We tried to come back to the Fun Theory. We looked at activities people do in the public environment and we tried to identify problems with them. Will mentioned a urinal game that stops guys peeing on the floor when they're out at pubs and blubs etc (when they're drunk and can't aim properly)- being the only guy in the group he was the only one who knew how awful this was.
We were thinking about integrating very simple games into a urinal were the action was aiming your urine to maybe hit a taget or something. The idea was ok... but we did shy away from it a bit as it was kind of gross, also it wasn't an idea that we all sat up and went WOW at. We were waiting for that breakthrough moment where we founda design we all loved and got behind.
With the gross factor with the urinal game, I DO think it's a shame that people are scared to venture there. The gross things in life that people don't design towards as often are probably some of the things that could use the more innovation and thought. Especially anything to do with toilets (which is why it was nice to see one of the groups in our class do that for new product development). Another area that could genuinely be interesting particularly for interaction design is to investigate sex toys. We talked about it as a joke in class but I would actually like to make a serious point here. I investigated it a bit personally and like how people design interaction designs with warm glowing pendants and stuff as a little token of affection from their loved one when they are apart for extended periods, the same could be done for sex toys. As maslow's heirachy indicates- sex is one of the most primal and important needs to fill, and it's on the same level as the need to eat, sleep and be safe- it's biologically wired into us. If you are apart from your loved one for a very long time (if they're off at war or something) having some sort of interaction design that has that connection but on a sexual level could keep relationships solidly strong and either party wouldnt get sexually frustrated and restless. I know personally, i had an experience where i went overseas for a period of time and my boyfriend at the time cheated on me. So in my situation something like this would have benefitted us.
It could even be something to help stop the spread of AIDS and HIV. There is of course a huge sex industry no matter where you go- people seek out one night stands, brothels, internet apps to allow people to meet just for the purpose of anonymous sex and some people just get drunk, have that lonely night and get carried away. Some people are just single for a long time and crave a bit of human connection on that level. If done correctly- this could be an alternative (of course not for everybody). It could connect the physical (on some level) with a form of human and emotional contact and begin to sway people from possibly paying for a prostitute and simple having some sort of phone sex-esque interaction with the help of the design. It would be cheaper too. Also if successful this could begin to remove the sex industry which is an ethically strange thing to do- on one hand it stops all the numerous horible aspects of prostitution etc, but it puts people out of a job who have gotten so desperate they have indeed turned to that which is not a good thing.
Anyways, I think it's a legitimate thing and I know I may be mocked, and I know it's not all sunshine and daisies and innovative stunning design but I really do think it's a genuine need and if viewed professonally and from the point of view that sex is natural and nothing to be ashamed of, this could be a potential project.
Anyways, we kind of weren't thrilled with the urinal idea so we decided to keep thinking and looking. Knowing we had an informal presentation of a concept the followign week we were working hard on trying to find an appropriate Fun Theory design.
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