Sensing at the Brink of Sensibility
Graduate thesis for M.S.ARCH ’23 at the Cooper Union; Advised by Zulaikha Ayub and instructed by Guido Zuliani.
ABSTRACT
We are surrounded by light and energy: from visible light to a vast spectrum of radiation, electromagnetic waves propagate the space around us, constantly traveling and transmitting energy. Most of these waves are invisible to the human eye, yet they enable us to sense beyond human sensorium by mediating between sensor and invisible matter, as if they communicate in a different dimension.
Modern technologies rely on these invisible energy transmissions, as exemplified by the ubiquitous integration of satellite communication from transportation and geolocation to information and data management. While the satellites orbit the Earth each at a different distance and direction, tethered by gravity, together they form a network so efficient that we rely on it for reference constantly. It marks a shift within the systems of sensing, particularly how their framework transitioned from tangible to abstract, from macro-scale to micro-scale. This phenomenon challenges the concept of territory by terrestrial marking, and prompts a new Copernican inquiry about the situation of Earth and our situation within it.
[LINEAGE]
From the launch of Sputnik to the moon landing, space expeditions have been instrumental in the advancement of society. Like aviation, material science, information technology, innumerable industries carry the legacy of space technology, embodying a shared ideology from the space age: to transcend beyond earthly conditions.
Meanwhile our vision of the Earth evolves as new discoveries emerge. Photographs of the Earth captured onboard Apollo missions exposed the duality of our space aspiration, which was not only an expedition to travel and see further, but to also look back at the Earth from a distance. Rising against the line of gravity and into space, these vessels of transcendence alleviate the weight of the human condition.
[FROM EARTH TO ATOM]
The origin of the International System of Units dates back to the 18th century, and the units were originally derived from the properties of Earth: meter relates to the distance between the equator and poles, second to the period of rotation.
Since the 1980s, these units have been redefined by a series of abstracted constants, with references to invisible phenomena at the micro atomic scale.
[UNIVERSE AND UNIVERSALITY]
Standardized systems of measurement allow us to communicate across realms of time, culture, discipline etc. However as our scope of knowledge expands into the vast universe, these measures are no longer adequate. While concepts like length, weight, and time interval are still relevant and sufficient for daily life, sensing at a planetary scale operates in a different realm. The universe challenges the universality of a system to which our sensibilities have become attuned; we hesitate to draw the line.
[THE LINE OF LIGHT]
A more accurate definition of the term would be “the electromagnetic spectrum”; it encompasses all forms of radiation within the infinite range of wavelengths. Defined as 299,792,458 m/s in the International System of Units (ISU), the speed of light marks the boundary of our sensing capacity. All forms of electromagnetic radiation travel at the speed of light. Adopted as a constant by the ISU, it is the sole reference for the definition of speed. A fraction of the speed of light, denoted by the arbitrary number of 1/299,792,458, establishes the unit of meter per second.
Light is the ultimate unit of measurement.
[By Chapters]
Jingqi Kay Liu 