrigour.ItsoundsasifHestonBlumenthalhadbeenonavisittoanadvancedtissueculturelab.AndlikesomeofBlumenthalsownnovelties,thisplayful/seriouscompilationsetsthemindworkinginnewways.Therecipesandingredientsherehelpbringhometheideathatifthisbarelyexistingtechnology(Iwasgoingtosayembryonicbutthatrisksanunfortunateconfusion)developsintorealproducts,therewillbecomplexchoicestomakeaboutwhichonestouse.

MensvoortandGrievinksupplementtheirrecipeswithspeculativeessays,includinga2025visionofTheCarneryafoodiesparadisewithanextensivemenuofmeatsculturedonpremises,andinvitroleatherseats.Thepossibilityofsubstitutemeatproductionnotinvolvinganimalsis,um,fleshedouthereinimpressivelyconvincingdetail.Thesameessaysuggeststhattheremightbecheap,massproducedmeat,culturedinmassivefacilitiesinthecountryside.Midrangeproductswouldcomemainlyfromlocalcarneriesincities,whileafewrestaurantswouldoperatemicrocarneriesthewaythatsome



nowrunmicrobreweries,ormaketheirownsourdough.Thisisdesignfictionvividlytellingustobeginthinkingaboutwhichnewproductswemightchoosetosamplenow,beforetheymaterialise,andabouthowtotakethetechnologyintoourownhands.

Butwhathappenswhengeneticmanipulationistakentoanewlevelinwhatisknownassyntheticbiology?This,whenitcomesintobeing,willmarkanepochalshift.Wehavespentaroundacenturyandahalfgettingusedtothepowerofevolutionbynaturalselection,whichaccountsforthewealthoflivingformsandtheirappearanceofhavingbeendesigned,withoutanyneedforadesigner.Nowthereiseveryprospectofbringingdesign,inthepropersenseoftheword,backintobiology.

Atpresent,publicdebateaboutmodifyinglivingthingstoservehumanprojectsremainsdominatedbyvisionsofmonstrosity,aswitnessedbydebatesaroundGMfood.Evengeneticallyalteredmicroorganismstendtobepresentedassupergerms.Weneedwaystoenvisionabravenewbiologicalworld,waysthatleadtorealdebateaboutbalancingcostsandbenefitsofrealisticallyconceivedprojects.Thequestionis,candesignfictionhelp?Accordingtoanewbookofcollaborationsbetweensyntheticbiologistsandartists,itcan.

SyntheticAesthetics(2014),amultiplyauthoredbiodesignmanual,offersaseriesofnovelresponsestoscientificvisionsofreengineeredlife.Itcoverstherangefromartpiecestodesignfictions,includingplantsmodifiedtogrowcomponentsofaherbicidedispenserselfhealingbuildingmaterialspackagingthatgrowshealthfulnutrientstoimprovefoodproductswhenyouaddwaterandcheesesmadebybacteriaharvestedfromhumanskinandthennamedfortheirowners(Daisy'sArmpit,Philosopher'sToe).Whilenotinvolvinganyspeculativescienceortechnology,thesecheesesnicelyembodythespiritoftheproject.

ThebiologistChristinaAgapakis,nowofNewYorkUniversity,andtheNorwegianartistSisselTolaasswabbedmicrobesofftheskinofthebook'svariousauthors,fromtheirarmpits,hands,toesandnoses,inordertofermentmilk.Reassuringly,perhaps,itwasorganicpasteurisedwholemilk.Afteranovernightincubation,theyfound



cheeseinthemaking,thendidwhatregularcheesemakersdo,andseparatedthecurdsfromthewhey.Theresultwasacollectionofeightcheeses,nottheagedmasterpiecesofartisancheesemakers,butmicrobialsketches,capturingsomeoftheecologicaldiversityofdifferentbodiesanddifferentbodyparts.Theyproduced,theyreport,awiderangeofsmells.

Itwouldbeunwisetoeatanyofthem,astheirinitialbacterialloadwasundefinedalthougheachonewasanalysedindetaillateron.Butthereactionswhentheywerepassedroundalecturetheatreforsniffingwerestillrevealing.Asoneoftheinstigatorsoftheproject,theUKdesignerandartistAlexandraDaisyGinsberg,writes:

Theaudiencepassedthemalong,tentativelysmellingeachcheese,sometryingtodistinguishthemselveswithameasuredairofobjectivitybycomparingsmellingnoteswiththeirneighbours.Forothers,thesmall,white,moistcheeseswerejusttoomuch,transgressingacceptedboundariesofdecency

ShereportsthatDaisyArmpitwasjudgedthebestsmellingpreparation,withafresh,yoghurtlikearoma.

designerstestanearfuturebycreatingproductmanualstoprobableimprobablethings

Forme,thehumancheeseexperimentdisplaysthequalitythatsuccessfuldesignfictionneeds.Itproposesadifferentworld,oneinwhichwearenotdisgustedbyhumanderivedbacteriabuthappytoconsumecheesemadewiththeirhelp.Andtheexistenceofthevariousrealcheeseseffortlesslyfulfilstheessentialconditionformorefictionaleffortsinthisvein.AstheUKfuturistPaulGrahamRavenwrote:adesignfictionhastobelieveinitself,oratleastgivetheimpressionofbelievinginitself.

Asdesignfictioncomestoberecognisedasadistinctiveactivity,itwillcontinuetofindnewformsofexpression.TheUSdesigntheoristJulianBleeckeroftheNearFutureLaboratorysuggeststhattheTBD



Catalogwithitsrealisticdepictionsoffictionalproductsmodelsadifferentwayofinnovating,inwhichdesignersprototypeandtestanearfuturebywritingitsproductdescriptions,filingbugreports,creatingproductmanualsandquickreferenceguidestoprobableimprobablethings.Theguidingimpulseistoassistusinimagininganewnormality.Designandartisticpracticecanbothdothat.

OronCatts,directorofthebiologicalartslabSymbioticA,andIonatZurr,anartistandlecturer,bothattheUniversityofWesternAustralia,describeSyntheticAestheticscompilationoffuturevisionsasartisticexpressionsthatofferglimpsesofthepossibleandthecontestableworksthatareneitherutopicordystopicbutratherambiguousandmessy.ThisisthekindofsubtletythattendstogethammeredoutofHollywoodscreenplays,butcanflourishinthemorediverseecosystemofdesign.

Designfictionsarenotapanaceaforsomeidealfutureofbroadparticipationinchoosingtheensembleoftechnologiesthatwewilllivewith.Mostfuturetechnologieswillcontinuetoarriveasadonedeal,despitetalkamongacademicsofupstreamengagementorcomingintofashioninstitutingresponsibleresearchandinnovation.TheUSDepartmentofDefense,forinstance,anditslavishlyfunded,somewhatsciencefictionalDefenseAdvancedResearchProjectsAgency(DARPA)hasanextensivecatalogueofresearchanddevelopment(R&D)projectsontopicsfromroboticstoneuralenhancement,selectedaccordingtoasingleoverridingcriterion:mighttheygivetheUSAamilitaryadvantageinfuture?DARPAsBiologicalTechnologiesOfficetellsus,inaghastlycombinationofsalestalkandbureaucratese,thatitislookingforthebestinnovatorsfromallfieldswhohaveanideaforhowtoleveragebio+techtosolveseeminglyimpossibleproblemsanddelivertransformativeimpact.Here,asinotherfields,military,securityandmuchcommercialR&Dwillprobablygoitsownway,andwellgetweaponisedbiologywhetherwelikeitornot.

Fortherest,though,thereisarealcontributiontobemadethroughaplayful,freewheelingdesignpractice,opentomanynewideas,andwhichistechnicallyinformedbutnot

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constrainedbyimmediatefeasibility.Therearealreadyenoughexamplestoshowhowdesignfictioncaninvitenewkindsofconversationsabouttechnologicalfutures.Recognisingtheirpossibilitiescanopenuproadsnottaken.

Designfictionwithalesscritical(andmorecommercial)edgewillcontinuetoappealtoinnovativecorporationsanxioustoconfigurenewofferingstofitbetterwithasyetundefinedmarkets.Theiroverridingaimistoreducethechancesofaninnovationbeinglostinthevalleyofdeathbetweenabrightideaandasuccessfulproductthatpreysonthemindsofbudgetholders.

Butthegreatestpotentialofthisnewwayofworkingisasatoolforthosewhowanttoencourageamoreimportantdebateaboutpossiblefuturesandtheirtechnologicalingredients.Thisisthedebatewerestilltoooftennothaving,abouthowtoharnesstechnologicalpotentialtoimprovethechancesofuslivingtheliveswewishfor.

19March2015

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How Design Fiction Imagines Future Technology – Jon Turney – Aeon