Interactive Machine Learning for Embodied Interaction Design: A Tool and Methodology

As immersive technologies are increasingly being adopted by artists, dancers and developers in their creative work, there is a demand for tools and methods to design compelling ways of embodied interaction within virtual environments. Interactive Machine Learning allows creators to quickly and easily implement movement interaction in their applications by performing examples of movement to train a machine learning model. A key aspect of this training is providing appropriate movement data features for a machine learning model to accurately characterise the movement then recognise it from incoming data. We explore methodologies that aim to support creators’ understanding of movement feature data in relation to machine learning models and ask how these models hold the potential to inform creators’ understanding of their own movement. We propose a 5-day hackathon, bringing together artists, dancers and designers, to explore designing movement interaction and create prototypes using new interactive machine learning tool InteractML

Programming by Moving: Interactive Machine Learning for Embodied Interaction Design

Interactive Machine Learning is a promising approach for designing movement interaction because it allows creators to implement even complex movement designs by simply performing them with their bodies. We introduce a new tool, InteractML and accompanying ideation method, being developed to make movement interaction design faster, adaptable and accessible to creators of varying experience and backgrounds. By closing the gap between ideation and implementation stages of designing movement interaction, we hope to apply embodied sketching all the way through the creation process, supporting the design of more expressive and reflective range of movement interaction

Mitä talviurheiluvälineiden muotoilu on? : tuotesuunnittelija Pentti Leskisen muotoilutyö Exel-suksisauvojen ja -sompien suunnittelijana

Tämän pro gradu -tutkielman tarkoituksena on tutkia hiihtämisen välineiden – suksisauvojen ja -sompien – muotoilutyötä. Tämä tehdään kuvaten tuotesuunnittelija Pentti Leskisen muotoilutyötä Exel-suksisauvojen ja -sompien suunnittelijana. Aikaisemmin urheiluvälineihin liittyen on tutkittu muun muassa suksen valmistusta ja muotoilua sekä rannetietokoneiden menestystä muotoilun ja tuotekehityksen näkökulmasta. Lapin yliopistossa on suunniteltu ja toteutettu erilaisia vuorovaikutteisia talviurheilulajeihin liittyviä konsepteja, joissa näkyy arktisen muotoilun profiili. Tutkimuskysymyksenä tutkielmassani on: Millainen on tuotesuunnittelija Pentti Leskisen muotoilutyö Exel-suksisauvojen ja -sompien suunnittelijana vuosina 1973–1990? Alakysymyksinä käytän seuraavia: Miten Exel-suksisauvojen ja -sompien suunnitteluprosessi eteni? ja Millaisia olivat valmiit Exel-suksisauvat ja -sommat? Lähestyn tutkimusta laadullisen tutkimusotteen kautta, koska tarkoituksenani on ymmärtää Leskisen muotoilutyötä sekä tehdä siitä tulkintoja. Tutkimus toteutetaan laadullisin tutkimusmenetelmin käyttämällä dokumenttiaineistoa, joka on kerätty Designarkistosta. Aineisto on kerätty Designarkiston sähköisestä arkistotietokannasta (YKSA) sekä graduntekijän vierailulla Designarkistoon. Aineisto sisältää Leskisen suunnittelemien Exel-suksisauvojen ja -sompien suunnitteluaineistoa, piirustuksista hahmomalleihin, muotteihin, valmiisiin sompiin ja sauvoihin sekä mainosmateriaalia ja valokuvia. Tutkimuksen analyysimenetelmänä on semioottinen analyysi. Exel-suksisauvojen ja -sompien suunnitteluprosessin tärkeimpiin vaiheisiin näyttää aineiston mukaan kuuluneen vaatimusmäärittely, ideointi, prototypointi sekä siitä seurannut testausvaihe. Alhainen paino, riittävä jäykkyys ja kestävyys, vähäinen ilmanvastus sekä hyvä ergonomia – nämä ovat asioita, joihin Exel-suksisauvojen ja -sompien suunnittelussa ja valmistuksessa on pyritty. Tulosten perusteella vaikuttaa siltä, että yrityksenä Exel Oy:llä on ollut sekä toiminnallinen, esteettinen että symbolinen vetovoima siihen aikaan (vuosina 1973–1990) kun tuotesuunnittelija Pentti Leskinen suunnitteli Exelille suksisauvoja ja -sompia.The purpose of this master's thesis is to study the design work of ski equipment – ski poles and ski pole baskets. This is done to describe product designer Pentti Leskinen's design work as a designer of Exel ski poles and ski pole baskets. In the past, researchers have studied the manufacture and design of ski and the success of heart rate monitors from the point of view of design and product development. The University of Lapland has designed and implemented various interactive concepts related to winter sports, showing the profile of Arctic Design. The research question in my thesis is: What is the design work of product designer Pentti Leskinen as a designer of Exel ski poles and ski pole baskets in the years 1973–1990? As a sub-questions, I use followings: How did the design process of the Exel ski poles and ski pole baskets proceed? and What were the ready-made Exel ski poles and ski pole baskets? I approach research through a qualitative approach, because my aim is to understand and interpret Leskinen's design work. The research is carried out using qualitative research methods using documentary material collected from the Designarkisto. The material has been collected from the Designarkisto's electronic archival database and during a visit to the Designarkisto by the author of the thesis. The research material includes design material for Exel ski poles and ski pole baskets designed by Leskinen, from drawings to character models, moulds, finished ski poles and ski pole baskets, as well as promotional material and photographs. The analysis method of the study is semiotic analysis. According to the research material, the most important phases in the design process of the Exel ski poles and ski pole baskets appear to have included requirement specification, ideation, prototyping and the subsequent testing phase. Low weight, sufficient rigidity and durability, low air resistance and good ergonomics – these are the things that have been pursued in the design and manufacture of Exel ski poles and ski pole baskets. Based on the results, it seems that Exel Oy has been a functional, aesthetic and symbolic attraction at the time (1973–1990) when product designer Pentti Leskinen was designing ski poles and ski pole baskets for Exel

“Arseing around was fun!”:humor as a resource in design and making

Abstract Humor is an inevitable part of human life. Most of us are capable of experiencing and appreciating humor. From this perspective, surprisingly little HCI research can be found scrutinizing the existence, role, and potential of humor in our design practice. The gap remains also related to children and teenagers; there is a lack of studies appreciating the emergence and existence of humor in the design process without intentionally evoking it. Thus, this study examines humor as a naturally occurring phenomenon in the design process. The study was conducted in collaboration with a class of teenagers and their teachers. The study identifies various forms and functions of humor in the design process and reveals its situated, emergent nature as a resource in interaction within design. The study proposes a practical tool for designers for anticipating and potentially facilitating the emergence, forms and usages of humor as an interactional resource in design