Art in Electronics

Geeks are usually not known to have a keen eye for design. Leah Buechley and SparkFun Electronics prove otherwise with the LilyPad Arduino, which is an Arduino designed to be wearable and washable! In fact, SparkFun has an entire line of cute accessories that allow one to integrate the LilyPad into wearable clothing. I really love the typeface used for the product name.

LilyPad Arduino - Note the elegant typeface

Very interesting, and very pretty. Leah’s working at the MIT media lab, from where the projects shown in the TED videos I recently posted came from.

Here’s a great example of how Leah used the LilyPad -

There’s a neat howto as well, if you want to make something like this. Note that the ‘petals’ of the LilyPad actually double up as circuit endpoints, which can be sewn with conductive thread.

Sixth Sense

Another mind-blowing video from TED. I have always wanted something like this. I’m happy to see that the implementation is much closer to real life now. Don’t miss this video.

Pepsi’s new logo

Recently there has been quite an uproar over Pepsi’s redesigned logo. As usual, there are some that have openly vilified the effort and some that have conveniently agreed with the naysayers. I got a forwarded email with a link to this article, which called the logo nonsensical and a waste of $1 million.

Initially I was also pulled into agreeing with the writer, but as someone who has actually seen the magic of the golden ratio in my photography, I hesitated. There have been a few attempts to scientifically predict art. One can argue that art forms that are pleasing to the human eye can be mathematically calculated. But as Malcolm Gladwell would state repeatedly (and manage to write yet another book out of) an artist ‘feels’ a design. A white coated scientist may come along later and prove how the design fits into his equations, but that does not mean that we need to take a scientific approach to art.

That’s where I think the Arnell group went wrong in justifying the new logo. They put forth different theories and what not to show how the logo cannot fail because the design elements are based on the golden ratio. And what they did with the Tropicana packaging is another story.

But as an overall design, the new logo has grown surprisingly quickly on me. I really prefer it to the old ones, which now feel like they are distinctly lacking in character. And on the Pepsi Natural bottle, the logo looks simply amazing. A friend also said that his son, till recently a Coke drinker, now instinctively reaches for the Pepsi can. He said that it just draws one to pick it up. What do you think?

Art in the mainstream

What’s the most commonly visible art form that is so beautiful yet so ubiquitous that it usually doesn’t register in anybody’s radar? I think it’s typography.

And what better an example than Helvetica? There’s a sweet documentary too, which is worth watching for anyone even remotely interested in typography or art in general. Here’s a trailer -

Flawed love?

Thinking on the subject of why people really love their old, leaky, unreliable Royal Enfield bikes (I know I do) I had an aha moment.

People want to love things that are flawed, not perfect.

Siftables

Dunno how I missed posting this, since I’ve already shown it individually to many people. An amazing concept that shows how much more it is possible to integrate computing devices into everyday life.

One Crazy Ride released!

So after a confounding series of unfortunate events, mostly involving Gaurav around electronics, the DVD of One Crazy Ride has finally been released. The world premiere happened at the Himalaya Film Festival in Amsterdam to an excellent response. Gaurav and Sobby were there first hand to experience it, relaying the news to us unlucky souls. The DVD is up for ordering here. Check out the trailer if you haven’t done it yet.

WTF!!!

Recently, the Israelis bombed the Gaza strip (again). Apart from the fact that they possibly killed scores of innocent people, they have the gall to showcase it to the world on YouTube. The Israel Defense Forces’ professional body has made a YouTube channel with videos of the Gaza bombing.

YouTube had taken the videos offline, but now they are back online. Mass murderers doing PR. This is just way too sick.

One Crazy Ride

3 long years after we went there, the documentary is just about done. Spent a sleepless weekend getting the trailer and website ready and boy was it worth all the trouble. The film has turned out amazing and the trailer does it proper justice as well. A lot of people all over the world have been patiently waiting for this since 2006 and we’re happy to announce that it will be out in Feb ’09. To make sure you get it immediately on release, there’s a pre-order option.

And without further ado, here’s the trailer of One Crazy Ride -

If you hate YouTube for it’s horrible quality, here’s a direct download link to the trailer in its full glory.

Goodbye Blue Sky

The plane took off on a moonless night from the Bengaluru International Airport, 40 kms away from the metropolis. As the plane banked 120 degrees to the left and set a course to Mumbai, the night lights started to appear. The visibility was easily over 50 kms and I could immediately spot a jet on the final landing approach to the airport. As our plane gained altitude, the city came into view. There was something more than just the millions of lights that were visible. There was a mercury vapor colored halo around the whole city, like a cocoon around it. Mesmerizing, yes, but sadly, the halo was caused because the dust and pollution in the air were reflecting all the lights around.

How long before Bangalore loses its blue skies forever?