Directed by Ludwig Zeller

The video series “New Needs in an Augmented World” by London based artist Ludwig Zeller speculates about a future information society. Looking at how quickly information technology spreads into almost every single part of life within only a couple of years, it is not difficult to imagine that we do not know exactly what kind of implications this symbiosis between human mind and information technology could bring up within the next decades already.

The fascinating video piece reminds us a bit of Gattaca, although funnier and without the dystopian undertone. Ludwig was kind enough to share with us some of his thoughts and motivation behind the film:

“I realized that powerful inventions like the internet or an iPhone not only enable us to do more things more efficiently, but that we also unlearn skills we had before and that we change through this. Changing societies are intriguing and alienating at the same time, because you have to realize that you probably could not live happily in other times. Your mindset and socialization would not be compatible. But still it’s your world in a way.

This uncanniness about the idea that these different worlds could really be a reality – to experience it – is what I am trying to do in my speculative design practice. I am designing products for non existing people, and use film as a medium to tell minimalist stories about these places.

Aesthetically this is a fantastic challenge, how would our “stuff” actually look like in a future or an alternative world? It enables you to produce utopian/dystopian design proposals that are nonetheless bound to meaningful limits, so that the viewer can get a fascinating glimpse of another existence.”

• Tweet