Future technology in the ‘Star Trek’ reboots. Part I: tethered and performative technology

If space is the “final frontier”, then the technology that facilitates this adventure is also one of the central mechanisms by which we can learn new things about ourselves and our society. As human beings, we are constantly developing, and exploration is one of the ways in which we can expect to know ourselves better, grow and evolve in directions hopefully of our own choosing, and exert ourselves outwardly towards boundaries and borders in an attempt to better understand and shape the societies and cultures within which we are situated. Likewise, with Captain Kirk’s (William Shatner) opening staccato from Star Trek: The Original Series (Roddenberry, 2007) - a mantra which is repeated across the Star Trek reboot films – the focus is also on exploring “new” horizons, as in “new worlds”, “new life”, and “new civilizations.” This interest in newness is a reflection of the USS Enterprise crew from the fictional future(s); the time at which the show and its various franchise permutations were created in the past; and ourselves, watching and considering Star Trek in the present. While all of our notions of what constitutes “new” may vary, this desire for expansive and novel discovery is a consistently integral part of the allure for those that have come together on the intrepid voyage, either as a fully-fledged bridge-crew member or as a disposable red-shirted viewer. “But aren’t the Star Trek reboots all about the ‘pew-pew’ laser explosions?” you may well ask. Although this is certainly a factor, especially in the reboots - Star Trek (Abrams, 2009), Star Trek Into Darkness (Abrams, 2013), and Star Trek Beyond (Lin, 2016) - where Hollywood action plays a significant box-office role, Science Fiction, the genre at the heart of Star Trek, has been defined as “a contemporary mode in which the techniques of extrapolation and speculation are utilized in a narrative form, to construct near-future, far-future, or fantastic worlds in which science, technology, and society intersect” (Thacker, 2001, p.156). So, the inherent deeper appeal of the “new” within the Star Trek reboots is not, we would suggest, necessarily derived from a single-minded surface focus on sexy new alien races or new technology purely for the sake of spectacle (although we’re quite fond of these things too), but to borrow once more from Kirk’s classic monologue, if space is the “final frontier”, then the technology that facilitates this investigative endeavour is also by extension one of the central mechanisms by which we can learn new things about ourselves and our modern society

Future technology in the ‘Star Trek’ reboots. Part II: complex future(s)

As something for us to aim towards or as a lens to view how future technologies can be used within future worlds and contexts, something always needs fixing in Star Trek. With our first explorative adventure in Future Technology in the ‘Star Trek’ Reboots. Part I: Tethered and Performative, we examined how, through looking at future cultures and locations, brimming with advanced, shining examples of gadgetry that are tethered to our own contemporary reality, one might grasp that future technology across the Star Trek reboots – Star Trek ‘09 (Abrams, 2009a), Star Trek Into Darkness (Abrams, 2013), and Star Trek Beyond (Lin, 2016) - doesn’t necessarily reflect a better way of living, or a more sophisticated culture, but are one way in which, as “performative artifacts” within a fictional diegesis, they may reflect upon our own place within society and the governing ideological structure of society itself. As a part of this introspective endeavour, when focusing on the technology used within the Star Trek franchise, there is usually an attempt to lay out communicators, teleporters, phaser weapons, and hand-held tricorder devices as a prediction of future technology and as an attainable final goal. This is problematic because Science Fiction is not a terminus point; it does not act as the end point of a straight line according to how we perceive the world will be from today, but rather it can be used as a lens for us to probe, reflect and actively shape today into the future that we want it to become. Star Trek doesn’t foretell a type of future as a concrete inevitable outcome and final destination, it presents us with a fictional diegetic vision of how the world could be

Design for sustainable behaviour

The global impact of designed goods and the role designer’s play in accelerating rapid, conspicuous consumption has long been recognized within the profession. As such, considerable effort has been directed towards reducing or mitigating negative environmental impacts caused by mass-manufacture and disposal through so called ‘end of pipe’ solutions. Less attention, however, has been placed on reducing the impact of use despite tacit acknowledgement among the design community that sustainable designs cannot reach their full potential without targeting user behaviour. Through increased focus on behaviour, and the implementation of suitably informative or persuasive strategies, designers can purposefully alter the way users interact with products to leverage more sustainable use patterns. This chapter provides design practitioners with an introduction to Design for Sustainable Behaviour (DfSB). This is an emergent field of design practice which seeks to understand user behaviour in order to drive the development of products which encourage more sustainable use. Integrating inspirational case study examples drawn from their own and others’ practice, the authors chart the origins of DfSB and describe its theories, strategies and design processes. Tools to aid strategy selection are introduced and key ethical considerations reflected on in relation to specific design phases. The authors offer practical advice on designing, installing and evaluating design interventions based on experience and conclude with a discussion of the current limitations and potential future developments in DfSB

Integrating ethics into design for sustainable behaviour

Consumer behaviour contributes significantly to society's impact on the environment. Through products, designers can shift user behaviour towards more sustainable patterns of consumption, bridging the intention-behaviour gap between values and everyday actions. Design for sustainable behaviour (DfSB) aims to reduce the negative environmental and social impacts of products by moderating users' interaction with them. DfSB strategies have been categorised on an 'axis of influence', which correlates increased product control with a corresponding reduction in user interaction and choice. The process of designing for sustainable behaviour has been modelled within existing literature, yet these models fail to account for, and fully integrate, inherent ethical considerations. This paper presents a design process model with corresponding ethical assessment tools that may better equip designers to influence consumption patterns without compromising users' autonomy and privacy, thus bridging a gap in current knowledge

Design feedback interventions for household energy consumption reduction

Design for Sustainable Behaviour [DfSB] is an emerging research area concerned with the application of design strategies to influence consumer behaviour during the use phase of a product towards more sustainable action. Current DfSB research has primarily focussed on strategy definition and selection within a design process, with surprisingly little research into understanding the actual impact of the behaviour changing interventions yielded through such investigation. Furthermore, the suitability of evaluation methods and the transferability of evaluation results have seldom been discussed. This paper reports on the findings of a three-year research project within the UK social housing sector, research that aimed to reduce energy consumption within the home through behaviour changing intervention, whilst maintaining occupants comfort levels. A behaviour changing prototype was developed through a user-centred design process, resulting in a physical manifestation of one specific DfSB strategy – feedback; a user agentive performance indicator. In order to evaluate this feedback prototype, an evaluation framework was developed, targeted at the three fundamental questions that arise when faced with the evaluation of a DfSB strategy led intervention: (1) Does the produced design solution function for the specified context? (2) Has the user’s behaviour changed as a consequence of the design intervention? (3) Is the change in user’s behaviour sustainable? Applying these core questions in practice resulted in an evaluation of unparalleled depth. The function and usability of the design were evaluated with users and against extensive feedback design criteria. In addition, behavioural changes in the intentions and habitual processes of the user and their facilitating conditions as well as sustainability changes in energy consumption and comfort were evaluated against pre-intervention state benchmarks. Fitting within the remit of sustainability, the associated ethical dimensions and impact of this DfSB research were also evaluated. Using data collection methods that included focus groups and user trials, the results of this research project illustrate the success of using this tripartite questioning strategy towards the evaluation of a DfSB strategy led intervention, building a vital knowledge platform for the formalisation of transferable DfSB research and evaluation methods

Evaluating feedback interventions: a design for sustainable behaviour case study

Design for Sustainable Behaviour is an emerging research area concerned with the application of design interventions to influence consumer behaviour during the use phase towards more sustainable action. However, current research is focussed on strategy definition and selection with little research into understanding the actual impact of the interventions debated. Here, the author’s present three themes as different entry points to the evaluation of a feedback intervention designed to change behaviour towards a sustainable goal: an evaluation of the behaviour changed by the intervention; an evaluation of the interventions functionality; and an evaluation of the interventions sustainable consequences. This paper explores these themes through a case study of a physical feedback intervention prototype designed with the intention of reducing domestic energy consumption through behaviour change whilst maintaining occupant comfort. In this paper, the authors suggest that questions for evaluating functionality and usability are dependent upon the intervention strategy employed; questions for the evaluation of behavioural antecedents and ethics are applicable to all intervention strategies; finally, questions for the evaluation of sustainable metrics are dependent upon the interventions context. More universal lines of questioning are then presented based on the findings of this study, suitable for cross-study comparison

The considerations and limitations of feedback as a strategy for behaviour change

Design for Sustainable Behaviour (DfSB) is a maturing research area concerned with the application of design strategies to influence consumer behaviour during a products use phase towards more sustainable action. However, current DfSB research has focussed on strategy selection with little research into understanding the real-world impact of the behaviour changing interventions debated. This article presents the results of an extensive literature review of one specific DfSB strategy, feedback – a user agentive performance indicator. These findings exemplify the considerations and limitations of this particular approach to behaviour change, drawing on empirical research conducted by a breadth of authors, including two of the only medium-term case studies in the field of DfSB. Considerations discussed include the frequency, duration and accuracy of feedback; the selection of metrics and the presentation medium and mode; the use of ambience and the location of the installation. Limitations of feedback include the need for additional information and comparisons; the issue with multiple users; technical issues; relegation to background technology and the potential rebound effects. This article provides insights to both improve the effectiveness of future feedback design efforts and also to help facilitate discussion on feedbacks position as a strategy within DfSB

Towards a circular economy: exploring factors to repair broken electrical and electronics products by users with pro-environmental inclination

User repair can prolong product lifespan and support in turn the transformative Circular Economy agenda. Current research concerning user motivations and propensity to repair differs as to the extent at which users’ environmental concerns influence repair propensity. Because of this, the focus of this study is on potential individuals with pro-environmental inclination, as a mean to identify the factors supporting and hindering repair. To this end, an in-depth survey exploring factors influencing repair propensity for electrical and electronic goods was executed. Findings from 208 respondents affiliated with pro-environmental communities identify innovativeness and frugality traits as significant factors influencing repair propensity. Qualitative analysis has shown the significance of financial considerations in deciding to repair or replace, and how access to helping relationships alleviate most of the barriers to repair, including lack of access to repair shops and lack of knowledge and skills. The findings of this study provide much needed insight into repair behaviour. Furthermore, the insights provided will aid researchers and policy makers to develop appropriate interventions to support repair

Reducing domestic energy consumption: a user-centred design approach

Energy use within the UK domestic sector is on the increase, causing significant environmental and social stresses. This increase in energy consumption is not only due to the rising proliferation of technological devices within the home, but also to their context of use, and the behaviours and habits attributed to and enacted through their operation. To reduce energy consumption we need to engage with householders in meaningful and effective ways to prompt more efficient behaviour. This paper examines the role of design in influencing a change in energy using behaviours within the context of social housing. Drawing upon the findings of an interdisciplinary literature review the authors outline the impact of domestic comfort practices on energy use. The emerging field of Design for Sustainable Behaviour is mapped out with relevant behaviour models and theories, and factors which could inform the development of design interventions to promote energy reducing comfort practices in social housing are discussed. The paper concludes with an evaluation of the types of interventions which could prove effective in reducing energy consumption in social housing whilst still delivering comfort

What is ‘Value’ and how can we capture it from the product value chain?

The mobile phone industry is based upon the rapid development of handsets and the high turnover of devices in order to drive sales. Phones are often used for shorter periods of time than their designed life and when discarded it is often through channels that result in lost resource. This unsustainable business model places strain on resources and creates adverse environmental and social impacts. Through interrogation of a stocks and flows model, a product-service system (PSS) for a small consumer electronic device, a mobile telephone is proposed. The points at which value may be extracted from the PSS are identified. A quantitative measure of value is proposed in order to allow the evaluation of the most appropriate time to extract it. This value is not solely monetary, but is derived from the combination of indicators which encompass environmental, economic and technological factors. A worked example is presented, in which it is found that the precious metals within the phone are the main determinants for value extraction. These metals are found in the printed circuit board, leading to a requirement to design phones for ease of extraction of these components in order to access the value within