Title:
Digital naturalism: Designing a digital media framework to support ethological exploration
Digital naturalism: Designing a digital media framework to support ethological exploration
Author(s)
Quitmeyer, Andrew J.
Advisor(s)
Nitsche, Michael
DiSalvo, Carl
Pratt, Stephen
Hertz, Garnet
DiSalvo, Carl
Pratt, Stephen
Hertz, Garnet
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Abstract
This research aims to develop and evaluate a design framework for creating
digital devices that support the exploration of animal behaviors in the wild. In order to
carry out this work, it both studies ethology’s foundational ideas through literature and
also examines the contemporary principles at a rainforest field station through on-site
ethnographies, workshops, design projects, and interactive performances.
Based upon these personal and practical investigations, this research then
synthesizes a framework to support digital-ethological practice. Finally, this framework is
utilized to design additional ethological expeditions and activities in order to assess the
framework itself. The resulting framework encourages digital technology that supports
four key concepts. Technological Agency pushes for devices that promote understanding
of their own internal functions. The tenet of Contextual Crafting leads designers and
ethologists to create devices in close proximity to their intended use. Behavioral
Immersion promotes visceral interactions between the digital and organismal agents
involved. Finally, Open-Endedness challenges researchers to create adaptable tools
which strive to generate questions rather than answering them. Overall, this research,
referred to as Digital Naturalism, explores a developing design space for computers in the
wild.
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Date Issued
2015-08-19
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Resource Type
Text
Resource Subtype
Dissertation