Week 4 - Art and Medical Technology

Medical technology has increased in leaps and bounds over the past century.  For instance, from the turn of the century in 1900 to 1965, average life expectancy in the United States had increased by 23 years (www.valueofinnovation.org). This increase in life expectancy is driven by a reduction in infant mortality due to medical advances. Another giant leap has occurred in modern prosthetics.

                Similar to plastic surgery, prosthetics have been used to augment human mobility and appearance since the Ancient Egyptians. The oldest known prosthetic was recovered from an Egyptian tomb and appeared to be an artificial toe used to aid the wearer’s walking (Coughlan, S.).

Figure 1: Mummified prosthetic toe.  [Source www.BBC.com]

The advances in medical technology have allowed modern prosthetics to seamlessly interact with their user’s body. The major difference between modern prosthetics and those in developed in the past is the prevalence of newer materials like plastics and carbon fiber (Clements, I.). Modern prosthetic structures have even become a form of self expression as well as utility. Through the use of 3D printing, prosthetic limbs have become a work of art.

Figure 2: Modern materials provide new avenues for prosthetic expression. [Source: www.wired.com]

                Studies have even been conducted regarding amputees and self-image. A recent study resulted in a correlation between an amputee’s perception of their body image and their psychological well-being (Breakey, J.). With this study in mind, the field of medical technology becomes ever more important to those it serves. Significant effort has been made in order to develop a wow factor in order to make amputees more proud of their body.

Figure 3: Intricately designed prosthesis provide an interesting artistic value to the wearer. [Source: www.thealternativelimbproject.com]

                The future of prosthetic technology appears promising. Current efforts are being made to produce what are known as “i-limbs”, which are the next generation of prosthetics. Lighter weight and more responsive to muscular impulses and inputs, i-limbs also strive to be more affordable (Brumfield, G.). Through more technological advancement, prosthetics will continue to mimic the human body in appearance and functionality.

Works Cited:

Breakey, James. "Body Image: The Lower Limb Amputee." Journal of Prosthetics and Orthotics 9.2 (1997). American Academy of Prosthetics and Orthotics. Web. 26 Apr. 2015. <http://journals.lww.com/jpojournal/Abstract/1997/00920/Body_Image__The_Lower_Limb_Amputee.5.aspx>.

Brumfiel, Geoff. "The Insane and Exciting Future of the Bionic Body." Smithsonian 1 Sept. 2013. Print.

Clements, Isaac. "How Prosthetic Limbs Work." How Stuff Works. InfoSpace LLC. Web. 26 Apr. 2015. <http://science.howstuffworks.com/prosthetic-limb2.htm>.

Coughlan, Sean. "Oldest Prosthetic Helped Egyptian Mummy to Walk." BBC 2 Oct. 2012. Web. 26 Apr. 2015. <http://www.bbc.com/news/education-19802539>.

"Power of Medical Innovation." Valueofinnovation.org. Web. 26 Apr. 2015. <http://valueofinnovation.org/power-of-innovation/>.

Week 3 - Art and Robotics

This week I would like to discuss Isaac Asimov.

Figure 1: Isaac Asimov; revolutionary author and scientist. Source: [www.slate.com]

Asimov was a scientist and avid science fiction writer who gained popularity in the era after World War II. Asimov wrote about biology, astronomy, math, and religion as well (Bio). He is attributed to writing some of the most brilliant science fiction stories of his time, and many of them have to do with robotics. Asimov coined the three laws of robotics in his story collection I, Robot.

Figure 2: Asimov’s three laws. Source: [www.unleashthefanboy.com/news/united-nations-worried-about-killer-robots-invoking-isaac-asimovs-three-laws-of-robotics/]

Asimov’s story would later be recreated into a motion picture starring Will Smith. This movie presents anti-automation sentiments through the main character Detective Del Spooner. Spooner’s thoughts align very heavily with the Luddites of the Industrial Revolution. Spooner believes that humanity should not rely on their advanced robotic assistants, and that the old ways of the past are being destroyed by this new technology. The Luddites was a popular following of the working class that were violently opposed to technological change and introduction of new machinery in the textile industry (National Archives). The Luddites are one of several counter-revolutionary uprisings that dissented from popular use of industrial machines like the ones presented in Prof. Vesna’s Art and Robotics Lecture. During the film, Detective Spooner even goes so far as to say “Look, this is not what I do but, I have an idea for one of your commercials: You could see a carpenter, makin' a beautiful chair, and then one of your robots comes in, and makes a better chair, twice as fast. And then you super-impose on the screen: "USR. Shittin' on the little guy." That would be the fade out.” (Wikiquote).

Spooner’s disdain for the robotic industry and his rivalry with the robot in the movie harks back to a similar folk legend of John Henry. John Henry is the “doomed railroad worker who bests a mechanical drill only to die at the moment of victory.” (Grimes, W.). It seems that themes of man fighting back against the inevitability of mechanical innovation span centuries.

Spooner’s commentary provides insight into the era that will likely be called the Robotic Revolution. This sentiment is not held by the company producing the robots. Below is an example of an advertisement for the NS-5 seen in the film.

[Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8Yr17VCFwI]

Isaac Asimov truly encapsulates the spirit of art and robotics.

Works Cited

Coulson, Ian. "Luddites." The National Archives Learning Curve | Power, Politics and Protest | Luddites. Web. 20 Apr. 2015. <http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/politics/g3/>.

Grimes, William. "Taking Swings at a Myth, with John Henry the Man." New York Times 18 Oct. 2006. Web. 19 Apr. 2015. <http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/18/books/18grim.html?ex=1168750800&en=2c72dddaeac54265&ei=5070&_r=0>.

"Isaac Asimov." Bio. A&E Television Networks, 2015. Web. 19 Apr. 2015.

"I, Robot (film)." Wikiquote. Web. 20 Apr. 2015. <http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/I,_Robot_(film)>.

Vesna, V. Robotics. <https://cole2.uconline.edu/courses/346337/pages/unit-3-view?module_item_id=6472144>.

Week 2 - Art and Mathematics

Art and mathematics are helplessly entwined. Art is a vast field that covers all forms of expression. When art is focused on replicated and expressing the natural order of the world around us, math is heavily involved. This entanglement is because math is another means of portraying the natural world. This sentiment is explained in the film Pi. The main character Maximillian Cohen asserts “mathematics is the language of nature. Everything is capable of being represented with numbers.” Cohen’s fascination with numbers and the Fibonacci sequence allows him to identify its occurrence throughout the natural world.

Figure 1: The movie poster for Pi.

This sequence appears also through art. The Parthenon was constructed by the ancient Greeks and displays the Fibonacci relationship in its construction.

Figure 2: The Fibonacci spiral as it relates to the Parthenon.

Human nature has evolved to replicate the realm of natural order. It seems that humans have an innate attraction to this relationship known as the Golden Ratio. By replication, this natural ratio has permeated human society and has been seen in famous works of art. The pervasiveness of this Golden Ratio in multiple works of art and architecture could even lend to the theory that beauty itself can be described mathematically.

                Fractals are another example of the natural world displayed in mathematical ratios. As portrayed in the video “Fibonacci, Fractals and the Financial Markets,” that fractals resemble the shapes of natural formations. Fractals describe mountain ranges, rivers, and coastlines accurately.

Figure 3: Fibonacci relationships in nature exist everywhere.

Referrences

[1] Pi movie trailer. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQ1sZSCz47w]

[2] Pi movie Poster [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pi_(film)]

[3] Fibonacci, Fractals, and Financial Markets [https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=RE2Lu65XxTU]

[4] Fibonacci Parthenon. [http://imgarcade.com/1/fibonacci-parthenon/]

[5] Fibonacci spirals in nature. [http://www.wired.com/2010/09/fractal-pa

Week 1 - The Two Cultures

My name is Jeff Asher and I am a 4^th year aerospace engineer. My first introduction to C.P. Snow’s article, The Two Cultures, came from my engineering ethics course which elaborated on the interactions between engineering and society. Snow’s words that between the two cultures of the literary and scientific lies “a gulf of mutual incomprehension” promote a concept that is still highly relevant today. I find myself firmly implanted in the realm of the scientific community. I currently hold a leadership role in designing and developing UCLA’s first satellite.

Figure 1: After 50 years, Snow's concept of the two cultures still applies. [http://www.princeton.edu/pei/twocultures/]

The separation of the intellectual and scientific cultures is made very apparent at UCLA by campus layout and curriculum. UCLA’s north and south campuses serve as the hubs of these divided cultures. Although there are merits to this layout, it is ultimately exacerbating the development of two separate cultures. In addition, the curriculum at UCLA focuses on generating students with a more specified education, especially engineers. Engineers at UCLA are required to take only 5 general education courses, half as many as students in the college of letters and sciences. Although this reduction in general education allows for more classes devoted to core curriculum, I feel that my base of knowledge has been restricted. Training engineers with less than four classes in the arts and humanities does not adequately prepare engineers of the future to interact with the intellectual community.

Figure 2: A line in the sand [https://www.google.com/maps/place/University+of+California,+Los+Angeles]

I would like to think that the separation imposed upon the intellectual and scientific communities over the past several decades is mainly self-imposed. I determine the problem mainly as that of inaccurate definition. Through my work at ELFIN, I find the creation of this satellite as art. The way the circuit boards fit into place and the mass of wires threaded throughout all seem to strike a harmony in order to achieve mission success. That is something more exquisite than science. This totality and harmony speaks to Bohm’s definition of creativity and the motivation behind scientific works quite accurately.

Figure 3: ELFIN CubeSat renderring demonstrates an artistic beauty through scientific construction. [www.elfin.igpp.ucla.edu]

References

Bohm, D., 1968. On Creativity. Leonardo, Vol. 1, No. 2., pages 137-149.

ELFIN Solidworks model render. [www.elfin.igpp.ucla.edu].

 Snow, C.P., 1959. The Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution. Cambridge University Press, New York, 1961.

The Two Cultures in Environmental Studies. Princeton Environmental Institute. [http://www.princeton.edu/pei/twocultures/]

UCLA Campus Map. [www.google.com/maps/place/university+of+California+los+angeles].