We thought this video spoof on digital books would appeal to all of you traditional bibliophiles out there. It’s a funny yet thought-provoking look at how a first encounter with a bound book in the Middle Ages might equate with our own initial efforts to use virtual media, and a reminder that the book is a fluid form, changing through history as our technologies have changed. Here’s the link.
Photo by Brittany Thomason
Some of you might have heard the NPR Morning Edition radio segment on Veronika Scott, the junior design student at Detroit’s College for Creative Studies who developed a coat out of Tyvek and wool that converts to a sleeping bag for the homeless. It’s such a great combination of creativity, social activism, and youthful energy that we wanted to pass the story along.
Dupont’s tyvek material, discovered in 1955 by researcher Jim White, is extremely strong, tear-resistent, and serves as a vapor barrier in the building trades. Made of polyethylene fiber, it serves as the exterior layer of the Element Survival Coat to help protect the wearer from cold and dampness. Wool cloth has been donated to the project by Detroit-based Carhartt, a work clothing manufacturer. The homeless are being hired by the Empowerment Project to make the coats. They’re paid a minimum wage at the same time they’re learning valuable skills. To learn more about Veronika’s “Element Survival Coat, go to her Empowerment Plan web site.
Photo by Brittany Thomason
”Le Monde Des Montagnes” represents yet another approach to the book form. A collaboration between illustrator Camille Scherrer and computer techs Julien Pilet, Fanny Riedo, and Nicolas Henchoz, the book bridges the gap between an actual book and a digital book in an “augmented reality” format. The actual book can be viewed normally, with text and illustrations telling the story of the world of mountains. But when connected with a computer (and we’re not sure how this connection is made), hidden animated images are revealed on the book’s pages. It’s hard to say how effective this is for the reader without having experienced the actual setup, but the video of the process is definitely intriguing. Let us know what you think.
Learn more at the web site: http://www.chipchip.ch/2_frameset.html
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