Week 4: MedTech + Art

As part of my bioengineering curriculum this year, I had to take an introductory class to different medical imaging. The images of the body were captured by utilizing various imagining techniques from using magnets (in MRI imaging) to harsh radiation (X-ray) to even using the time and distance of sound to travel through material (ultrasound). The various ways physicians can understand and visualize the body without having to aggressively cut a patient open still boggles my mind. Unlike art of the human body was was created from the perspective of the artist/physician in medieval times, the images MRI and other tomography imagining consists of taking cross sections of different parts of a patient's body and combining all these sections mathematically to form a 3-D image. Once this is digitally done by utilizing various math functions like Fourier Analysis, it's amazing to see how complex the body is and how far we've come from the images of the body that were made in centuries past. Below is an image of the way human bodies were seen in the medieval times and how we understand the body today due to advancing medical technology. It can be obvious to see how far medical science has come by simply comparing the resolution and clarity of the two images.



Figure 1: Medieval depiction of the human body




Figure 2: Modern image of the human body using MRI technology

In addition to this, advances in artistic portrayals of the human body has improved the spectrum in which we can improve the human condition. Instead of using a scalpel and blade to cut away at a patient, novel therapeutics have been possible with advances in technology in medicine. This was best described by the TedTalk posted this week featuring Diane Gromala. Her talk as well as current research have shown that being immersed in virtual reality can potentially help those who suffer from chronic pain. The essence of how it works is allowing a patient to easily experience mindful cognitive therapy, a common psychological therapy, simply through putting on a Virtual Reality headset as seen in the image below. Therefore, it is the combination of art, technology, and medicine that can all come together to better understand the human body and bring us closer to healing ailments in the human condition.




Figure 3: Patient using VR for pain management


Text sources:

1. Detre, John A., et al. “IMAGING TECHNIQUES AT-A-GLANCE.” IMAGING TECHNIQUES AT-A-GLANCE, Nov. 2011, www.dana.org/uploadedFiles/Pdfs/imagingtechniquesataglance.pdf.

2. “Advanced Imaging Techniques.” UMGC, www.umcg.nl/EN/Research/Researchers/Facilities/Imaging/Paginas/default.aspx.

3. “Virtual Reality for Pain Management: A Weapon Against the Opioid Epidemic?” Clinical Pain Advisor, 31 Aug. 2017, www.clinicalpainadvisor.com/painweek-2017/chronic-pain-management-with-virtual-reality/article/684461/.

4. TEDxTalks. “TEDxAmericanRiviera - Diane Gromala - Curative Powers of Wet, Raw Beauty.” YouTube, YouTube, 7 Dec. 2011, www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=628&v=cRdarMz--Pw.

5. Molteni, Megan. “Opioids Haven't Solved Chronic Pain. Maybe Virtual Reality Can.” Wired, Conde Nast, 2 Nov. 2017, www.wired.com/story/opioids-havent-solved-chronic-pain-maybe-virtual-reality-can/.


Image sources:

1. “Medieval Images of the Human Body.” Medievalists.net, 3 Nov. 2015, www.medievalists.net/2014/06/medieval-images-human-body/.

2. “MRI.” MRI - Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Anand - Gujarat, X-RAY House, www.xrayhouseanand.com/mri.php.

3. Baum, Stephanie. “How Samsung Is Leveraging VR to Manage Pain.” MedCity News, 1 Feb. 2017, medcitynews.com/2017/01/samsung-leveraging-vr-manage-pain/.

Week 3: Robotics + Art

The topic I would like to focus on is industrialization, or more specifically, mass production. With the advances of technology during the Industrial Revolution, more goods could reach a greater amount of people due to things like the assembly line. On the downside, such technology stymied creativity in art. This idea of mass production and how it has influenced art is closely analyzed by Walter Benjamin's essay “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction." However, society reacted favorably to having more goods available and, thus, there was an increase in mass production throughout the market. After this point, people could easily go to stores and buy generic items, like furniture, as a means to express themselves.



Until recently, however, the advances of technology has resulted in the opposite effect. With the inception of customization in the food industry from giants like Chipotle paving the way, there has been a societal demand in changing industrialization as well. Instead of mass production, the market has responded by implementing more customization. Emerging and improved technology has allowed for people to have more control over expressing their creative selves. This can be best depicted by Converse now allowing its customers to customize their shoes. Initially, converse was known for its very distinct, bright colors that were mass produced. The shoes were in high demand and stores would have the shoes available due to the sheer volume they would be produced at. Now, with advances in manufacturing, people can choose their own designs online or even in-store. Hence, art and technology has come almost full-circle in allowing people to express themselves again by choosing what they want to buy.











Sources:

1. Milnes, Hilary, et al. “Behind the Scenes at Converse's in-Store 'Blank Canvas' Customization Shop.” Digiday, 19 Feb. 2016, digiday.com/marketing/behind-scenes-converses-store-blank-canvas-customization-shop/.
2. Davis, Jim. “New Converse Store Lets Shoppers Customize Their Chucks - The Boston Globe.” BostonGlobe.com, 14 May 2015, www.bostonglobe.com/business/2015/05/13/new-converse-store-lets-shoppers-customize-their-chucks/SZ98RKVFb0hojHc5XclPfL/story.html.
3. “The Art Institute of Chicago.” Industrialization , The Art Institute of Chicago, www.artic.edu/aic/collections/exhibitions/divineart/industrialization.
4. Servais, Alain. “Art In The Shadow Of Art Market Industrialization.” SFAQ / NYAQ / LXAQ, 10 Nov. 2014, sfaq.us/2014/11/art-in-the-shadow-of-art-market-industrialization-moving-toward-a-sustainable-ecosystem/.
5. Benjamin, Walter. The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. London: Penguin, 2008. Print.
6. Vesna,Victoria. “Lecture Part 2.” Math + Art. 20 April. 2018. Lecture.
7. “CONVERSE OFFICIALLY OPENS WORLD HEADQUARTERS IN BOSTON AND DEBUTS NEW FLAGSHIP STORE.” Nike News, news.nike.com/news/converse-officially-opens-world-headquartesr-in-boston-and-debuts-new-flagship-store.
8. “DOCTOR WHO Hand Painted Shoes, Painted Mens Converse, Doctor Who Converse, Custom Sneakers, Unisex Hightop Sneakers.” Etsy, www.etsy.com/listing/238937657/doctor-who-hand-painted-shoes-painted.
9. Connox, 2005-2018. “Kartell - Generic A Chair.” Generic A Chair by Kartell | Connox, www.connox.com/categories/furniture/chairs/kartell-generic-a-stuhl.html.

Event #3: Metaphors on Vision

On Saturday, April 14th, I attended the film Metaphors on Vision with my roommate at the Hammer Museum.  Figure 1 shows the ticket I needed to get inside the theater. Since I did not research the screening too much beforehand, I was pleasantly surprised to find the show was about archived films that were brought back to life. The films were black and white as well as silent, both of which I had never seen at a theater before. The presenters before the screening mentioned that what made Stan Brackage influential was his adaptation of 8mm film in making his videos more raw [1,2]. He captured different aspects of his life with this type of filming which he eventually compiled in Songs.

Figure 1: Ticket to Songs showing

This event related very directly to the portion of the class that discussed robotics and art. Through his extensive use of the 8mm filming technology, Bracken realized that how he utilized the technology around him would influence the type and quality of art he could convey to the world [3]. Since this technology was not as refined as that which was being used in Hollywood at the time, he could give the world a more unfiltered presentation of his life. This was very much represented with Song I, where the grainy quality of the videos gave a more intimate look into his wife's life. In this sense, technology can be used as a way of expression for an artist.

Figure 2: Inside Billy Wilder theater

Watching the films inside the Billy Wilder theater (Figure 2,3), I realized how humble and down to Earth the whole montage was. The films didn't have any flashy colors or dramatic music in the background to accentuate the scenes. Instead, they featured everyday aspects of his life like his wife sitting down and looking out the window or just strolling through the garden. It made me reflect on whether film was ever as simple as that which I sat in for. Such type of film captured more of what most people's everyday lives are like unlike the high-flying action movies that tend to gross millions of dollars these days. The films were more representative of what most people experience and the reason why he was able to achieve this sense was from the type of filmography he used. The 8mm eliminated the sharp edges and beautiful colors that were known to catch most people's attention during his time and offered a more simple view into one's life. As such, he had ownership of the type of feel one would get from watching Songs by simply choosing what kind of filmography he would use to convey his message.

Figure 3: Me at the Billy Wilder theater

Overall, it was a nice change from typical cinema. I would highly recommend this event to other students because it will give them a better idea of the different types of filming around and how the quality of the video can influence the message the artist is trying to convey. It was also a really cool experience to see a silent and black and white film for the first time!

Link to event: https://www.cinema.ucla.edu/events/2018/04/13/metaphors-on-vision

Sources:

1. “Super 8 Mm Film History.” Loading Site Please Wait..., www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/products/production/spotlight_on_super_8/super_8mm_history/index.htm.
2. Link, Adrianna. “The Summer of Super 8: A Look at the Film's Technological Origins.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 16 June 2011, www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2011/06/the-summer-of-super-8-a-look-at-the-films-technological-origins/240219/.
3. “8mm Film History: A Cheaper Film Format for the Great Depression.” Click·Scan·Share Photo Scanning & Video Transfer to DVD, www.clickscanshare.com/snapshots/8mm-film-history-a-cheaper-film-format-for-the-great-depression.

Event #2: The Gene Didn't Get the Memo by Dr. Daniel Navon

On Friday, April 13th, I attended a fascinating lecture by Dr. Daniel Navon about the history of genetic mutations and how we have gone about interpreting these mutations. He mentioned mutations like 22q11.2 microdeletion and the FMR1 premutation, both of which have been heavily researched in my microbiology classes. Instead of delving deeply into the technical science behind the mutations, Dr. Navon (pictured in the second image starting his lecture), who has a background in sociology, focused more on how our definition of mutations has greatly influenced how illnesses are defined. Coming from a very scientific background, I realized that sociology has just as much of an influence into how we define illnesses as does the actual clinical and scientific trials that are put into place to verify the inception of an illness.

At first, I could not readily pinpoint what part art played in this event. In fact, it seemed like most of the people that were in attendance were from a science background. Upon further reflection after the event, I realized that visuals of genetic mutations and other biological principles, like chromosomes, were fully understood through art. If it wasn't for the schematics, the human body would be impossible to understand given its complexity. 

Directly relating to the MedTech + Art section of the class, this event shed light on how advancements of how we are able to visualize scientific phenomena is correlated with how far we come in understanding the scientific events. For example, people only had a crude image of the human body from artists and doctors who would hand-draw what they would see. Now, we have robust imaging that utilize properties such as ultrasound and magnets to develop computer-generated images of the body. 

In the same sense, I realized the advancements of imaging and medical technology has allowed us to better understand genetics. Similar to how the depiction of the human body allowed us to better understand the human body, microscopic imaging or representations of biomolecular phenomena has allowed us to more fully appreciate at levels the human eye cannot see. For example, depictions of the human chromosome as that in the last picture would not have been possible a century ago. With advancing research, however, we have been able to make such images more detailed and advance our understanding. Hence, this very directly relates to the biotech and art section in class. 

As for if I would recommend this event to another student, I would say that it depends on who the student is. As a bioengineering major, it wasn't too difficult to follow the biological jargon Dr. Navon sprinkled throughout his lecture. However, if I were not as well-versed in complex biomolecules, I think his talk may be a bit intimidating given the depth he goes into. Moreover, though the nomenclature is not too important to follow his talk, it may be a bit distracting not having at least a general background of what functions each of the genes he mentions have. Nonetheless, I believe it was an excellent topic that combined science and art in a subtle yet elegant way. 

Link of event: http://socgen.ucla.edu/events/the-gene-didnt-get-the-memo-remaking-illness-in-genomic-medicine/

Sources: 

1. Villarreal, Ignacio. Contemporary Art Explores Human Genomics, artdaily.com/news/6737/Contemporary-Art-Explores-Human-Genomics#.WtpnMYjwZPY.
2. “Genomics and Art.” The Medical Futurist, 18 Nov. 2006, medicalfuturist.com/a-genomika-es-a-muveszet/.
3. Madoff, Steven Henry. “Art/Architecture; The Wonders Of Genetics Breed A New Art.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 26 May 2002, www.nytimes.com/2002/05/26/arts/art-architecture-the-wonders-of-genetics-breed-a-new-art.html.
4. “What Happens When a Genetic Mutation Occurs.” Blood Test Results Explained - Lab Tests Online AU, www.labtestsonline.org.au/learning/media-library/slide-presentations/cells-genes-signalling-part-1/what-happens-when-a-genetic-mutation-occurs.

Event #1: Acoustical Visions by Bill Fontana

On Thursday, April 5th, I went to an interesting lecture by Bill Fontana about his work in acoustical vision. During his presentation, he showcased pieces of his artwork from the eerie inside of a bell in a Buddhist temple to the bottom of the 25th de Abril Bridge in Portugal. In the image to the bottom right, there's a picture of the time he set up a sound system at the top of a bridge and recorded what it sounded and looked like to see the cars below. He gave the audience not only a listening of places that many people would never have wondered what sounds like but a glimpse of the mysterious changes in environment over time. Some of his most surprising findings during his sound sculpture career was when he listened to the desert. He realized such a setting sounded a lot like waves in an ocean, as if the land were reminiscing of a time it once was a sea. To me, his findings showed that there is a whole world of mystery we have yet to discover if we just close our eyes and listen to our surroundings.

Interestingly enough, there was a physics professor who attended Fontana's talk and asked him if he ever thought of listening to the sounds of the smog that covers Los Angeles. According to the physicist's knowledge, there may be unique properties in aerodynamics and particle interaction in the air when one goes into this particular part of the atmosphere. This struck me because not only did I expect a science professor to be in attending the lecture, but I had never even considered an art and science collaboration upon Fontana's conclusion of his talk. Resonating with this week's topic of math and art being intricately intertwined, I saw this first-hand but with scientific principles and art. I would highly recommend this event for anyone who truly wants to see science and art coming together.  

 

Link to the event: http://arts.ucla.edu/single/bill-fontana-acoustical-visons/

Sources:

1. Criteria Air Pollutant Descriptions.” Smog and Particulates: Pollutant Descriptions, 2011, scorecard.goodguide.com/env-releases/cap/pollutant-desc.tcl.
2. Particle Pollution (PM), airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=aqibasics.particle.
3. Isaacman, Aaron Reuben and Gabriel. “Soundscapes of Smog: Researchers Let You Hear the Pollution of Cities (Literally).” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 10 Sept. 2012, www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/09/soundscapes-of-smog-researchers-let-you-hear-the-pollution-of-cities-literally/262152/.

Week 2: Math

Arguably one of the most divisive classes that seem to separate science and art majors is math. However, after watching this week's videos and reading the text, I cannot believe how wrong the aforementioned statement is. So many of the principles in math and science are a result of scientists visually portraying to make sense of hard to understand principles. This is most closely represented by fullerene, or 'buckyball' structures. Until the visualization of the molecule was designed, the chemical principles that guided the molecule's unique chemical principles was hard to understand. Hence, it can be seen how art and science can and do work hand-in-hand to understand the world around us.

Similarly, artists have been known to use math in their art for centuries. Looking at one of the most common pieces of art by renowned artist, scientist, and engineer Leonardo da Vinci, the Last Supper exemplifies the beautiful product of math and art. Combining mathematical concepts of perspective with respect to the vanishing point in Christ's right eye, this piece of art captures depth on a 2-dimensional platform. The artist also utilized proportions to make sure the people in the portrait were sized relative to the walls. Moreover, the da Vinci's artwork in the colors he chose along with the expressions on each person's face show the artistic freedom he used to make such a masterpiece come together. 

And so, though science and art may seem entirely unrelated at first, the two come together in more ways than not. With the making of complex shapes by the artist comes a deep understanding of the mathematics involved in making this art possible through numbers. With the portrayal of real life and how every object is relative to another comes the underlying idea of Filippo di Ser Brunellesco vanishing point. Therefore, math and art come together once one can look beyond just the numbers and shapes they initially see in each field.

Sources:

1.      “A Winning Essay.” Chemistry Hall of Fame - 1998 - Buckyballs, www.chem.yorku.ca/hall_of_fame/essays98/buckyball/bucky1/bucky.htm.
2.      “What Is a Buckyball (C60).” What Is a Buckyball - C60, www.understandingnano.com/what-is-buckyball-c60.html.
3.      Geometry in Art & Architecture Unit 14, www.math.dartmouth.edu/~matc/math5.geometry/unit14/unit14.html.
4.      “Mathematics.” Leonardo Da Vinci Mathematics, www.leonardo-da-vinci.net/mathematics/.
5.       Blumberg, Naomi. “Linear Perspective.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 17 Mar. 2016, www.britannica.com/art/linear-perspective.
6.       The Arrow in the Eye: Chapter III: Brunelleschi's Peepshow and The Invention of Perspective (Page 1), www.webexhibits.org/arrowintheeye/brunelleschi1.html.
7.      Vesna, Victoria. “Mathematics-pt1-ZeroPerspectiveGoldenMean.mov.” Cole UC online. Youtube, 9 April 2012. Web. 15 April. 2018. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMmq5B1LKDg&feature=player_embedded>

Week 1: Two Cultures

As a bioengineering major, I am quite familiar with the overarching concept of two radically different cultures that seem to divide communities C.P. Snow mentioned in his 1959 lecture. In my case, this is how I understood medicine and engineering before I was introduced to my major bioengineering. Prior to the inception of this major, engineering students would focus on the technical aspects that make a device’s design possible and medical students would concentrate on the human body and simply using the tools engineers would devise. However, with the need for medical devices to be compatible to the intricate nature of the human anatomy, engineers need to be more cognizant of the biological barriers that threaten the integrity of their devices over time. Similarly, healthcare practitioners need to understand the capabilities and available technology that can change the way they diagnose and treat their patients. The beautiful intersections of how these two fields merge has led up to the formation of my major, or a “third culture.” 

Just as I have come to more fully appreciate the merging of medicine and engineering, I want to further appreciate the merging of art and science. Coming to a school like UCLA, however, the stark awareness of two cultures is apparent in how the campus is organized by north and south campus. Because of this strike dichotomy, I find myself fitting to the stereotypes that surround science majors, making me question whether I am obtaining the best quality education by seemingly neglecting to embrace the arts, a pivotal aspect of our society. 

Therefore, in merging the disciplines of art and science, I hope to gain a more holistic approach in understanding the world around me. Going back to Ken Robinson’s talk and Malcolm Gladwell’s book Outliers, I want to improve my divergent thinking as a means to strive in being aware in aspects beyond what society thinks is important. Although this may mean forcing myself to take additional classes that may not seem very relevant at first to other engineers, I think it would help me gain a better sense of wonder in the world.

References:

-Snow, C. P. “Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution.” Reading. 1959. New York: Cambridge UP, 1961. Print.

-Vesna, Victoria. "Toward a Third Culture: Being In Between." Leonardo. 34 (2001): 121-125. Print.

-theRSAorg. “RSA ANIMATE: Changing Education Paradigms.” YouTube, YouTube, 14 Oct. 2010, www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U.

-uconlineprogram. “TwoCultures pt2.” YouTube, YouTube, 31 Mar. 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=335&v=GUr4xxZ_0gw.

-Gladwell, Malcolm. Outliers: the Story of Success. Back Bay Books, Little, Brown and Company, 2013.

DESMA 9 First Post

hello this is my first post