Designing for Embodied and Rich Interaction in Home IoT

Internet of things (IoT) artifacts form systems where touchscreen and speech interaction is the norm. As IoT systems are inherently open (artifacts can be added or removed, software can be updated), we observe that the natural state of an IoT system is changed, “growth.” This chapter describes a designerly experiment exploring how to design for embodied and rich interaction in these “growing” IoT systems. We present four design cases showcasing four approaches to the design challenge: a hybrid, a modular, a shape changing, and a service approach. We describe and appraise the four approaches and discuss insights from the designerly experiment. We conclude that it is indeed possible to design for embodied and rich interaction in “growing” IoT systems and see our work as a first step toward diversifying IoT interaction styles

Tangible user interfaces : past, present and future directions

In the last two decades, Tangible User Interfaces (TUIs) have emerged as a new interface type that interlinks the digital and physical worlds. Drawing upon users' knowledge and skills of interaction with the real non-digital world, TUIs show a potential to enhance the way in which people interact with and leverage digital information. However, TUI research is still in its infancy and extensive research is required in or- der to fully understand the implications of tangible user interfaces, to develop technologies that further bridge the digital and the physical, and to guide TUI design with empirical knowledge. This paper examines the existing body of work on Tangible User In- terfaces. We start by sketching the history of tangible user interfaces, examining the intellectual origins of this field. We then present TUIs in a broader context, survey application domains, and review frame- works and taxonomies. We also discuss conceptual foundations of TUIs including perspectives from cognitive sciences, phycology, and philoso- phy. Methods and technologies for designing, building, and evaluating TUIs are also addressed. Finally, we discuss the strengths and limita- tions of TUIs and chart directions for future research

General Conceptual Framework of Future Wearables in Healthcare: Unified, Unique, Ubiquitous, and Unobtrusive (U4) for Customized Quantified Output

We concentrate on the importance and future conceptual development of wearable devices as the major means of personalized healthcare. We discuss and address the role of wearables in the new era of healthcare in proactive medicine. This work addresses the behavioral, environmental, physiological, and psychological parameters as the most effective domains in personalized healthcare, and the wearables are categorized according to the range of measurements. The importance of multi-parameter, multi-domain monitoring and the respective interactions are further discussed and the generation of wearables based on the number of monitoring area(s) is consequently formulated

Smart Solutions, “Smart Aesthetics”?

Smartness is generating several new contentions in terms of pragmatic aesthetics and interaction design, stimulating a debate on how design and advanced technologies can impact on reshaping human lives and behaviors. Many issues are currently arising not just in relation to the appearance of smart objects or spaces, but also in terms of relational communication, pleasurable experiences, and perception. It’s time to think of what will rule the aesthetic of this new artificial. Thanks to tangible examples of smart furniture, including prototypes and concepts at a very experimental stage, the analysis will help to zoom on Next Design Aesthetics, also based on the methodologies applied while delivering a course on Smart Solutions for domestic environments within a Design School. However, the chosen examples will support our assumptions, clarifying how technology should be increasingly integrated in the contemporary lifestyle, though never overhanging human nature

A virtual musical instrument exhibit for a science centre.

Virtual reality is a technology rapidly gaining interest from research and commercial groups around the world, but it's introduction into New Zealand has been slow. The majority of the general public have no concept of virtual reality, and only a few research institutes have begun virtual reality programmes of any sort. Partially this is due to the high cost of 'off the shelf' virtual reality systems, which is usually beyond the range of many organisations. Also the complexity of the software and the knowledge required to create and manipulate this software makes it a daunting prospect for many. This work describes the development of an economical system for the demonstration of virtual reality and some of its concepts and applications to the general public, in the form of an educational science centre exhibit. The system creates virtual musical instruments, overlayed onto the real world, and the user experiences these instruments as if they were in physical existence

Learning differences & digital equity in the classroom

This chapter addresses digital equity in the classroom for students with learning differences, as well as the role of technology in the provision of equitable education for the full diversity of students. The chapter discusses the evolving opportunities and challenges that information technology in the classroom presents to students with learning differences and their teachers. To meaningfully understand this topic requires an understanding of the complex context, the forces at play, and their relation to students with learning differences. Among the forces at play are policies, regulations, the accessibility movement, technical trends, instructional design strategies, educational publishing, open educational resources, pedagogical trends, quality control approaches in education, and governance of formal education. The chapter highlights the benefits to all students of designing the classroom experience for students with learning differences

Gesture based persuasive interfaces for public ambient displays

Dissertação de Mestrado em Engenharia Informática 2º Semestre, 2011/2012This Master thesis studies how Public Ambient Displays (PAD) can be used as a tool to achieve behaviour change, through persuasive technology. In order to reach the goals of the thesis, an interactive public ambient display system called Motion-based Ambient Interactive Display (MAID) was developed. MAID is driven to motivate behaviour changes regarding domestic energy consumption, through a persuasive game interface based on gesture recognition technology. The developed prototype guides players through the different rooms of a house, where they have to find out what is wrong and practice the correct actions to save energy, using similar gestures to the ones they would use in real life to achieve the same goals. The system provides feedback regarding the consequences of each action, in order to make users aware of the consequences of their actions. The implementation of MAID is based on a purpose built, highly configurable and modular framework. It allows the administrator to fine tune and tweak the application to the necessities of the setup location constraints, by adjusting basic display properties, change image content or even modify the scripted gameplay itself. The scripted game system is flexible enough to allow the repurposing of the framework, beyond the previously defined theme, for future studies. The MAID was subjected to user testing, in order to show that it is possible to create a persuasive PAD interface, using seamless interaction methods, with the currently available technology, and use it to spread awareness of a cause, leading to behaviour change.Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia - project DEAP (PTDC/AAC-AMB/104834/2008); CITI/DI/FCT/UNL (PEst-OE/EEI/UI0527/201

Include 2011 : The role of inclusive design in making social innovation happen.

Include is the biennial conference held at the RCA and hosted by the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design. The event is directed by Jo-Anne Bichard and attracts an international delegation

Networks of Liveness in Singer-Songwriting: A practice-based enquiry into developing audio-visual interactive systems and creative strategies for composition and performance.

This enquiry explores the creation and use of computer-based, real-time interactive audio-visual systems for the composition and performance of popular music by solo artists. Using a practice-based methodology, research questions are identified that relate to the impact of incorporating interactive systems into the songwriting process and the liveness of the performances with them. Four approaches to the creation of interactive systems are identified: creating explorative-generative tools, multiple tools for guitar/vocal pieces, typing systems and audio-visual metaphors. A portfolio of ten pieces that use these approaches was developed for live performance. A model of the songwriting process is presented that incorporates system-building and strategies are identified for reconciling the indeterminate, electronic audio output of the system with composed popular music features and instrumental/vocal output. The four system approaches and ten pieces are compared in terms of four aspects of liveness, derived from current theories. It was found that, in terms of overall liveness, a unity to system design facilitated both technological and aesthetic connections between the composition, the system processes and the audio and visual outputs. However, there was considerable variation between the four system approaches in terms of the different aspects of liveness. The enquiry concludes by identifying strategies for maximising liveness in the different system approaches and discussing the connections between liveness and the songwriting process