Week 8: Nanotechnology and Art

Unlike any art we have studies so far, nanotechnology is not able to be seen with the naked eye. This is because nanotechnology works with atoms, therefore needing microscopes and other instruments for it to be seen. Nanotechnology also works at a molecular level, meaning old techniques are too old to use. As professor Vesna explains, nanotechnology works together like artists, and science ways must change and adapt because of the paradigm shift. (Vesna).

In Dr. Gimzewski’s lecture, he explained the creation of the talk about nanotechnology in 1959, Mr. Feynman. The talk was called “There’s plenty of room at the bottom”, where he explained the substantial amount of room at the atomic level to enhance new technology. Feynman’s interest was manipulating things at an atomic scale with the goal to prove there was an unlimited amount of room for growth. A challenge of his was for someone to write 25,000 pages of the Encyclopedia on a pinhead, which he later found out someone was capable of writing 260 million pages on the pinhead. He also established that on a “nanoscale”, the laws of physics change as gravity is taken over by thermal jittering and surface tension, and quantum mechanics takes over Newton’s classical mechanics. 

In art, nanotechnology has created possibilities that we before never imaginable. Artist Boo Chapel was able to learn the makeup of bones, and turn them into audio speakers. With certain voltage, the piezoelectric material (the bones) will fluctuate, which makes an audible sound. This is just one of many examples that shows nanotechnology opening the gates to a new world of the combination of technology, art, and science.

Sources

Egyptian Pharmacists Awareness Committee (EPAC) Follow. "Medical Applications of Nanotech. in Cancer Therapy." LinkedIn SlideShare. N.p., 01 July 2011. Web. 28 May 2017.

Gimzewski, Jim, and Victoria Vesna. “The Nanomeme Syndrome: Blurring of Fact & Fiction in the Construction of a New Science”. N.p., n.d. Web.27 May 2017.

Harichandraprasath Follow. "Nanotechnology (1)." LinkedIn SlideShare. N.p., 09 Mar. 2015. Web. 27 May 2017.

"Nanotechnology." Memorial Sloan Kettering. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 May 2017.

"Richard Feynman Introduces the World to Nanotechnology with Two Seminal Lectures (1959 & 1984)." Open Culture. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 May 2017.

“Visceral: Interview with Boo Chapel.” Sciencegallery.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 May 2017

Week 7: Neuroscience and Art

Without the mind, there is no art as art is subjective. What one person believes is art, another may disagree. As Charney writes, “The greatest discoveries in art history, as in so many fields, tend to come from those working outside the box” (Charney). Art has a purpose of inspiring the mind and evoking emotion. Through neuroscience, we are able to see the different effects of different artistic strategies and the specifics of the stimulants of the brain.

Advertisements have to attempt to catch the eye of the potential customers as quickly as possible, otherwise they lose the potential buyers. Ghani explains, “Art creates metaphors that make science more transparent for the non-scientists” (Ghani). As we see the advertisements as a whole, our mind subconsciously see the hidden messages, colorful schemes, and other tactics of art used by the product. The neuroscience research has helped businesses use certain tricks to keep the viewers interested. For example, in the picture below, you see a burger commercial with two women in bathing suits. This commercial right away attracts the men population, keeping them alert on what the commercial is about. 

 
Another form of neuroscience art can be considered drugs. In the 1950’s, LSD was used to help with depression and other physiological issues. The drug has also been known to help individuals tap into the subconscious part of the brain. This allows the artist to portray different hallucinations, causing original pictures and ideas to be looked at differently. In the picture below, drawn on an LSD trip, you see the colorful background and the detailed drawings. This shows what the individual was believing he was seeing. 

I personally believe we have only just begun to tap into the physiological part of art. As neuroscience advances, so will the artist ideas. I am fascinated with what the future holds as there is still so much to learn.

Sources:

"A 4 Step Neuroscience Based Process for Change." Emergenetics International Blog. N.p., 01 Dec. 2015. Web. 22 May 2017. https://www.emergenetics.com/blog/neuroscience-of-change/

Charney, Noah. "This Is Your Brain on Art: A Neuroscientist’s Lessons on Why Abstract Art Makes Our Brains Hurt so Good." Salon. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2017. http://www.salon.com/2016/12/18/this-is-your-brain-on-art-a-neuroscientists-lessons-on-why-abstract-art-makes-our-brains-hurt-so-good/

Madalyn Mendoza, MySA.com / San Antonio Express-News. "New, Sexy Carl's Jr. Commercial Lands on the Texas-Mexico Border." San Antonio Express-News. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2017. http://www.mysanantonio.com/entertainment/article/New-sexy-Carl-s-Jr-commercial-lands-on-the-6540169.php

Sargent, J.F., Dennis Fulton, Karl Smallwood, Adam Tod Brown, Christina H, Secret Deodorant, Maxwell Yezpitelok, and Peter File. "The CIA's 5 Most Mind Blowing Experiments With LSD." Cracked.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2017. http://www.cracked.com/blog/five-fun-facts-about-the-cia-and-lsd/

"When Arts Meet Neuroscience..." PLOS Neuroscience Community. N.p., 17 Oct. 2016. Web. 22 May 2017. http://blogs.plos.org/neuro/2016/10/16/when-arts-meet-neuroscience-by-naureen-ghani/

Event 2: Octopus Brainstorming

On May 5^th, 2017, I viewed the event of Octopus Brainstorming. Now what occurred at this event was volunteers putting on what looked like to be an octopus, hence the name of the event. There are electrodes, an object that electricity either enters or leaves, inside the “octopus” on each of the volunteer’s heads. These electrodes record tiny signals which then are transmitted to a computer which run the signal. The computer is where you are able to see the graph of the brainwaves. These signals translate colors throughout the octopus, colors depending on your brainwaves. Therefore, by changing your thoughts and mood, you are able to control the brainwaves and colors, syncing up with your partner. Also, listening to different types of genres of music and songs will change the colors of the octopus, as in your mound without trying your brainwaves will change.

As the event ended, we were asked to write down how to get the audience involved. Instead of just watching the volunteers, allow the audience to be a part of it as well. My personal idea was to allow the audience to put something on that showed their colored thoughts as well. The only difference is that it would not be hooked up to the two main volunteers and tracking your brainwaves. It would just be showing the colors and how you related to everyone else.

 

I personally think it is fascinating to be able to see your own brainwaves and see how they compare to others. You were able to tell that the machine was not just showing random colors and random brainwaves to act like it was working, as it would change from person to person. 6 different groups of two volunteered to test it out and each had different color combinations and brainwave tendencies. Since there was not enough time for everyone, I was unable to test it out. If I was walking down the street and witnessed this, I would try it out.