H206 Bodies and MachinesFall 2015

Directions for Assignment #1Background Research

Upload to Dropbox by 11:59PM Friday September 1150 points

Instructions: Discuss the topic of your research following the guidelines listed below. Paper should be approximately 2-4 pages, 12pt font, double spaced, not including your references. Use any style format that you are familiar with.

1. Describe the technology that you will be studying using the following criteria:

What are it’s physical dimensions and weight? What is it designed to do to the body? What functions and parts of the body does it augment, modify, enhance, replace, etc…? What physical movements, postures, gestures, actions, etc..does it require from the

user in order to be operated? How complicated is it to operate? How much training is required to operate it? How dangerous is it? What are the physical risks associated with its use? How much does it cost? Who manufactures it and where is it manufactured? What is the brand name? (Include

links to commercials/advertisements). Where is it sold? Does the person using this technology own it? If not, who does?

2. Explain how this body- technology relationship may apply to at least three of the following areas of social life. You should devote at least one paragraph for each describing this relationship by doing research online. Be sure to include some specific examples using advertisements, films and/or television programs. These examples from commercial and popular culture are essential to understanding how this aspect of the body-technology relationship is perceived culturally.

Work: how is this body-technology relationship concerned with enabling someone to perform paid work? You will describe the tasks and skills associated with the work and the functioning of the specific technology that you will be focusing on. How is the technology used to modify the body to do the work?

Health: how is the body-technology concerned with enabling someone to establish and/or maintain a state of physical health? What is the illness, disease, and/or impairment in question and how does it specifically affect the body? What is the specific technology that you will be focusing on and how does it assist the body?

Aesthetics: how is this body-technology relationship concerned with altering the physical appearance of the body so that it will conform to a standard of physical appearance that is considered beautiful and/or desirable? Describe the specific technology that is used to alter or otherwise “improve” the body. What part(s) of the body does this technology focus on? How is it used to accomplish this work?

Pleasure and/or well being: how is this body-technology relationship concerned with a technology that is used to achieve a desirable state of perceived pleasure and/or well-being? Describe this state of being and how the technology is used to modify the body to achieve it.

Safety and/or security: how is this body-technology relationship concerned with achieving a feeling of safety and security? What are the perceived sources of danger and/or insecurity involving the body and how does the technology work to modify the body to restore a feeling of security and/or safety?

Fitness: how is this body-technology relationship concerned with achieving a state of mental and/or physical fitness? What is this desired state of fitness and how the technology is used to modify the body to achieve it.

Performance: how is this body-technology relationship concerned with performing particular mental and/or physical tasks according to a desirable level? Describe the particular tasks as well as the desired level of performance and how the technology is used to modify the body to achieve it.

Status: how is this body-technology relationship concerned with providing the person with a sense of social superiority and “specialness” that sets them apart and above others? Describe what the technology does to modify the body and how this is perceived to set the person apart from others in way that makes them socially “superior”.

Control: how is this body-technology relationship concerned with control? This could be control over others, some aspect of one’s environment, and/or control over some aspect of oneself. Describe specifically what is being controlled and how the technology is used to modify the body to achieve this control.

3. List five questions that you have about how this body- technology relationship applies to the areas of social life that you have identified as being relevant.

4. Describe where you will go, what you will do, and who you will interact with. Explain what you think you might learn from these activities Be as specific as possible.