This project is about 'transient memory', which has been defined earlier on as ‘memories which have an impermanent existence in the digital artefacts that they are stored in’. This was explored through the 'lens' which was the concept of a memento, and how transient memory can make a memento 'active' i.e. giving an object the ability to transmit new memories rather than just being a 'link' to old ones. This gave rise to the paired architecture that was concepts such as the 'teddy share' and the 'share chair'. These were situated within the domain of 'virtual social experiences' which is developing today with things such as social TV and Matt Webb's social status radio.
The project was then re-explored at a conceptual level with direct user involvement. There was analysis of the different architectures that transient memory can be: from self-self, to one-many or even many-many. Finally, a larger comment was made about transient memory and enjoying a moment rather than trying to capture it. There is an element of 'formatting' when memories are captured and reproduced which can have an element of falseness i.e. trying to capture the best of what is there, and inevitably losing parts which were part of the original experience. I developed a survey which delved into how people keep records of their lives and how they store and share these memories.
Transient memory does not have to be an 'outcome'; it can just be an experience to be enjoyed. The memories transmitted do not have to be formatted by the user before transmission i.e. a regurgitation of someone's views of their own experiences. Perhaps the memories are more 'true' if they are current experiences.
Applying this exploration to the project, the memories that are transmitted through the memento may be the sum total of their current interaction with said object i.e. their manipulation of the object experienced transiently by another user. The memory created might just be the way in which another user turns lights on etc. Users could create light shows and this would be the memory that is being experienced instead of transmitting something like a photo taken earlier that day. Users in my recent research mentioned that sometimes experiences are just meant to be enjoyed for what they are.
Transient memory will naturally have an element of 'I was here', as explored last week. Transient experiences, facilitated through and 'active memento' can enable people to share and interact with each-other and create communal memories. This ideas of sharing memories with other people is crucial to the project. I had not previously considered the fact that simply participating is a memory in itself; there doesn't have to be a particular type of memory that is shared. I want to take this to a small focus group to explore the potential of it.
The experience does not have to be a secret between two people, but there is an element of secrecy in that only the people at the time may be able to experience it; it should not necessarily be captured or taken away in photographic form or anything else. The idea of the 'no photo zone' may come into play.
The idea of a memento is that of a connection to something or someone that a person is not always in contact with. It can be said that this is the reason that the memento exists. Earlier on in the project there was an emphasis on people being separated by distance, but these boundaries do not actually have to be geographical; they can just be the boundary of being strangers to one-another.
Any object which is manipulatable can be considered an active memento; something which can respond to real-time manipulation. In being manipulated by someone, this can be the 'memory'; it doesn't actually have to be.
This project has so far explored ways in which contrived memories of various types can be transmitted transiently to the benefits of both users. Paper prototypes, 3D models, and arduino prototypes have been created to explore this concept. The next stage is real-time experience memories which can be enjoyed through an 'active memento'. Transient memory in its contrived form could be things like self-destructing tweets or emails, but in its experience form it is could be so much more.
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