Using Design Fiction to Inform Shape-Changing Interface Design and Use

Shape-changing interfaces are tangible, physically dynamic devices which enable user-experience beyond 2D screens. Within Human Computer Interaction, researchers are developing these from low-resolution, low-fidelity prototypes, toward a vision of a truly malleable world. The main focus is in producing and testing hardware, and basic user interactions, which leaves the question unanswered: what are shape-changing interfaces good for? In response, we propose the use of design fiction to investigate potential applications for this technology: to create and analyse artifacts relating to future use-scenarios for shape-change. Whilst research within shape-change often proposes future use-cases for prototypes during discussion, they are seldom in a form that presents them as everyday artifacts. Here, we present and discuss a printed game-play instruction manual for a truly high resolution shape-changing game entitled First Hand, which aims to draw parallels between current gaming practices and the tangible nature of shape-changing interfaces

Using Design Fiction to Inform Shape-Changing Interface Design and Use

Shape-changing interfaces are tangible, physically dynamic devices which enable user-experience beyond 2D screens. Within Human Computer Interaction, researchers are developing these from low-resolution, low-fidelity prototypes, toward a vision of a truly malleable world. The main focus is in producing and testing hardware, and basic user interactions, which leaves the question unanswered: what are shape-changing interfaces good for? In response, we propose the use of design fiction to investigate potential applications for this technology: to create and analyse artifacts relating to future use-scenarios for shape-change. Whilst research within shape-change often proposes future use-cases for prototypes during discussion, they are seldom in a form that presents them as everyday artifacts. Here, we present and discuss a printed game-play instruction manual for a truly high resolution shape-changing game entitled First Hand, which aims to draw parallels between current gaming practices and the tangible nature of shape-changing interfaces

Using Design Fiction to Inform Shape-Changing Interface Design and Use

Shape-changing interfaces are tangible, physically dynamic devices which enable user-experience beyond 2D screens. Within Human Computer Interaction, researchers are developing these from low-resolution, low-fidelity prototypes, toward a vision of a truly malleable world. The main focus is in producing and testing hardware, and basic user interactions, which leaves the question unanswered: what are shape-changing interfaces good for? In response, we propose the use of design fiction to investigate potential applications for this technology: to create and analyse artifacts relating to future use-scenarios for shape-change. Whilst research within shape-change often proposes future use-cases for prototypes during discussion, they are seldom in a form that presents them as everyday artifacts. Here, we present and discuss a printed game-play instruction manual for a truly high resolution shape-changing game entitled First Hand, which aims to draw parallels between current gaming practices and the tangible nature of shape-changing interfaces

Analysis and Classification of Shape-Changing Interfaces for Design and Application-based Research

Shape-changing interfaces are physically tangible, interactive devices, surfaces, or spaces that allow for rich, organic, and novel experiences with computational devices. Over the last 15 years, research has produced functional prototypes over many use applications; reviews have identified themes and possible future directions but have not yet looked at possible design or application-based research. Here, we gather this information together to provide a reference for designers and researchers wishing to build upon existing prototyping work, using synthesis and discussion of existing shape-changing interface reviews and comprehensive analysis and classification of 84 shape-changing interfaces. Eight categories of prototype are identified alongside recommendations for the field

MistForm: adaptive shape changing fog screens

We present MistForm, a shape changing fog display that can support one or two users interacting with either 2D or 3D content. Mistform combines affordances from both shape changing interfaces and mid-air displays. For example, a concave display can maintain content in comfortable reach for a single user, while a convex shape can support several users engaged on individual tasks. MistForm also enables unique interaction possibilities by exploiting the synergies between shape changing interfaces and mid-air fog displays. For instance, moving the screen will affect the brightness and blurriness of the screen at specific locations around the display, creating spaces with similar (collaboration) or different visibility (personalized content). We describe the design of MistForm and analyse its inherent challenges, such as image distortion and uneven brightness on dynamic curved surfaces. We provide a machine learning approach to characterize the shape of the screen and a rendering algorithm to remove aberrations. We finally explore novel interactive possibilities and reflect on their potential and limitations

LineFORM: Actuated Curve Interfaces for Display, Interaction, and Constraint

In this paper we explore the design space of actuated curve interfaces, a novel class of shape changing-interfaces. Physical curves have several interesting characteristics from the perspective of interaction design: they have a variety of inherent affordances; they can easily represent abstract data; and they can act as constraints, boundaries, or borderlines. By utilizing such aspects of lines and curves, together with the added capability of shape-change, new possibilities for display, interaction and body constraint are possible. In order to investigate these possibilities we have implemented two actuated curve interfaces at different scales. LineFORM, our implementation, inspired by serpentine robotics, is comprised of a series chain of 1DOF servo motors with integrated sensors for direct manipulation. To motivate this work we present various applications such as shape changing cords, mobiles, body constraints, and data manipulation tools

Tilting\Plate and Bending\Arches: Shape-Changing Interfaces as Expressive Forms

How can designers gain a better sensibility for designing more sensory engaging and aesthetically pleasing objects as well as for the expressive richness and potentials of shape-change? The two exploratory prototypes, Tilting\Plate and Bending\Arches, investigate the visceral, aesthetic dimensions of shape-changing interfaces. While shape-change is currently receiving a lot of attention in Human–Computer Interaction (HCI) and interaction design, less attention has been given to the expressive qualities of such interfaces. The prototypes presented here focus on the immediate, aesthetic potentials of shape-change and illustrate the expressional diversity and richness of actuation. Aesthetic explorations can also help to identify radically new applicational uses of shape-change as a design modality.

LiftTiles: Constructive Building Blocks for Prototyping Room-scale Shape-changing Interfaces

Large-scale shape-changing interfaces have great potential, but creating such systems requires substantial time, cost, space, and efforts, which hinders the research community to explore interactions beyond the scale of human hands. We introduce modular inflatable actuators as building blocks for prototyping room-scale shape-changing interfaces. Each actuator can change its height from 15cm to 150cm, actuated and controlled by air pressure. Each unit is low-cost (8 USD), lightweight (10 kg), compact (15 cm), and robust, making it well-suited for prototyping room-scale shape transformations. Moreover, our modular and reconfigurable design allows researchers and designers to quickly construct different geometries and to explore various applications. This paper contributes to the design and implementation of highly extendable inflatable actuators, and demonstrates a range of scenarios that can leverage this modular building block.Comment: TEI 202

Grand Challenges in Shape-Changing Interface Research

Shape-changing interfaces have emerged as an new method for interacting with computers, using dynamic changes in a device’s physical shape for input and output. With the advances of research into shape-changing interfaces, we see a need to synthesize the main, open research questions. The purpose of this synthesis is to formulate common challenges across the diverse fields engaged in shape-change research, to facilitate progression from single prototypes and individual design explorations to grander scientific goals, and to draw attention to challenges that come with maturity, including those concerning ethics, theory-building, and societal impact. In this article we therefore present 12 grand challenges for research on shape-changing interfaces, derived from a three-day workshop with 25 shape-changing interface experts with backgrounds in design, computer science, human-computer interaction, engineering, robotics, and material science