Week4: Medicine + Technology + Art

People's perception of human bodies has changed over time with the advancement of technology, which in turn has a major influence in the field of medication. People have started to explore the structure of human bodies since ancient Egypt and Greece by dissecting cadavers. Later, the emergence of X-Ray and MRI, enabled human beings to understand the inner structure and functions of the body without having to physically cutting people open. Scientific revolution has become the main force of the collaboration between art and medicine.

Working at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in Melbourne, Australia, Drew Berry is a notable biomedical animator who specializes in visualizing the cellular and molecular processes of human bodies. As one of his most famous work, “Body Code” is a series of biomedical animations that illustrate the human body beneath the skin at the microscopic and molecular scale. Designed for a variety of audiences, “Body Code” has exhibited in over 30 museums and art galleries all over the world. Incorporating vivid animation into the introduction of scientific knowledge, Berry’s work reveals the current understanding of the human bodies and educate people who do not necessarily have relevant scientific background. 

Drew Berry

http://www.cgsociety.org/index.php/CGSFeatures/CGSFeatureSpecial/biomedical_animator

Body Code

http://vizbi.org/blog/2013/03/06/drew-berry-tutorial/

Incorporating fitness tracking and health-oriented capabilities into a smart watch, Apple Watch is a product of the collaboration between art and technology. Radio Frequency Identification(RFID) technology, which is an advanced automatic identification and data capture technology, not only can be used to track production processes in assembly line, but also can be implanted in animals and humans for identification. Through the technology, Apple Watch can gather users’ information including heart beats, sleep patterns, and daily walking distance to provide fitness-improving advice. Other applications of RFID like Google Glass also integrate technology and art into people’s everyday life. 

Apple Watch

http://www.thehealthyhoot.com/post/should-an-apple-watch-replace-your-fitness-tracker/

Google Glass

http://www.theverge.com/2013/2/22/4013406/i-used-google-glass-its-the-future-with-monthly-updates

Technology and art together have become an essential part of human therapy and treatment in the field of medicine. As an example of the collaboration between the science field and the art field, robotic arms and legs are used by people to compensate for their lost limbs. This trend is also reflected in people's everyday life. More and more people are utilizing cosmetic surgery to make change of their appearance. The capability of using plastic surgery to change one's look has altered our understanding of beauty and becomes a part of the popular culture.

Sources

"Body Code." Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research. 5 Nov. 2014. Web. 25 Apr. 2015. <http://www.wehi.edu.au/wehi-tv/body-code>.

"Animator Drew Berry Is Here to Talk to You About Making Science Art." Io9. Web. 25 Apr. 2015. <http://io9.com/animator-drew-berry-is-here-to-talk-to-you-about-making-1644346171>.

"Why NFC for IPhone 6 and Apple Watch Is Great News for Events." Why NFC for IPhone 6 and Apple Watch Is Great News for Events. Web. 25 Apr. 2015. <http://exceleratedapps.com/why-nfc-for-iphone-6-and-apple-watch-is-great-news-for-events/>.

"The Real Breakthrough of Google Glass: Controlling the Internet of Things." Gigaom. 23 Mar. 2013. Web. 25 Apr. 2015. <https://gigaom.com/2013/03/23/the-real-breakthrough-of-google-glass-controlling-the-internet-of-things/>.

"How RFID Works - HowStuffWorks." HowStuffWorks. Web. 25 Apr. 2015. <http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/high-tech-gadgets/rfid.htm>.

Week3: Robotics + Art

Technology has always been motivating the development of art and popular culture, and it will always be the pushing force for such development. With the invention of the printing press by Chinese in 868, people start being able to print an increasing amount of newspapers and books to spread ideas and knowledge. In my point of view, that is the starting point of modern mass production. The technology of mass production was led to a peak when Henry Ford developed the technology to a new level with precise and rapid assembly line. Despite of the criticism of treating humans as a part of machine, the products of this assembly line, automobiles opened another era of transportation. With the trend of improving efficiency and productivity, robotics starts to play an important role in the modern industrialization. 

Invention of printing press by Chinese

http://gbtimes.com/world/hello-china-12-printing

People have different opinions on the impact of industrialization on arts. Mechanical reproduction is, as Walter Benjamin argues in "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction," detrimental to the creativeness of arts.  He asserts, "even the most perfect reproduction of a work of art is lacking in one element: its presence in time and space, its unique existence at the place where it happens to be." However, I would argue that industrialization and mass production is a product of the natural development of society. No one could have foreseen the impact of industrialization on the society and the development of arts. The change is not forced. It happens naturally and people naturally come to accept it as a part of their everyday life. Therefore, it is normal for people to utilize the technology to create art.

Initially designed as tools to improve productivity, robots now represent the ultimate combination of art and technology. It is not only used in factories, but also plays an significant role in people's everyday life. Robots are given, according to Professor Machiko Kusahara, human beings' emotions and expectations for the future. For example, setting up the basic principles for robot design in Japanese anime, the hero in the notable "Astro Boy" is more than just an indifferent robot. He was created with human emotions and ethics, encouraging Japanese people to walk out of the trauma of nuclear weapon and to move forward. Applying the same idea to the design of real robots, Japanese robots often have friendly and comforting appearance, used to cheer people up and help people. As David Hanson discussed in his 2009 TED Talk "Robots that 'show emotions'", robots can now make a variety of facial expressions, allowing them to come to empathize with and to interact with humans. 

Astro Boy

http://www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-887467/anunciada-live-action-de-astroboy

David Hanson and his robot

http://www.hansonrobotics.com/category/news/

While robotics is progressing rapidly, people are imagining what robots will be like in the future. The Oscar Best Animated Feature Film of the 2009 "Wall-E" depicts the love story between a discarded waste collecting robot and advanced robot Eve. Even though the robots in the movie cannot speak, they have emotions like humans do and love like humans do. The movie is an astonishing product of the collaboration of the art and technology with robots showing their own free wills.

Wall_E

http://pixar.wikia.com/File:Wall-e-eve-1640.jpg

The modern industrialization has certainly accelerated technological revolution. More importantly, it stimulates the integration of art and science. Bringing a variety of disciplines together to create a single product, robotics has further blurred the lines between art and technology and has created a new popular culture.

Sources
Palermo, By. "Who Invented the Printing Press?" LiveScience. TechMedia Network, 25 Feb. 2014. Web. 17 Apr. 2015. <http://www.livescience.com/43639-who-invented-the-printing-press.html>.

"Mass Production." The Economist. The Economist Newspaper, 20 Oct. 2009. Web. 16 Apr. 2015. <http://www.economist.com/node/14299820>.

"The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction." Walter Benjamin. Web. 18 Apr. 2015. <https://www.marxists.org/reference/subject/philosophy/works/ge/benjamin.htm>.

"Robotics MachikoKusahara 1." YouTube. YouTube. Web. 18 Apr. 2015. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQZ_sy-mdEU#t=981>.

"Robots That "show Emotion"" David Hanson:. Web. 15 Apr. 2015. <http://www.ted.com/talks/david_hanson_robots_that_relate_to_you>.

Scott, A. "In a World Left Silent, One Heart Beeps." The New York Times. The New York Times, 26 June 2008. Web. 14 Apr. 2015. <http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/27/movies/27wall.html?_r=0>.

Week2: Math+Art

Mathematics and art do not seem to have any connection between each other. Art is related to an expression of human beings' imagination. When we think of art, we will mostly likely think about famous paintings and sculptures. In contrast, mathematics is considered to be about numbers and calculations. However, the two disciplines are actually interconnected. Mathematical principles play an indispensable role in the aesthetic feeling that an art work can bring to its viewers.

A fictional two-dimensional world of Flatland was described in the 1884 satirical novel “Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions.” In the book, the author Edwin A. Abbott portrayed different groups of people with mathematical graphs such as lines, triangles, squares and circles. He even stated the "Law of Nature” with various shapes: "a male child shall have one more side than his father, so that each generation shall rise (as a rule) one step in the scale of development and nobility. Thus the son of a Square is a Pentagon, the son of a Pentagon, a Hexagon; and so on.” Applying math knowledge into a social satire is a bold and successful attempt, which makes it easier for readers to understand the content. 

Edwin Abbott Abbott (1838-1926)

http://www.ibiblio.org/eldritch/eaa/FL.HTM

Architecture is another wonderful product of the application of math into artistic work. The famous Eiffel Tower serves a fitting example. The unique design of Eiffel Tower enables it to have the aesthetic beauty that can be enjoyed by millions of people every year. At the same time, as the tallest structure in the world until 1930, its strong foundation structure and great wind resistance largely relies on sophisticated math computations. The natural combination of art and math is also reflected in the design of theaters; A good theater not only needs to have beautiful settings but also reasonable seat arrangement as well as proper distance between the stage and the audience. 

Eiffel Tower

http://www.planetware.com/paris/eiffel-tower-f-p-et.htm

http://www.hbu.edu/About-HBU/The-Campus/Facilities/Morris-Cultural-Arts-Center/Dunham-Theater.aspx

People often unconsciously apply mathematics into their understanding of beauty. I am always fascinated by the golden ratio and the aesthetic enjoyment that it can bring to people. Linking visual perception to mathematical formula, the golden ratio is not only critical for the design of notable architectures like Parthenon temple and Egyptian pyramids, but also important in our definition for what is beautiful. Illustrated by great paintings like Mona Lisa, the golden ratio plays an essential role in the facial attractiveness of people.

Mona Lisa and Golden Ratio

http://www.wiliam.com.au/wiliam-blog/golden-ratio-the-number-1-618

This week's lecture and readings changed my original stereotype and helped me to better understand the juxtaposition of art and math in the modern social context. Math and art are equally important for artists and scientists to develop their own work. The two will continue to contribute to each other and become more and more integrated in the future.

Sources

"Flatland, by E. A. Abbott, 1884." ibiblio - The Public's Library and Digital Archive. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 April 2015. <http://www.ibiblio.org/eldritch/eaa/FL.HTM>

"Eiffel Tower." History.com. A&E Television Networks. Web. 12 Apr. 2015. <http://www.history.com/topics/eiffel-tower>.

"Golden Ratio- The Perfect Face & Change the Sex of People." YouTube. YouTube. Web. 12 Apr. 2015. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GO3o9drC1mQ>.

"A Model's Secrets: The Perfect Face - Golden Ratio Beauty Calculator." A Model's Secrets. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 April 2015.<http://facethis.blogspot.com/2012/01/perfect-face-golden-ratio-beauty.html>
"Phi and the Golden Ratio / Golden Section in Architecture." Phi 1618 The Golden Number. 4 Mar. 2013. Web. 12 Apr. 2015. <http://www.goldennumber.net/architecture/>.

Week1: Two Cultures

As an economics major, I am indeed deeply influenced by C.P. Snow’s theory of two cultures. The department of economics is located at the northeast part of the campus and the degree that I’ll be getting is Bachelor of Arts; however, I never considered myself to be a pure humanities major. Modeled on data, the study of economics has too much to do with statistics and math. Despite of its science component, economics is fundamentally based on the reflection and criticism of human history. In order to analyze an economic activity, one has to understand a broad context and background of the event. For instance, when predicting a country’s GDP growth, religious, political, and social  factors are just as important as its previous GDP records. Contrary to John Brockman’s denial to the existence of a third culture in his 2011 interview, I believe that economics is a great example of the emergence of the third culture as a bridge between the sciences and the humanities. 

Bunche Hall: Department of Economics

http://diversity.polisci.ucla.edu/resources.html

Ranking sixth in nation for international student enrollment, UCLA is one of the most diverse university in the United States. Through the communication of different cultures, students and scholars are able to better understand the world and themselves. As an international student from China, I certainly feel the differences between American culture and Chinese culture; however, the differences do not necessarily cause conflict. Instead, they together made how I am today.

http://dailybruin.com/2013/11/14/uclas-international-student-enrollment-is-up/

The idea of two cultures and the emerging third culture lead to me think about the gap between art and science and how they separate and merge in my own education experience. While artists are approaching  science and technology in a variety of ways, as described by Stephen Wilson in “Myths and Confusions in Thinking about Art/Science/Technology”,scientists are also getting to understand arts and humanities with their own methods. For me, the separation has become less and less obvious, which helps me better understand my own field of study. Also, the third culture encourages me to go into classrooms of different disciplines to enrich and diversify my own knowledge.

http://www.brainpickings.org/2012/04/25/e-o-wilson-on-art/

Sources

Snow, C. P. “Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution.” Reading. 1959. New York: Cambridge UP, 1961. Print.

Brockman, John. "John Brockman: Matchmaking with science and art." Wired. 1995. Print.

Wilson, Stephen D. “Myths and Confusions in Thinking about Art/Science/Technology.” College Art Association Meetings. New York. 2000. Print.

Vesna, Victoria. "Toward a Third Culture: Being In Between." Leonardo. 34 (2001): 121-125. Print.

Kelly, Kevin. "The Third Culture." The Third Culture. N.p., n.d. Web. Feb. 1998