Week 01 - Kick off

1) Plastic sheets shrinks when used for casting.

2) The vacuum shaper is VERY sensitive regarding temperature. Too much heart and hesitating with the speed you are pressing the mold into the hearted sheet can create folds.

3) The same sheets can be reheated several times if the fit the frame

4) Trial and error is frustrating but sometimes the only way to go - especially when it comes to glue

Thoughts when presented the task:

Immediat wonder/idea: Wouldn't it be fun to map something that is invisible to your sences in the moment?

First thought was air pollution, but we came quickly to the realisation of that it would be difficult for us hardware-wise. Wifi and sound pollution were also among the suggestions.

Maker-wise we thought there was something inspiring in "The Braille Alphabet" and the way of showing things via dots. Could these things be combined?

We ended up with an idea that is to show gender bias/sexism in the public to non-seeing people by making a map that sorts of 'illuminate' the issue (that they can't be as aware off because they are blind... ) via "Braille language"/dots - That is to make a visual society issue appear tangible and touchable to blind.

Week 05 - Collecting & Storytelling

However, before moving on I present to you: Zine 05 - Hegemony

And know back to the initial project: The Knowledge Mile

In our interpretetian: four different statements about gender bias/sexism in braille + intro and outro. The blue version is a short translation for us who are not fluent in braille ;)

The road to this otherwise simple map has been a little bumby. It al did start out with the wonder: How do we create braille? 3D print was an option. But slow and too unprecise for round dots. We came up with the idea of making a mould and then cast the dots. Andy was quick to test the concept which turned out way above our expectations. We had feared that the plastic sheets wouldn't be able to be vacuumed into the small holes that is the braille, but with even with the 1 mm plastic it could actually be done. The reason us to choose the 0,5 mm sheets though were that we had issues with the folds on the back of the cast. They came when heated too much.

Our solution was testing with different heating times were we found out that even 0,5 sec in difference did matter. We therefore aimed for 18,5 sec for the 0,5 mm sheets and about 27 sec for the 1 mm sheets for the optimal balance between flexibility and nice finish.

We did cut out pages on more or less eyesight with in some cases only 0,1 mm difference.

All 6 molds in cardboard

Mold made in the 4 mm cardboard. Sides where brushed with a wire brush to remove burned sides from the laser cutter

Testing with both cut-through dots and engraved dots. Turned out cut-through was the best. Testing done in 3 mm diameter which was plenti. In the later versions we aimed for about 2-2,5 mm dots in diameter

Folds made by heating the plastic sheets too much.

Yes,we were able to make the braille dots. But we also wanted it to appear nice and with the map of the actual route. After all most of us aren't blind ;)

We had already done (a very inaccurate) testing, so we knew it was possible to cut outs in paper where the dots could. But to fit a whole 18 cm sheet to what did turne out to not be a 18 cm cast... That was somewhat of set-back.

With new solutions comes new issues

Because, the plastic used for the cast shrinks... So even though made on a 99,9% accurate laser cutter,

178,4 mm was the key to end our struggles...for a while.. Because how do you glue paber, plastic and MDF together without

the paper cover with cut-outs for the braille wouldn't fit unles a 100% accurate over the 18 cm that was the height of our format.

damaging the paper?? Seems so easy, but with seven different glues tested we were absolutely not getting any wiser...

Until we tryed: SECOND GLUE <3

Close-ups of the final result

Used the cut-settings that Elisa and I did found out were perfect during the plot mapping-project. Switching between laser 1 and 2, we though had to use a stanley knife to help us ones in a while.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARG!!!
SO close and yet inaccurate

Steve Jobs in the movie carrying the same name has this quote which goes “Musicians play their instruments...I play the orchestra.”

I'm not arrogant nor ignorant enough to make a full comparison. But I'm bold enough to say that thios little quote says something about the way I have collaborated on this minor but especially with Elias and Melissa during our weekly projects. The thing is I'm awful at digital design. I simply possess poor skills within the are. BUT I'm both critical and good at coming up with solutions - sometimes even creative ones. So when it comes to collaborating I have found that oftenly I initiate ideas and then others put them to live.

I thrive with this kind of collaboration and with this role in collaboration, but I wonder and think that the perception of me being this deciding differs widely depending on whom I'm collaborating with.

Because I myself would mind if being put together with a person that strives this much towards only his own ideas and visions.