Jacobson’s Fabulous Olfactometer

source: susannahertrich

Jacobson’s Fabulous Olfactometer (JFO) is a sensorial prosthesis that mimics mammalian ‘flehmen’ when air pollution levels are high.

JFO an accelerated human evolution driven by means of existing technologies – with the goal to help us cope with extreme environments.The device utilizes off-shelf-technology to fill a gap in human evolution and provide us with a new sense. The device is designed for human survival under extreme living conditions of polluted megacities.

JFO is a sensorial wearable prosthesis that provides a new human sense. It creates a sensorial ability modelled after a sense organ called the “vomeronasal organ”. When air pollution levels are registered as ‘high’ the wearer’s face will be modified similar to mammalian flehmen. The device’s fabrication and materiality plays with the aesthetic of the classical prosthesis while referencing the ancient human dream to obtain animal powers by wearing animal teeth or bone on the head.

Two air chemical sensors worn at the forehead register small particles and CO2 levels. This data is fed into an Arduino board. When a dangerous threshold is overridden, the two stepper motors on either side of the head set the gears in motion and the upper lip is pulled upwards. This way, the head-mounted device enables its wearer to ‘sense’ airborne chemicals and as a warning signal, the device modifies his/her face similar to flehmen.
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source: creativeapplicationsnet

Created by Susanna Hertrich, Jacobson’s Fabulous Olfactometer (JFO) is a sensorial prosthesis that mimics mammalian ‘flehmen’ when air pollution levels are high. The prosthetic is designed around a new human sense modeled after a mammalian sense organ called the vomeronasal or “Jacobson’s” organ. This olfactory sense organ enables certain animals to sense odourless chemicals. When a mammal senses chemicals, it lifts its upper lip to expose this organ. This behaviour is called ‘flehmen’ (wikipedia).

Two air chemical sensors located at the top part of the prosthetic register small particles (smoke) and CO2 levels. This data is fed into an Arduino board. When air pollution levels are registered as ‘high’, two stepper motors on either side of the head set exaggerated bone gears in motion and the wearer’s lip is slowly pulled upwards. Thus, JFO enables its wearer to ‘sense’ airborne chemicals and modifies his/her face similar to mammalian flehmen.

Sensing and data processing is achieved using an Arduino with a Smoke detector (fine particles) & a Co2 sensor. The device also includes Adafruit stepper motor shield, two stepper motors and a custom designed gears carved from camel bone.

The project was conceived during an artist residency at TASML Tsinghua University Art & Science Media Laboratory in Beijing. Production grant and artist stipend were provided by the Goethe Institute China and Plan A – Office for architectural communication & urban culture.
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source: susannahertrich

Artist Statement

Susanna Hertrich’s body of work comprises devices, photography, graphics, sculpture and video. She tells stories that contain a surreal imagination for the functionality of objects, linking reality and fiction. Her works describe alternative realities that encourage the viewer to break free from accustomed perspectives on everyday life and take a position beyond valid norms. She explores moments of the »strangely familiar« transformed into seemingly mundane artefacts. Visualizing the invisible and celebrating moments of the Uncanny are recurring motifs. Her objects come with a clear directive – yet, their interpretation is completely left to the viewer.
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source: 24gadgetru

Дизайнеры – очень интересные существа. Их идеи, порой, носят совершенно уникальный характер. То, что вы видите на фотографии выше – не губозататывающая машинка. Это шлем Jacobson’s Fabulous Olfactometer (JFO), который разработала Susanna Hertrich для того, чтобы позволять людям лучше определять уровень загрязнения окружающей среды. Дело в том, что физиологические особенности многих животных позволяют им лучше различать запахи, подняв верхнюю губу. Именно эта черта и стала ключевым элементом устройства, которое оснащено чувствительным сенсором, реагирующим на примеси в воздухе и специальным механизмом, поднимающим верхнюю губу человека, тем самым давая ему понять, что нужно поискать место почище.
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source: ithome

我们周围的环境和空气被污染得越来越严重，许多人都已经好久没有看见蓝天。生活在城市里的人们每天都要面对着堵车和漫天的雾霾，似乎生活也变得没有以前那样美好。没办法，这就是人类文明进步的代价。

这款Fabulous Olfactometer装置看起来有些奇怪，看着就像是中世纪时的头盔风格，另外这个装置还专门在嘴部的前面伸出了探测器接触到使用者的嘴唇。至于这样设计的原因，设计者表示并不是为了要做出奇怪滑稽的表情取悦观众，而是真的能够检测出周围空气的污染水平，并且进一步提高准确度。
这个装置的设计灵感来源也让人有些意外，Susanna Hertrich设计师表示他的这个嗅觉测量装置灵感来自于人类观察马匹的过程，通常人类在挑选马匹的时候都会掀开嘴看看它们的门牙。其实之所以这样做不是为了看马的微笑，而是在这个过程中可以嗅出空气中的化学物质。设计师表示，通过这样的设计，人类也可以进行效仿。
在这个装置中，设计师在里面设计了各种相关的传感器，并且通过嗅觉测量器可以检测出空气中的二氧化碳含量。所有收集到的数据会被传递到头部的Arduino电路板中，从而分析出二氧化碳含量是否过高而出现危险。而信号会控制头部的齿轮转动，提高嘴部的钩子让嘴唇上翘。这样就能起到警告的作用，让我们真正提要到空气污染带来的“痛楚”。