Saturday, April 25, 2015

Week 4: MedTech and Art


The human body and genome has always been a fascination to us as humans because we want to explore what makes us function and live on this Earth.  Some of the art that is contrived from our bodily function is beneficial and inspires technology to help people who have disabilities or create drugs to help those with diseases (http://www.gene-sis.net/artists_fontcuberta.html/), and some art is exploratory and can seem a bit off, like the body part jewelry that is made by Emily Watson. (www.metalemily.com) The jewelry is shaped to look like human body parts and while it is inventive, there is much more that has been done through medicine and art.

Ever since the exploration and discoveries of DNA and its double helix structure, there seems to be a growth in medical technology and the investment of science within medicine.  The investment that science has put into the double helix structure has been matched by the art aspect of the same structure. (The Economist, http://www.economist.com/node/1730781) The discovery of the DNA structure has been around for more than two generations now, but it is still a large part of modern day art because as said before in other blogs, “Art has long borrowed images and inspiration from science and technology.” (The Economist)

But modern medical and technological art isn’t just about exhibits and paint displays.  There is functional works of art that help better the lives of people.  Audio feedback and braille development is a large key to helping better the lives of those with disabilities.  Large companies, like Apple, are coming up with Bluetooth linked braille displays that work with cellphones, which I believe to be a huge innovation to better the lives of the blind. (http://www.apple.com/accessibility/ios/braille-display.html) The next step could be a sonar or echolocation type device that can send messages to the brain of the blind to help them see to a certain extent again.  The human mind can take technology to unlimited possibilities and art can inspire new innovations in medicine.

Art is even a form of medicine in today’s world.  Doctors are using art as a release of stress and a way to look into the psychological problems that are hurting the patients on an emotional level.   Patients become more aware of themselves due to their ability to draw and reflect on why they drew certain things. (http://www.healthandhealingny.org/complement/art_history.asp)

 References

Watson, Emily. "Metal & Enamel Jewelry." Emily Watson | Metal & Enamel Jewelry | Home Page. Web. 25 Apr. 2015. <http://www.metalemily.com/>.

"Genome Research." Genome Research RSS. Web. 25 Apr. 2015. <http://www.gene-sis.net/artists_fontcuberta.html/>.

"Back to Bases." The Economist. The Economist Newspaper, 26 Apr. 2003. Web. 25 Apr. 2015. <http://www.economist.com/node/1730781>.

"Braille Displays." Apple - Accessibility - IOS - Braille Displays. Web. 25 Apr. 2015. <http://www.apple.com/accessibility/ios/braille-display.html>.

"Art Therapy." Center for Health and Healing. Web. 25 Apr. 2015. <http://www.healthandhealingny.org/complement/art_history.asp>.

 

1 comment:

  1. The development of technology to help with human conditions struck my interest as well. To use not just medicines like Advil or others to numb the pain. But to create an actual cure through using technology such as Virtual Reality.

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