Celine Semaan

“All Simple Recipes” is a Chrome extension designed to simplify the recipe browsing experience on the popular food-focused website, All Recipes, through a customizable filter menu, an ingredient scaling feature, and an integrated ad-blocker for a cleaner viewing experience. The shared experience of scrolling through ad-filled pages, verbose text, and unending slides of pictures before finally reaching the recipe card was the driving force that led to the creation of “All Simple Recipes.”

Upon researching existing solutions, we found “Jump To Recipe” offered by Steven Lam, a popup-style extension that displays quick recipe notes. While effective, we brainstormed areas for improvement, particularly in information organization and personalization. We decided to take a different approach: rather than using a popup modal to display information, we decided to modify the page directly, granting greater control over content presentation and visual appeal. This process enabled us to redact any ad placements completely and simplify extraneous elements while allowing users to scroll freely on the website.

Understanding the diversity of user preferences on which information is most vital, we included a customizable filtering menu within the extension popup. The five fields currently provided in this menu include nutrition facts, reviews, introductory paragraphs, videos, and step-by-step images. We also injected a serving size scaler into the existing website using Javascript, which automatically recalculates the ingredient quantities based on a chosen multiplier. To ensure readability, we used fraction notation and accounted for grammatical changes in measurements as thoroughly as possible.

Originally tailored for All Recipes, there is potential to adapt “All Simple Recipes” for broader use across various cooking websites and blogs. Future versions of this extension will strive to include universal metric conversions, an allergy alert system, recipe bookmarking, and customizable recipe layouts.

While currently in development, the extension is being prepared for publication in the Chrome Web Store. This achievement would open up a stream of real user feedback, which will serve as invaluable insights in areas for refinement and innovation. With every version update, we envision “All Simple Recipes” becoming a vital companion for culinary enthusiasts worldwide, simplifying their cooking journeys.

Fundamentally, we hope that “All Simple Recipes” can simplify the online recipe-gathering experience, offering users greater control in accessing desired information efficiently.

Credits

• OpenAI, "ChatGPT," 2024, https://openai.com/chatgpt.
• Allrecipes Editorial Team, “Recipes, How-Tos, Videos and More.” Allrecipes, September 22, 2022. https://www.allrecipes.com/.
• “Jump to Recipe.” Google. Accessed April 23, 2024. https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/jump-to-recipe/gmkblbmghnolinkhfmkidocbojcfiejm.
• “Extensions / Get Started : Chrome for Developers.” Chrome for Developers. Accessed April 23, 2024. https://developer.chrome.com/docs/extensions/get-started.

“HEOUT” is a satirical digital experience that exposes the ethical and environmental shortcomings of the fast fashion industry by specifically targeting the fast fashion giant SHEIN. The website mirrors SHEIN’s design, from its header to its footer, to offer visitors a familiar yet unsettling journey through seemingly trendy fashion that gives way to the brutal reality of design theft, cultural appropriation, product toxicity, and environmental damage.

Incoming users are drawn into a parody of online shopping where selecting a product leads them to a unique product page that is filled with insightful descriptions as well as links to learn more about the issue represented. The pricing of the merchandise features extreme discounts which are meant to mock SHEIN’s devaluation of labor and original designs that the company has stolen.

The website’s footer contains links to an ‘About HEOUT’ page that serves as a satirical take on SHEIN’s own ‘About Us’ page, along with shipping information that redirects the visitor to an article on the impact of fast fashion shipping.

HEOUT’s purpose is to challenge consumers to consider their role and impact in the fashion industry. By using an interactive shopping experience, the project aims to spread more awareness, invoke conscious fast fashion consumer behavior, and advocate for a shift in the fashion industry towards more sustainable options.

Credits

• Author Unknown (2024) Shein source code (Version Unknown) [Source code]. https://www.shein.com
• BBC News. “Shein apologizes for selling Muslim Prayer mats as ‘Greek carpets.’” BBC News. July 6, 2020. https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-53308549
• Bramley, Ellie. "Details I Made, They Made: Designers Hit Back at Shein's Imitation Game." The Guardian, September 2, 2023. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/sep/02/details-i-made-they-made-designers-hit-back-at-sheins-imitation-game
• Brooks, Ryan. “Online Store Shein Apologized for Selling a Phone Case Depicting a Handcuffed Black Person Outlined in Chalk.” BuzzFeed News, May 22, 2021. https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ryancbrooks/shein-phone-case-ferguson-apology
• Greenpeace. “Taking the shine off SHEIN: Hazardous chemicals in SHEIN products break EU regulations, new report finds.” Greenpeace International. November 23, 2022. https://www.greenpeace.org/international/press-release/56979/taking-the-shine-off-shein-hazardous-chemicals-in-shein-products-break-eu-regulations-new-report-finds/
• Ho, Cassey. 2023. “Shein Stole My Design so I’m Spilling All the Tea and It’s PIPING HOT.” Blogilates. January 30, 2023. https://www.blogilates.com/blog/shein-stole-my-design/
• Image credit: Cassey Ho, Pirouette Tiered Skort - Black, retrieved from Popflexactive.com https://www.popflexactive.com/products/pirouette-skort-with-pockets-black
• Image credit: Jay Baron, “Hello, I’m Trying My Best,” retrieved from Retrogradesupplyco.com https://retrogradesupplyco.com/products/trying-my-best-iron-on-embroidered-patch
• Image credit: Jean Jullien, “US”, retrieved from BuzzFeed.News https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ryancbrooks/shein-phone-case-ferguson-apology More about the art: https://coolhunting.com/culture/jean-julliens-us/
• Image credit: TransformedByTracy, Olive Charmeuse Cami W/ Lace Applique, retrieved from Etsy.com https://www.etsy.com/listing/1680359073/olive-charmeuse-cami-w-lace-applique
• Kaplan, Arielle. “The Shein Swastika Necklace Controversy, Explained.” Hey Alma, July 10, 2020. https://www.heyalma.com/the-shein-swastika-necklace-controversy-explained/
• Kollbrunner, Timo. 2021. “Toiling Away for Shein.” Public Eye. November 2021. https://stories.publiceye.ch/en/shein/
• Maiti, Rashmila. “Fast Fashion and Its Environmental Impact.” Earth.Org. January 5, 2024. https://earth.org/fast-fashions-detrimental-effect-on-the-environment/
• OpenAI, "ChatGPT," 2024, https://openai.com/chatgpt.
• Shein. "Women’s Clothing, Women Fashion Sale: Shein USA." Accessed March 28, 2024. https://www.shein.com/
• Sustainable Amor. "Shein Apologizes Over Alleged Religious and Cultural Appropriation." Accessed March 29, 2024. https://sustainableamor.com/blog/shein-apologizes-over-alleged-religious-and-cultural-appropriation
• The Humane Society of the U.S.. n.d. “Cosmetics animal testing FAQ” Accessed March 29, 2024. https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/cosmetics-animal-testing-faq

CraftAI is a digital catalog that explores the balance between the advancement of technology and the preservation of human essence by illustrating a future where daily objects evolve into autonomous entities incrementally through the familiar lens of an e-commerce platform.

At the heart of this project, CraftAI confronts the audience with a question: At what point does the quest for convenience begin to erode our human essence? This project is inspired by the constant critique of the impact of technology on society and aims to target the duality of technology- its power to both enhance and alienate.

The choice of an e-commerce platform is to ground this futuristic vision in the present and, therefore, allow the audience to visualize the potential of automation in a format that is both common and engaging. The browsing of the website crafts a narrative that transitions from the convenience of automated objects to an uncomfortable contemplation of the effects of automation on personal autonomy, privacy, and even human identity. This progression is meant to prompt viewers to question when the line between aid and interference is crossed.

The use of AI-generated content is a crucial aspect of CraftAI because it offers a tangible glimpse into the potential future use of this technology while still acknowledging the current limitations of AI in creative design. For instance, the depiction of the RoboVac 360 holding a wheel for cleaning purposes serves as a subtle nod to the quirks of imagery generated by artificial intelligence. Those details, while minor, enrich the narrative by illustrating the iterative nature of technological progress and the blend of imagination and realism that defines CraftAI.

Credits

This project utilizes various assets and technologies to create a digital catalog that explores the future of automation. Below are the tools and services used for the project:

AI-Generated Assets:

• Product Names, Descriptions, and Images: Generated using OpenAI's ChatGPT. These elements were initially conceptualized and created by the AI, with specific instructions to fit the futuristic theme of the project.
• Image Modifications and Enhancements: Adobe Photoshop was used to refine and adjust the AI-generated images, addressing any discrepancies.

Development Tools and Hosting:

• Website Coding: The website was coded using Visual Studio Code which supports HTML, CSS, JavaScript coding.
• Hosting Platform: Netlify was chosen to host the CraftAI website, making it accessible without divulging the entire codebase.

This project represents a collaboration between artificial intelligence and human creativity, which in itself highlights the present capabilities of AI and its potential future applications in the art world.

“Beyond Sight and Sound” is an immersive mixed-reality project crafted using ShapesXR that invites the user to navigate a series of worlds, each simulating different visual and auditory disabilities. The inspiration for this project stems from a desire to generate a deeper understanding of the challenges individuals with disabilities experience.

Throughout our brainstorming process, we were intrigued by the potential of mixed reality to blur the lines between a tangible and virtual world. ShapesXR allowed us to sculpt an environment where the real and the imagined co-exist by offering a pass-through feature that allowed us to ground this experience in the real world.

In this project, the user begins the journey in a VR lobby room from which six unique worlds branch out. Each of these worlds is accessible through portals which are designed to introduce the user to different single and combined disabilities. We utilized the viewpoints feature of ShapesXR, which allowed us to create a numbered sequence to guide the viewer through our world. These viewpoints act as a recommended path. The users have the freedom to turn off these guidelines if they prefer to explore the world on their own. The use of teleportation to these viewpoints enables users to move around in the virtual environment without the need for physical space in the real world, which makes this experience more accessible.

The motivation for “Beyond Sight and Sound” is twofold: shine a light on the challenges of people with disabilities and celebrate the richness of different perceptions of the human experience. This work is influenced by artists and activists who aim to encourage a dialogue around this subject rooted in comprehension rather than apprehension.

The goal of this project is for the participant to come out of this journey with an appreciation and understanding of the complex sensory experiences of people with disabilities. By presenting those various worlds side by side, we want to provoke the user into questioning the diverse ways in which we interact with our environment on a day-to-day basis.

Credits

• XR Environment Creation: The project utilized ShapesXR to develop and design the immersive XR environment.
• Headset Technology: The video was recorded and the experience was designed using the QuestMeta VR Headsets, specifically the QuestMeta 3 and QuestMeta 2 headsets.
• Background Music: The backdrop music is "Autumn" from Antonio Vivaldi’s Four Seasons.
• Project Title: "Beyond Sight and Sound" was brainstormed and refined with the assistance of Open AI’s ChatGPT.