Tocar, organizar e criar

O conceito subjacente a este trabalho é a criação de materiais pedagógicos inovadores que promovem um envolvimento experimental, participativo e ativo desde muito cedo (5-6 anos), reunindo jogos, materiais didáticos e atividades lúdicas tradicionalmente usadas no pré-escolar com as novas soluções tecnológicas interativas. O projeto visa desenvolver e avaliar uma próxima geração de materiais de aprendizagem híbridos - uma plataforma interativa de Manipulativos Digitais, também designados Interfaces Tangíveis, constituída por materiais de baixo custo, habitualmente utilizados no ensino pré-escolar, como sejam papel e cartão. Disponibilizar as ferramentas tecnológicas adequadas a esta faixa etária reforça a aprendizagem, proporcionando às crianças a oportunidade de desenvolverem as suas capacidades criativas. A flexibilidade dos materiais, permite conceber e realizar diferentes tipos de atividades pedagógicas, permitindo uma exploração individual, em pequenos grupos ou envolvendo toda a classe num projeto comum.Este trabalho foi financiado por Fundos FEDER através do Programa Operacional Factores de Competitividade e da FCT– Fundação Ciência e Tecnologia no âmbito do projeto PTDC/CPE-CED/110417/200

Artful Systems: Investigating everyday practices of family life to inform the design of information technology for the home

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.The research in this thesis was motivated by an interest in understanding the work and effort that goes into organising family homes, with the aim of informing the design of novel information technology for the home. It was undertaken to address a notable absence of in-depth research into domestic information and communication technology in the fields of Human Computer Interaction (HCI) and Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW). To that end, this thesis presents an ethnographic study of everyday routines in thirteen family homes. Following an established tradition within HCI and CSCW, the study applies qualitative fieldwork methods as a means to investigate and interpret the empirical materials. Periods of extended observation and semi-structured interviews with the thirteen families over a three-year period form the basis of the empirical material. The materials are analysed using a hybrid perspective composed of a combination of influences from the study of material culture, to interaction analysis and ethnography. The hybrid analytical perspective draws out insights regarding the families’ mundane practices and the artfully devised solutions they use to organise daily life. Four household activities and artefacts are given specific focus: (i) household list making, (ii) the display qualities of refrigerator doors, (iii) the organisation of household clutter, and (iv) the devising of bespoke solutions in organising home life. Broader findings include the observations that people tailor solutions to meet their needs, that optimum efficiency is not the pre-eminent determinant in what method or artefact people choose to organise themselves and their homes, and that homes determine their individual characters in part by how everyday tasks and organisation are accomplished. In short, the personal qualities of these mundane practices are part of what makes a home a home. These findings are used to elicit implications for information technology design, with the aim of encouraging designers of domestic technology to be aware of and respectful towards the idiosyncratic nature of the home, and, wherever possible, to design in such a way as to allow the technology to be appropriated for families’ bespoke tailoring. To evaluate and address this point, two design projects, one on augmented magnets and another on a “media bowl”, are used to develop and test out this approach. Both projects are critically examined to reflect on the efficacy of the design approach and what lessons might be learnt for future studies and design exercises. The combination of detailed ethnographic fieldwork on family homes combined with the development of experimental design projects is intended to deepen the understanding of the mundane behaviours and everyday routines of family homes, in order to better inform the design of information technology for the home

The practical politics of sharing personal data

The focus of this paper is upon how people handle the sharing of personal data as an interactional concern. A number of ethnographic studies of domestic environments are drawn upon in order to articulate a range of circumstances under which data may be shared. In particular a distinction is made between the in situ sharing of data with others around you and the sharing of data with remote parties online. A distinction is also drawn between circumstances of purposefully sharing data in some way and circumstances where the sharing of data is incidental or even unwitting. On the basis of these studies a number of the organisational features of how people seek to manage the ways in which their data is shared are teased out. The paper then reflects upon how data sharing practices have evolved to handle the increasing presence of digital systems in people’s environments and how these relate to the ways in which people traditionally orient to the sharing of information. In conclusion a number of ways are pointed out in which the sharing of data remains problematic and there is a discussion of how systems may need to adapt to better support people’s data sharing practices in the future

Artful systems : investigating everyday practices of family life to inform the design of information technology for the home

The research in this thesis was motivated by an interest in understanding the work and effort that goes into organising family homes, with the aim of informing the design of novel information technology for the home. It was undertaken to address a notable absence of in-depth research into domestic information and communication technology in the fields of Human Computer Interaction (HCI) and Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW). To that end, this thesis presents an ethnographic study of everyday routines in thirteen family homes. Following an established tradition within HCI and CSCW, the study applies qualitative fieldwork methods as a means to investigate and interpret the empirical materials. Periods of extended observation and semi-structured interviews with the thirteen families over a three-year period form the basis of the empirical material. The materials are analysed using a hybrid perspective composed of a combination of influences from the study of material culture, to interaction analysis and ethnography. The hybrid analytical perspective draws out insights regarding the families’ mundane practices and the artfully devised solutions they use to organise daily life. Four household activities and artefacts are given specific focus: (i) household list making, (ii) the display qualities of refrigerator doors, (iii) the organisation of household clutter, and (iv) the devising of bespoke solutions in organising home life. Broader findings include the observations that people tailor solutions to meet their needs, that optimum efficiency is not the pre-eminent determinant in what method or artefact people choose to organise themselves and their homes, and that homes determine their individual characters in part by how everyday tasks and organisation are accomplished. In short, the personal qualities of these mundane practices are part of what makes a home a home. These findings are used to elicit implications for information technology design, with the aim of encouraging designers of domestic technology to be aware of and respectful towards the idiosyncratic nature of the home, and, wherever possible, to design in such a way as to allow the technology to be appropriated for families’ bespoke tailoring. To evaluate and address this point, two design projects, one on augmented magnets and another on a “media bowl”, are used to develop and test out this approach. Both projects are critically examined to reflect on the efficacy of the design approach and what lessons might be learnt for future studies and design exercises. The combination of detailed ethnographic fieldwork on family homes combined with the development of experimental design projects is intended to deepen the understanding of the mundane behaviours and everyday routines of family homes, in order to better inform the design of information technology for the home.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

KINE[SIS]TEM'17 From Nature to Architectural Matter

Kine[SiS]tem – From Kinesis + System. Kinesis is a non-linear movement or activity of an organism in response to a stimulus. A system is a set of interacting and interdependent agents forming a complex whole, delineated by its spatial and temporal boundaries, influenced by its environment. How can architectural systems moderate the external environment to enhance comfort conditions in a simple, sustainable and smart way? This is the starting question for the Kine[SiS]tem’17 – From Nature to Architectural Matter International Conference. For decades, architectural design was developed despite (and not with) the climate, based on mechanical heating and cooling. Today, the argument for net zero energy buildings needs very effective strategies to reduce energy requirements. The challenge ahead requires design processes that are built upon consolidated knowledge, make use of advanced technologies and are inspired by nature. These design processes should lead to responsive smart systems that deliver the best performance in each specific design scenario. To control solar radiation is one key factor in low-energy thermal comfort. Computational-controlled sensor-based kinetic surfaces are one of the possible answers to control solar energy in an effective way, within the scope of contradictory objectives throughout the year.FC

Storing, caring and sharing: Examining organisational practices around material stuff in the home

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.Homes are a much discussed, but little empirically examined resource for action. Material stuff at home offer resources for social, organisational and individual activities that we routinely encounter and use on an everyday basis. Yet their purposes, storing and sharing practices of use and roles in social and organisational actions are hardly touched upon within Human Computer Interaction (HCI) and Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) academic literature. As a consequence of this, there are critical gaps in understanding home organisation and management methods as a means of informing the design of novel technologies. This thesis is an examination of everyday routines in home, paying particular attention to tidying, storing, retrieving and sharing practices. To examine these practices at home, this thesis presents a combination of two qualitative studies using ethnographically oriented methods. Study one (Home’s Tidying up, Storing and Retrieving) concerns the topic of home storage in practice; investigating how householders create and use domestic storage practices and the methods used to manage their storage at home. Study two (Social Interaction around Shared Resources) concerns social interaction around shared resources, and the methods used to manage sharing practices at home. Semi-structured interviews, fieldwork observation, tour around a home, and a photo diary were undertaken to produce a ‘rich’ description of how householders collaborate in storing and sharing set of practices to manage their everyday routines. Several key finding emerged from the research, that are used to identify important implications for design of home organisational technologies, for example to support effective lightweight interactions, providing user controlled mechanism to make different levels of privacy protection for family members, offering effective awareness of family communications and notifications of the activities of other people around these organisation systems, and making available a range of flexible options for family members to access a shared resource. The thesis make the case that flexible systems should be designed allowing people to categorise things in different ways, and have the values of home asserted in technologies, considering factors such as emotion around the use of space in home organisation to make homes become the unique places that they are understood to be

Finding the Grammar of Generative Craft

Art and craft design is challenging even with the assistance of computer-aided design tools. Despite the increasing availability and intelligence of software and hardware, artists continue to find gaps between their practices and tools when designing physical craft artifacts. In many craft domains, artists need to acquire domain knowledge and develop skills in design-aid tools separately. Despite their power and versatility, generic design tools pose various challenges, such as requiring workarounds for specific crafts and having steep learning curves. Compared to generic design-aid tools, craft-specific systems can offer reasonable solutions to specific design tasks because they can offer domain-specific support. Nevertheless, craft-specific tools often have limited flexibility. In this dissertation, I introduce Grammar-driven Craft Design Tools (GCDTs), which explicitly embed and utilize craft domain knowledge (i.e., ``grammar" of the craft) as their primary mechanisms and interfaces. Like other types of information, craft knowledge is processable and organizable data. In this dissertation, I develop and examine a framework to document, process, preserve, and utilize craft domain knowledge. GCDTs are craft-specific tools. By explicitly embedding and utilizing craft domain knowledge, GCDTs bridge the gap between design-aid tools and craft domain knowledge. GCDTs also have additional benefits such as supporting generative design, facilitating learning, and preserving domain knowledge. This dissertation gives an overview of how the next generation of design-aid tools can help artists find their creative expressions. It presents the GCDT framework and introduces three GCDTs developed for distinct domains. InfiniteLayer assists the design of multilayer sculpture, which is a form of sculpture made with layers of material. Then, MarkMakerSquare helps designers to invent unconventional and creative mark-making tools using various fabrication strategies. Lastly, ThreadPlotter supports the design and fabrication of plotter-based delicate punch needle embroidery.PHDInformationUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/169800/1/heslicia_1.pd

Beyond the Centerfold: Masculinity, Technology, and Culture in Playboy's Multimedia Empire, 1953-1972.

This project utilizes Playboy as a case study for understanding changes in the configurations of white, middle class masculinity in the United States after World War II and draws attention to the role of media and entertainment technologies in circulating and defining these masculinities. More than a girlie magazine, Playboy in its most prosperous years, 1953-1972, offers multiple sites—the magazine, two television series, and the chain of Playboy Clubs—in which relationships of gender, class, race, and taste are contested. The most significant contribution of this project is its focus on the sonic dimensions of the Playboy lifestyle and its demonstration of the ways in which popular music and sound technologies were utilized to interpellate Playboy men as socially conscious citizens and to circulate gendered discourses concerning taste and mass culture. This project relies on the analysis of over 228 issues of Playboy plus the analysis of women’s, home, and other magazines; archival documents; episodes of Playboy’s Penthouse and Playboy After Dark; and other primary and secondary sources. I take a grounded theory approach to my analysis, utilizing the constant comparative method to draw out and make connections between themes as they emerge. This approach enabled me to develop a deep understanding of the image Playboy created for itself and how this image is related to other white middle class masculinities, femininity, heterosexuality, notions of taste, consumer goods, leisure competence, and socioeconomic class. The chapters are arranged thematically and examine and historically situate Playboy masculinity, the role of architecture and design in the Playboy lifestyle, the gendering of home entertainment technologies, and the role of popular music in reinforcing Playboy masculinity and establishing the Playboy man as socially conscious. Through this analysis, I reveal Playboy’s interventions into mid-twentieth century debates about mass culture, demonstrating how Playboy distanced itself from the low culture of a girlie magazine by arguing that women and undesirable men had the lowest tastes. I argue against the idea that Playboy merely masculinized consumption and demonstrate Playboy’s advocacy for consumption as a performative act that produces gender and other aspects of one’s social location.PhDCommunication StudiesUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/120874/1/bmonique_1.pd

Death and the Migrant

This book is available as open access through the Bloomsbury Open Access programme and is available on www.bloomsburycollections.com. Death and the Migrant is a sociological account of transnational dying and care in British cities. It chronicles two decades of the ageing and dying of the UK’s cohort of post-war migrants, as well as more recent arrivals. Chapters of oral history and close ethnographic observation, enriched by photographs, take the reader into the submerged worlds of end-of-life care in hospices, hospitals and homes. While honouring singular lives and storytelling, Death and the Migrant explores the social, economic and cultural landscapes that surround the migrant deathbed in the twenty-first century. Here, everyday challenges - the struggle to belong, relieve pain, love well, and maintain dignity and faith – provide a fresh perspective on concerns and debates about the vulnerability of the body, transnationalism, care and hospitality. Blending narrative accounts from dying people and care professionals with insights from philosophy and feminist and critical race scholars, Yasmin Gunaratnam shows how the care of vulnerable strangers tests the substance of a community. From a radical new interpretation of the history of the contemporary hospice movement and its ‘total pain’ approach, to the charting of the global care chain and the affective and sensual demands of intercultural care, Gunaratnam offers a unique perspective on how migration endows and replenishes national cultures and care. Far from being a marginal concern, Death and the Migrant shows that transnational dying is very much a predicament of our time, raising questions and concerns that are relevant to all of us

LOW-RESOLUTION CUSTOMIZABLE UBIQUITOUS DISPLAYS

In a conventional display, pixels are constrained within the rectangular or circular boundaries of the device. This thesis explores moving pixels from a screen into the surrounding environment to form ubiquitous displays. The surrounding environment can include a human, walls, ceiling, and floor. To achieve this goal, we explore the idea of customizable displays: displays that can be customized in terms of shapes, sizes, resolutions, and locations to fit into the existing infrastructure. These displays require pixels that can easily combine to create different display layouts and provide installation flexibility. To build highly customizable displays, we need to design pixels with a higher level of independence in its operation. This thesis shows different display designs that use pixels with pixel independence ranging from low to high. Firstly, we explore integrating pixels into clothing using battery-powered tethered LEDs to shine information through pockets. Secondly, to enable integrating pixels into the architectural surroundings, we explore using battery-powered untethered pixels that allow building displays of different shapes and sizes on a desired surface. The display can show images and animations on the custom display configuration. Thirdly, we explore the design of a solar-powered independent pixel that can integrate into walls or construction materials to form a display. These pixels overcome the need to recharge them explicitly. Lastly, we explore the design of a mechanical pixel element that can be embedded into construction material to form display panels. The information on these displays is updated manually when a user brushes over the pixels. Our work takes a step forward in designing pixels with higher operation independence to envision a future of displays anywhere and everywhere