Archive for February 2008
Major project: Iteration two
The second two-week iteration involves using workshops as an idea-generation tool, and creating a plan for a first round of electronics prototyping.
Some references from Monday’s discussion
Two general links for RFID projects (a very broad range):
51 futuristic uses for RFID
33 ways RFID has invaded your life
For Alice
Case of RFID used as a universal payment (within a closed system)
Also look at U-City
For Kyrre
Smart touch catering service for elderly
Lots of accessible NFC applications
For Knut
Some research on the body as interface
Tangible Interactions Design, space and place
For Fan Fan
Previous project on visualisation and ‘decoration’ with radio waves
Tic tac textiles: ideas for interaction in interior spaces
For Natacha:
Manual of signage design
Giulia’s project on locating everyday objects
Loc8tor
For Marianne
The age of point at things
RFID and the social life of objects
The social life of objects
The RFID Ecosystem project
For Bo
Treat your sick doll with RFID
Little Tikes RFID kitchen
For playful RFID
Hyperscan
Probably the first use of RFID in toys (the Star Wars Commtech range)
The coming age of magic
For transactions and infrastructure in public space
Touch and travel (interesting because the infrastructure is rolled out using simple (and probably cheap) interfaces that are glass and RFID tags. More here and here.
Aneace’s blog, he’s an expert in transactions
Touchable services task
Projects
Here is our presentation of projects. This covers tangible products, accessible products, ambient devices, tangible games, new embodied interfaces, mobile interfaces and games, social interfaces, modular products and toys, media art projects, spatial annotation, flash mobs and internet-based collective action, internet-based communities for craft, ubiquitous cities, environmental sensing, tracking projects and early RFID projects.
See also Christer’s links pulled from the second half of the lecture.
Major project: Iteration one
The major project started this week. Here is the introduction to the project, as well as the specific tasks for the first iteration.
Course plan for download
One-week tasks
The course has kicked off with four one-week tasks to introduce ubiquitous computing, tangible interaction, mobile services and design methods. Each task has been designed to cover different methods for research and design. They alternate between conceptual and detail levels: from the macro to the micro.
1. The landscape of tangible interaction
This week we will look at the history of design and technology with a focus on ubiquitous and tangible research, products and services. The course literature provides you with a comprehensive overview of some of the history and contemporary practice of interaction design. We expect you to reflect on the general themes contained in this literature.
2. A simple RFID interface
This week we will build a simple RFID application. We want you to explore three aspects of RFID interactions:
* the form of the tags
* the form of the reader
* the interaction feedback
We want you to explore the possibilities for physical tags in terms of material, shape, colour, weight, etc. and how this relates to a reader and screen-based interface.
The focus of this excersise is to explore the mapping between physical objects, readers and feedback (on screen and with sound). You must avoid designing a complex service and instead work with simple and satisfying experiences with one-to-one mappings. Consider colour, time, sound, weight, iconography, character as starting points for simple relationships.
3. The conscientious consumer
What kinds of mobile services could be developed to support conscientious behaviour in shopping? RFID and barcodes can easily connect mobile phones with products and shop displays, so how should services be created around this interaction?
4. Interactions of transactions
This week we want you to re-design the ticketing system for the Oslo sporveien considering the use of RFID cards.
* Study the existing Oslo ticketing systems and interfaces in context. Document the interactions at the buses, trams, T-bane and Oslo S.
* Re-design one of these interfaces to include the use of RFID tickets: how do people buy, top-up, manage, visualise and cancel the various options in the system? What kinds of structure and visual language are required to create satisfying experiences?
