The Science of ... commissioned us to design a "speculative product" for their Spymaker exhibition at the Science Museum which opened in February 2007. The Science of? based the commission on the success of our exhibit for the Energy Gallery in the Science Museum which used a critical design approach to spark debate about different energy futures. They recognised this approach as a valuable method for provoking children (between 7-12) to think about the social, cultural and political impact of technology on everyday life.

A large part of this project was spent exploring the balance between fact and fiction and how to suspend disbelief. We explored social and political trends, scientific research, and forms and materials that combined, would result in a strange but believable speculative product. The proposal is based on research currently being carried out into re-mapping sensory input to different parts of the brain. Seeing via touch for example.

The proposal extrapolates existing mass surveillance technologies like Echelon. If surveillance technology continues to be accepted in the UK at the rate it is now, it is only a matter of time before all public spaces are not only scrutinized via CCTV, but electronically as well.

The em-muzzle connects the highly sensitive part of a dog's brain concerned with processing smell to an antenna for sensing electromagnetic fields. The kevlar mask blocks the eyes and ears of the dog so that it can guide its handler to an electronically unmonitored zone.

Computer modelling: Graeme Findlay

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