Guest Blog: Is there Milk in my fridge?

The interface: We need technological enhancements because the world is complex. But sometimes the complexities we encounter are a result of the technologies themselves. Good design augments human possibility and reduces complexity.

When we have problems interacting with technologies, it’s a direct result of our not having asked the right questions in the design process. To be effective, we must shift our focus from the techno-centric to the human-centric

- “Massive Change, Bruce Mau and the institute without boundaries, 2004, Phaidon press limited pg.99

I arrive at the fourth day of the Kolabo Summer Lab workshop. Just as I am sipping my welcome cup of coffee with Bruno, a young man walks in. He introduces himself as Rob, an interaction designer. He sits down, and thinking back to the difficult evening they had all just had the evening before, begins talking about George Orwell’s “1984”. Rob is thinking about the fear of his emotions and facing change, since he is already very comfortable with the way the tax system works for him in The Netherlands. During his confession the other participants of this workshop walk in one by one. I learn that they have had a confronting long talk the evening before with the person that gave them this challenge. His name is Rob van Kranenburg. He is the writer of “Internet der Dingen” or “The Internet of things” which was a mandatory read to all participants to this workshop. “Internet of Things” is a strange future scenario. In this scenario, the ideology which makes the internet so great right now, combined with RFID technology, is taken to the offline reality. It describes one day in the life of a family whose house, neighborhood and society is all full of sensors that wire and measure everything they do. This makes their lives simpler, more organized and connected. For example their fridges are wired to know if there is milk, what their neighbors have in their fridges, and what needs to be bought at the supermarket.

Whether I find this scenario a bit creepy or actually a really good idea, within the setting of this workshop this is a fact of the future. The reason why everyone is together during these two weeks, is to put heads together and start thinking how we can develop tools that can help us and everyone else embrace and be comfortable with this future.

After the first few days of brainstorming the group has chosen to talk about metadata, identity and process design; within the context of the 65+ population.

I find this to be a bit of an odd twist. For me, this Next Nature future belongs to the new generation who adapt automatically to it. To today’s children that is reality. There hasn’t been anything before. I grew up with paperback books and fixed telephones. But I also had a computer since I was 8. I saw my father’s (a linguist and journalist) first pager. Very soon after, his first mobile phone. My mother holds a Masters degree in genetics and population studies for more than a decade now. A projector beams television shows and movies on our wall and we have a fridge that makes and crushes ice with pressing of one button. We have radio player built in the shower. This is my reality.

When I think about the 65+ population, I think about my grandmother, who is in her 70-ies at the moment and has lived through a war or two. A decade ago, she would do the daily groceries at the market, a kilometer away from our house, walking. She would then come back home, and spend the rest of her day cooking for the whole family and reading books about plants, nature, health and nutrition. She enjoyed watching television, and having telephone conversations with her living friends and close family. With the coming of age, not being as fit, she stopped doing the groceries her self. She cooks a lot less often, and barely ever leaves the house (or her bed for that matter). She now has a mobile phone but she finds it too complicated to use. She only wants to know where the red and green buttons are and has only 5-6 telephone numbers on speed dial. We placed an old-fashioned TV in her room. We have a second shower in the house without radio. My grandmother is also not very excited about all the crushed ice, because she only drinks warm herbal tea.

Coincidentally, right now, next to me as I sip my medium latte in a hip fair trade coffee shop, sits somebody else’s grandmother, in her 70’s, sipping a latte as well, and reading a book on an e-reader. However, I can only assume about the experiences of other elderly.

This was also my first impression of the proposals of the 7 member team of the Kolabo Summer Lab. They seemed to have a lot of assumptions about “the elderly”. Assumptions about what they need, what they should need, and how we could make that possible for them. I have my doubts about these ways of speculating. There are two ways to find out. Either talk to these “elderly”, or begin thinking about ourselves.

What would I want when my hair is all gray, I am very slow and my body isn’t as fit as it used to be? I personally, have an old-fashioned bohemian dream of a crib in nature, with a big library, and a lot of time for cycling and yoga. This is perfectly possible without much technology. Which brought me to the following questions:

Is the question of the elderly in the Internet of Things scenario relevant? My own grandmother lives together with my parents, in a house full of modern technology. But her own life hasn’t become significantly better with today’s technology, compared to the past 15-20 years. Are we only trying to familiarize the elderly with all the technology available? Are they even interested? Do they need this? Do we need them to need it? Would we need it, when we are old? Is this a technological or social issue? How about the idea that this is a social issue due to technology?

What does remain timeless, is our respect for the elderly. Respect for their knowledge and wisdom. The stories they tell around the fireplace in winter. The stories my grandmother told me while sitting on her favorite kitchen chair. Her stories were my pre-school education. Those stories had a big impact on the shape of my character. I like to think I adapt to new technology very fast. I will keep adapting for a few good decades before I “retire” and enjoy my bohemian dream. Every person of my generation has a similar or different dream; with or without technology. The elderly have passed on their knowledge before the Internet Of Things. Have done so, just fine for a matter of fact. Admittedly, their lives are made more comfortable due to technology. But we, the young generations are at the forefront, directly anticipating the new technological developments. Rob, the interaction designer, is hesitant about grasping new change and at the same time is very excited about “what is coming” in the age of the internet. He, with his technical skills, can discover and build new interactive experiences. I, too, am very excited about “what is coming” and how this is going to change the ways we communicate. My grandmother, however, with her stories and her wisdom, reminds me of where I come from, of reality and of the now. It is her that reminds me how happy I am to be aging in this new era. I can hardly wait till I tell my grandchildren what my time looked like.

In conclusion, I would like to say a few things about the direct link between identity, metadata, process design and my grandmother. I don’t think her identity is radically affected in any way due to the technology around her. I don’t dare to assume the same about the lady in the coffee shop. I have a big mental database of my grandmother’s memories and lessons carved on my character. I wonder if a bunch of sensors around her would make her feel very comfortable. To make her life easier, I do the groceries for her instead. She can still walk up to the fridge, and check if I should get some milk as well.

Simona Kicurovska

Tip: The Art of Choosing (TED)