MIT Media Lab (2003 & 2004)

I spent the two years of my Masters of Engineering in Electrical Engineering at the Computing Culture Group in the Media Lab. During that time, I did some engineering, and a little thinking.

You can download the 14M PDF from here (color) or from the MIT thesis archive (b&w scan).

Abstract: In contemporary Western society, electronic devices are becoming so prevalent that many people find themselves surrounded by technologies they find frustrating or annoying. The electronics industry has little incentive to address this complaint; I designed two counter-technologies to help people defend their personal space from unwanted electronic intrusion. Both devices were designed and prototyped with reference to the culture-jamming “Design Noir” philosophy. The first is a pair of glasses that darken whenever a television is in view. The second is low-power RF jammer capable of preventing cell phones or similarly intrusive wireless devices from operating within a user’s personal space. By building functional prototypes that reflect equal consideration of technical and social issues, I identify three attributes of Noir products: Personal empowerment, participation in a critical discourse, and subversion.