Frank Swain

Human Guinea Pig – Bravo

admin — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 14:00:05 +0000

On July 1 2010, Human Guinea Pig aired on the Bravo network. I was responsible for the initial concept and worked with Dragonfly Productions to develop the idea. Sarah Swingler was Executive Producer. The show was commissioned by Mark Sammon at Virgin Media Television.

Human Guinea Pig is presented by Dermot Murnaghan and Greg Foot and stars Gavin Henson.

Pulse Project Podcast

admin — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 13:15:24 +0000

In early June I joined Brendon Connelly and Colin Murphy of the Pulse Project Podcast to discuss some of the week’s science stories and talk about zombies, blogging and the origins of SciencePunk.

The skin-generating printer – Wired

admin — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 15:49:16 +0000

A short article for the July issue of Wired UK magazine on the development of a printer that can produce 3D skin grafts using ink cartridges filled with specialised cells grown from patient tissue.

My (new) critical voice – Wired

admin — Tue, 18 May 2010 09:39:33 +0000

A short article on film critic Roger Ebert’s new synthetic voice, developed by CereProc. Appeared in the June issue of UK Wired magazine.

The colour of scent – Wired

admin — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 10:47:19 +0000

A short article on the work carried out by Kenneth Suslick, whose team developed reactive pigment based colorimeters for imaging complex aromas.

Blue Banana Agency

admin — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 12:07:16 +0000

In early 2010 I participated in an ideas generation session for Manchester-based Blue Banana Agency. Several scientists and myself collaborated to develop ways of communicating the technology behind novel haircare products produced by the multi-billion dollar client.

Image CC Kinnéidigh Garrett

Television Work

admin — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 11:29:06 +0000

In the past I’ve worked with a wide variety of television production companies, helping them to develop ideas for science film. My work with them has ranged from simple idea generation sessions to carrying a project through to pilot (Human Guinea Pig, which aired on Bravo in July 2010). Some of the people I have worked with are:

BBC Science
Century Films
Discovery US
Dragonfly
Hoff Productions
Renegade Pictures
True Vision Productions
Wide-Eyed Entertainment
Windfall Films

Image CC Martin Howard

How to design the perfect city – BBC Focus

admin — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 13:43:01 +0000

I wrote a 3,000 word feature for the 2009 December issue of BBC Focus, a popular science magazine, on the science of environmental psychology. The article looked at how psychologists were studying the way that the built environment affected human behaviour, and how good design could positively impact areas such as crime, health, education and more.

Interstellar playtime – Wired

admin — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:25:00 +0000

Wired magazine recently published a profile I wrote of Regina Peldszus, a doctoral researcher in spacecraft habitability design. The article revealed how Peldszus and her colleagues worked to make the cramped and isolated conditions on board inter-planetary spacecraft more comfortable for the ultimate long-haul passengers.

Fight street crime with brains, not brawn – Wired

admin — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:15:23 +0000

The October 2009 edition of Wired UK magazine carried my interview with Melissa Marselle, an environmental psychologist at the Manchester Design Against Crime Solution Centre. The article can be read on the Wired website here.