Welcome to the beginning of my process blog for Ideation & Prototyping Fall 2020! Here, I will reflect on my creative projects and document some thought processes that go behind my work.
My task for the first week is to create a fantasy device and sketch it out on paper. I immediately thought about a Japanese anime I grew up watching called Doraemon; in which an earless robotic cat named Doraemon travels back in time from the 22nd century to aid a boy. As a cat from the future, Doraemon has a pocket that contains a library of gadgets that does almost everything. For instance, whenever Doraemon needs to travel, they will pull out an “anywhere door” that immediately transports them to where they need to be.
As a kid, I have always wanted to have Doraemon as a friend, because I’d be having so much more fun than just watching anime at home! However, being a young adult, I hardly think about things that are beyond the bounds of reality. I could barely remember the last time that I picked up a pencil and drew something just for fun. So I asked myself: “ what would I want from Doraemon if we become friends now”?
This is what I would ask Doraemon for:
I would as Doraemon for a content scanner that tells me what I have in my fridge or toolbox. Sometimes I lose track of my groceries in the fridge; as a result, vegetables like onions, shallots, and carrots always end up with a few forgotten ones rotting in the bottom of the fridge. If I had an inventory system that shows me what I have in the fridge and provides me with recipes that will help me utilize all the fresh produces, I would not have to worry about wasting food or not having any recipe ideas. The device consists of two main parts: a touchscreen tablet in the front and a scanner in the back, which adheres to any type of surfaces. Users can simply navigate by touching the screen and find out what items they have and how to cook/use these items.
This assignment inspired me to start thinking outside of bounds again, just like what kids would do. Because I realized that if my creativity is confined within the realm of “what’s possible” what I would end up creating will not bring anything new to the table. I am excited to see what I can create this semester. Stay tuned!
