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Greening of the Desktop: Culturally Reflective Computing, (May, 2006).
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Can aesthetic values of ancient cultures that stem from the close bond between man and nature and from man's faith in the sacredness of life, shape modern computing tools in the current era of globalisation? Can the world's traditional craftsmen and artists, who could be seen as the world's first user interface designers, also shape the forms of new user interfaces? and shape new understandings of multimedia thinking and feeling? Ranjit Makkuni will illustrate bridges between traditional and modern tools through his work on cultural reflective computing interfaces and tactile computing and new computer hardware design: The award winning Eternal Gandhi Multimedia Museum is one of the world's first digital multimedia museums. Located at the site where Mahatma Gandhi attained martyrdom, it not only preserves the historical events of Gandhiji's life but presents a spectrum of information technology visions inspired by Gandhian thought. The project presents rich panorama of tactile interfaces that allow people to access the multimedia imagery and multidimensional mind of Gandhi. The award-winning Crossing Project illustrates new body-friendly, tactile, culturally reflective interfaces based on Benares, India's city of learning and knowledge. The Magic Strings traces the origin of the Goddess of arts and creativity, Saraswati, her stringed lute, the Veena, and the Veena's transformation across Asia into various forms of lutes, including India, Burma, Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Korea. Through a collection of interactive installations employing "state of the art" electronic music, and digital recordings of performances by Asian masters, the project allows people to enter the world of Asian sound, musical imagery, cultural and spiritual aesthetics. Contrary to 'black and beige' hardware and information theory based interaction paradigms popular in the West, Ranjit's work shows alternative perspectives from the 'other side' in which the creation of meaning and design are integral to the experience of computing. © Copyright, Sacred World Foundation, Sacred World Research Laboratory, 2002 - present, All rights reserved. |