Archive for July, 2007

31Jul8(eight) things you probably don’t know about me–probably

Marc Rapp the publisher of Unique Epitome has meme’d me. So here you go: 8 things you don’t know about me:

· Some people think that I have a French accent. These people are bizarre
· I read comic books, watch animes, and play video games. But I am not the girl of your dreams
· I have a dark history of mathematics & economics
· I am not vegetarian. Animals are tasty. But they are cute as pets too
· My blog kicks ass. It always takes a while to recognize real talents
· People constantly project on me. Stereotypes of French girls are crazy in this country. But it’s true I don’t shave and hate taking showers
· I became very serious about my sculpture work. I had to prematurely end my brief foray because the fame was jeopardizing the work
· I can’t find an eighth one, you know everything about me already! Here is my quiche


My quiche Lorraine

My turn and I will meme Architectradure’s commentors!

in project. 8 Comments

31JulThe next UI breakthrough, physicality?


The Design of Future Things by Donald A. Norman

A discussion by Donald A. Norman on the passage from Graphical User Interfaces, especially command line based, to Tangible User Interfaces, in particular motion based interfaces.

Introduction
In my previous column I discussed the reemergence of command line language. Once these were the ways we used our operating systems and applications. Now they are reemerging within search engines. They are hidden and not easy to learn about, but I expect them to grow in power and, over time, become the dominant means of interaction.

In this column I will talk about a second trend, one that also has much earlier origins: the return to physical controls and devices. In the theoretical fields that underlie our field, this is called embodiment: See Paul Dourish’s book, Where the Action Is. But the trend is far more extensive than is covered by research on tangible objects, and somewhat different from the philosophical foundations implied by embodiment, so I use the term “physicality.”

Physicality: the return to physical devices, where we control things by physical body movement, by turning, moving, and manipulating appropriate mechanical devices.

Reference
Norman, D. A. 2007. The next UI breakthrough, part 2: physicality. interactions 14, 4 (Jul. 2007), 46-47.

Column on Command Line Interfaces available online

Full paper available at the ACM digital library

in interaction design, research and theory. 0 Comments

30JulCreepcakes by designers!

AIGA 2006 presents creepcakes for Halloween, a use of everyday cupcakes transformed into aliens, monsters, spiders and mummies!
Clever design and great imagination is always extremely inspiring …


in graphic design. 0 Comments

30JulThe SynchroMate


The SynchroMate fits snuggly in the palm of one’s hand (…) it encourages serendipitous synchronous interaction by indicating when a message is being composed for you by a distant companion through gentle vibrations and pulsing concentric circles of lush colors on the display

SynchroMate: A Phatic Technology for Mediating Intimacy, by Martin R. Gibbs, Steve Howard, Frank Vetere, Marcus Bunyan (2006)

Abstract
By and large interaction design has been concerned with information exchange - technologies for the collection, processing and transmission of informational content. This design sketch discusses preliminary ideas about an alternative way to think about interactive technologies - phatic technologies - that are less concerned with capturing and communicating information and more about the establishment and maintenance of social connection. Drawing on insights and inspiration gleaned from a recent field-based study of the role of interactive technologies within intimate relationships we outline our preliminary ideas concerning technologies to support phatic interaction. Using materials collected during our fieldwork as design inspirations, we developed design sketches for phatic technologies intended to support playful connection between intimates. One of these sketches - SynchroMate - is presented. SynchroMate is a phatic technology designed to mediate intimacy by affording serendipitous synchronous exchanges.

Full case study

in body, design, interaction design, mobile and research. 0 Comments

29JulSelling ad space via computer etching


Leah paid for her new MacBook Pro by selling ad space on her laptop to sponsors.

Soon you will receive a parking ticket for leaving your computer too long on a campus table. Soon you will etch ads on your body to have unlimited plastic surgery, soon you will become an ad to survive!

But I wonder, are stickers over yet? Spreading throughout the internet, the hip idea for a few years now is to etch the cover of your laptop.

I saw beautiful work out there, but never dared attacking the cover of my mac book. I prefered not following any trends, and stuck to my stickers! Among all this craft work, I chose this one from 2006 (see picture above) that is particularly interesting by Buzz Andersen.

in craft, design and technology. 0 Comments

Archives

Subscribe in a reader

Content

Open Directory Project at dmoz.org
Add to Technorati Favorites
Digital Art Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory