Virimetrix

TypeSpeculative Design / Education

TopicFuturism / Virtual Agents

YearSpring / 2018

Overview

Humans must learn to adapt to a changing environment with the rise of AI automation, integrated networks and ubiquitous microdata aggregation. In order to address the imminent shift towards hybrid thinking, newborns have been fitted with “Cogs” by the year 2043. These Cogs, which record all microdata from birth on a neural level, serve as the new interface between human and machine worlds. Financed by big tech companies, Cogs are distributed freely to the public. Users pay for tiered services to gain greater access to their data, customize their interactions with others and enhance their mental abilities. One such service, Virimetrix provides specialized augmentation of the mind for work, sport, socialization and leisure. However, the technology privileges the elite; enhancements are only available to those who can afford the service. Technology reinforces classist divisions, lower classes left out of the cultural shift towards human/machine hybridity.

Working from her home office, Amelia receives an incoming message from her supervisor.

A new project has been added to her already overloaded schedule. Amelia is overwhelmed by the prospect of additional work.

She remembers seeing advertisements for Virimetrix, a cognitive enhancement service and decides to investigate.

Amelia reaches for her Cog to set up an instant consultation with Virimetrix.

Amelia is greeted by a Virimetrix representative who inquires about her service needs.

Amelia describes her situation, including her stress over work.

The Virimetrix representative suggests a 12-hour advanced package to increase her speed, efficiency and mental acuity.

Concerned about the health risks and cost of the process, Amelia is reluctant to proceed.

The Virimetrix representative reminds Amelia of her co-workers, their current efficiency ratings, V-usage and relationship status with their supervisor. The representative encourages Amelia to stay competitive and use the service.

Amelia is torn, but is worried about falling behind in her work and keeping up with her peers.

She decides to purchase the service for a trial run.

After her payment is received, the enhancement package is downloaded to her Cog and the timer begins.

Amelia attaches her Cog into the cranial dock on the back of her neck and experiences an immediate mental boost.

Process

The idea for Virimetrix came out of the Krissi Xenakis project (Project "X"), a sprint-style workshop envisioning a product or service 50 years in the future. At the beginning of the workshop each student began by quickly brainstorming 10 ideas based on a previous ideation game we had played in class. With 10-15 minutes allotted for idea generation, we had little time to second guess our concepts. From the initial ideation phase, we paired up to review our concepts and narrow our focus to one idea. I worked with the idea of an AI-powered memory-restoring service to be used by patients with degenerative mental diseases like dementia or alzheimer’s. Each of the workshop participants composed a rough storyboard to describe the user process of our product or service. Students met one-on-one with Krissi to better flesh out our ideas. Here is where the idea of a “tiered service” was established; different levels of memory restoration would be available at different price points, thus implying a larger, perhaps more sinister, pay-to-play system.

Once we had established a concept, user, scenario and mapped out a potential user flow, we set out to create an artifact that would relate to our product. I chose to create an advertising campaign (of sorts) promoting the functionality and features of the service. The overall feedback from the workshop was that this kind of technology might be used by the general public, not just by alzheimer’s patients. I shifted my concept to a technology that would allow for enhanced mental capabilities, to be used at home, at work, during social interactions, etc. The final campaign and storyboard reflect the shift in concept.