The Future Way of Connecting People : ‘Loops of Faith’

‘Loops of Faith’, by Rahul Sen, Helsinki

taken from "http://www.yankodesign.com/2008/12/15/electronic-prayer-bracelets-tie-us-close/"

taken from "http://www.yankodesign.com/2008/12/15/electronic-prayer-bracelets-tie-us-close/"

taken from "http://www.yankodesign.com/2008/12/15/electronic-prayer-bracelets-tie-us-close/"

‘Loops of Faith’ is a future concept which connects families, friends and loved ones to each other using a system of bracelets and prayer wheels. It is based off the aesthetic of Buddhist prayer wheels and seeks to merge this traditional idea with that of modern mobile phones to make his design accessible in unlikely regions.

The inspiration for such a project was sought from customs and rituals prevalent in India, China and other parts of the ‘developing’ World as ubiquitous and ancient acts of Faith.

The aim of this concept was to demonstrate that rituals, ceremonies and traditions of connectivity were still vital seeds for creating communication platforms for future generations.

‘Loops of Faith’ is constructed of a foam bracelet and OLED screen for control and user manipulation. The designer has played off the idea of a prayer wheel to create a deeper level of intimacy between phone users, linking device to device via a sort of ‘friendship bracelet’ system.

This concept is good in the way that it would serve the needs of millions of digitally illiterate people all over the World who have little faith in technology and also bridge the gap between technophobic cultures and modern communication devices using the power of religious symbolism. The ease of use of this “substitute”  for mobile devices highlight to us the possible mediums that can be used in the future to connect with each other so as to gather a larger number of participation around the world.

More on the idea at —>http://www.slideshare.net/rahulsen79/loops-of-faith

Not Your Usual Interfaces : Flicflex

FlicFlex, by Chris Woebken, 2005, The Museum of Modern Art

taken from “http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-84bdQhoas”

taken from "http://www.woebken.net/flicflex.html"

taken from "http://www.woebken.net/flicflex.html"

taken from "http://www.woebken.net/flicflex.html"

“It is a prototype to view and manage a photo album in an easy and convenient way through the gestures that are carry out on the display. Instead of using traditional commands on the computer like ‘crop’, ‘rotate’ or ‘next the digital paper reacts to traditional (physical) gestures like; flipping and bending for example. This makes browsing and editing such an album more pleasurable and natural.”

It explores the possibilities of future flexible electronic interfaces that could emerge within digital products and do so by minimizing the graphical interface and embodying gestural interfaces. This concept fully underlines the simplicity and improvement in convenience in future interactivities by retaining the actions that we take to browse through the photos traditionally but with the addition of the numerous ways we can do with the photos.

Exploration of Digital Tangible Reading – Vitamin B

Vitamin B, by Jannes Peters & Rahul Sen, 2005, Umea Institute of Design, Sweden

taken from “http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpM2HwthKxM”

“This concept aimed to create a suitably thought-provoking ‘experience prototype’ to demonstrate scenarios for book-reading in a digital environment. Vitamin B attempts to transform the notion of ‘form’ and ‘interaction’ in a book and in a library by bringing the experience to the table instead of an old ‘dusty’ building.

The prototype aimed to combine the dynamism and flexibility of a digital document (e.g. a pdf file or quick-time movies) with the joy of reading a real book and demonstrates the experience of reading a book in which pictures can actually come alive, stories can be read, listened to, copied, pasted etc.

The aim was to provide a tangible tool to visualize scenarios which would broaden definitions of stories, books, libraries and reading in our lives.”

This experiment demonstrate a possible scenario for tomorrow’s readers whereby the physical book are replaced by the “digital” book. The mere idea of challenging the ‘form of a book’ is something that would have been inconceivable until some time for traditional book-ethusiasts but this digital format of reading books will more or less be a great step in changing the way we read books.

Motion to Music : Audiopad

Audiopad, by James Patten and Ben Recht, Barcelona, Spain

Video take from “http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Te2FuvkfS9g”

taken from "http://www.pattenstudio.com/projects/audiopad/"

taken from "http://www.pattenstudio.com/projects/audiopad/"

taken from "http://www.pattenstudio.com/projects/audiopad/"

“Audiopad is a multi touch screen that tracks the positions of objects on its tabletop surface and converts their motion into music. On the touch screen, different parameters can be controlled be by dragging and resizing which directly influence the music you hear.

The Audiopad gives a much clearer visual feedback on the touch screen compared to traditional DJ sets and mixers in which feedback is purely based on led lights that are switch on and off.

The main aim is to makes mixing or creating music a lot more intuitive as the user don’t only have audible feedback but also visual feedback.

Audiopad not only allows for spontaneous reinterpretation of musical compositions, but also creates a visual and tactile dialogue between itself, the performer, and the audience.”

This concept is a good example of “reusing” the current existing platforms(DJ Mixers) and “redesigning” the way us human beings interact with this instrument. It lead us to the numerous possibilities when we are using electronic device and also provide us with a more better route of receiving clearer feedback which in turn reduce the “stumbling blocks” that we might face along the whole interacting process.

Mp3 in a Different Way : MusicCube

MusicCube, prototype by Miguel Bruns Alonso, 2004

taken from “http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGzKy2RlbqA”

MusicCube is an expressive tangible interface for controling the Mp3 playlists remotely.It is without display or buttons and are operated by rotating, shaking or pushing the cube together.

MusicCube communicates wirelessly with the host computer and controls music reproduction software. Playlists are recognized by the colors of the MusicCube, and a different color can be assigned to each side of the player.

The voice from the player serves as an assistance to inform the user about which music or playlist they are listening to, it also provides feedback on actions carried out.

The Intriguing Case of Human Identity – Chameleo

Chameleo, by Rahul Sen, Seattle

taken from "http://transforms.tumblr.com/post/355523699/chameleo-by-rahul-sen-the-intriguing-case-of"

taken from "http://www2.dh.umu.se/degree2009/app/webroot/img/data/80/main/poster_img.001.jpg"

Chameleo is a service that helps manage our digital identity in an age when we are constantly creating and sharing content in order to stay visible. It would exist a few years in the future on much more advanced versions of our mobile devices.

This future concept was inspired by recent occurrences in Social Networking and newer social media tools. This project examined their deep impacts on our identity. Today, we are rapidly entering an era when mediated information is a constant stream and we are compulsive contributors. More aspects of our life are shifting ‘Cloudward’, and with the dawn of ubiquitous computing – The Cloud is coming down to Earth. Identity as a result is becoming ever more short-lived and difficult to manage.

The service would basically observe and learn behavioral patterns, preferences and personal data history in dealing with our multiple online identities and help us manage the way our identity was molded based on location, time, proximity and place.

More on Chameleo at http://www.slideshare.net/rahulsen79/chameleo-the-intriguing-case-of-human-identity

This concept which will be greatly utilized when it is released as the use of Social Networking tools are increasing and all the “clicks” and “drags” will be largely reduced if this service is taking over the task of helping us managing multiple accounts and this will eventually “open” more people to Social Networking.

Apple Remote but not by Apple : Sony Remote Control

Sony Remote Control, by Jason Roebuck, 2008, United Kingdom

taken from "http://www.yankodesign.com/2007/12/05/apple-remote-but-not-by-apple/"

taken from "http://www.yankodesign.com/2007/12/05/apple-remote-but-not-by-apple/"

taken from "http://www.yankodesign.com/2007/12/05/apple-remote-but-not-by-apple/"

taken from "http://www.yankodesign.com/2007/12/05/apple-remote-but-not-by-apple/"

What is it about?…

The concept is a bowl that has several apples; one for each family member. With the apple, the user can operate the television with gestures. The physical movement with the apple operates the television, for example, by swaying the apple to the right, the user can increase the volume for instance. Once the apples are placed on the bowl they are being recharged again, probably through induction.

My thoughts…

Good…

It is good in the way that the user can operate the television in a more fun and less boring manner compared to using a usual rectangular-shaped remote control. This idea is a useful replacement for the normal buttons that we have to press on the usual remote control; we normally face problems when using the normal remote control as we will always need to look at the remote control and sometimes tend to press the wrong button accidentally. Therefore, this concept serves as a solution to this problem, whereby we can simply sway the apple to operate the televsion although sometimes we will forget a particular gesture to operate a certain television function.

The outstanding visual and physical look of this particular remote control also prevents people from overlooking it and the situation in which “one person owns an Apple” allows more than one user around the house to control the television set. By allowing own programming of gestures to control functions of the television, it also give the user their own preferred choice of how they want the television’s functions to be controlled by what motion movements of the remote control in their hands.

Bad…

As what I mentioned above, the user might sometimes forget what motion gestures will lead to what television functions and the whole process of interacting with the television will be delayed. Unless a manual is always on hand to remind the user of what gestures operate what functions, they will rather use back the normal remote control which has a clear affordance(symbols and labels).

It will also be a problem if a guest in the house who have no prior experience in interacting with the “Apple” do not know how to operate the television as they will not know what functions can be activated with gesture movements. Since all the “Apples” around the house are all customised according to each member of the household, the guest will have no say on the television preferences he/she want and it would be ridiculous for him/her to get hold of one new “Apple” and program his/her own functions or even learn the gesture motions from one of the household members.

What I think can be improved…

A updated manual can be generated on somewhere according to the new programmed motions so as to prevent confusion from the user and there can be one added “neutral apple” which holds all the default gestures and the default manual so a guest in the house can operate the television at ease.

Another possiblity is to just keep to one “Apple” per television set, as there might be a possiblity where members of the household face will “clash” in operating the television. For example, member A might be watching his favourite tv program while member B want to watch another program, so he/she sways the “Apple” on his/her hand to switch to the channel he/she wants without the permission of member A.

Conclusion…

I think that this Apple Remote is a very good demonstration of how future interactive medias could be implemented in current electronical devices. There is also a possiblity where the new designed remote control will reduce the problems we faced sometimes in using the normal remote control. The convenience in controlling a television set are further increase through the using of modern interactions that would soon serve as a great help in our daily life.

A Phone of The Future : Nokia 888 Concept

Nokia 888 Concept, by Tamer Nakisci, 2007, Istanbul

taken from "http://www.nokia888.com/"

taken from "http://www.nokia888.com/"

taken from "http://www.nokia888.com/"

taken from "http://www.nokia888.com/"

taken from "http://www.nokia888.com/"

A brief introduction…

The concept is a phone that can be bend in any shape the user wants.This allows it to be carried wherever the user want; around the wrist,in the chest pocket or in the bag.

By sending each other messages that contain emotions, the phone canchange its shape to fit the message. It can for example change its shapeto a heart when someone sends his love towards the person with the phone.

My thoughts…

Good…

I think by sending messages to each other in the form of changing shapes, this phone adds a certain level of element of surprise towards both the parties. This added function allows user to talk without words, and so it is especially useful when people want to communicate to each other but do not know how to express out themselves verbally.

Also, it is good in the way that it allows people to personalize their own forms for the phone and record them. For example, if a person have set his/her phone in silent mode, he/she might not be able to notice the phone ringing, so he/she can choose to set the phone to change to a very obvious particular form so as to allow himself/herself to notice the phone ringing easily. By letting the user to determine his/her phone’s form, it fits the user according to the best way he/she wants the phone’s shape to change to.

Lastly, the emotions that the user want to express to another person will be particularly visually pleasing and attractive compared to just speaking over the phone with a tone that might not be so well understood. This idea is good that it make use of both the sense of sight and hear to receive the feedback(the changing form) on the phone.

Bad…

This concept is not so good in the sense that people might abuse theunique feature that it has and record offensive shapes to represent acertain provoking message. The simple form of this phone makes itparticular easy for people to change the phone’s form to something thatis visually unpleasant, so it might not be good to a certain extent forpeople to change the phone’s shape at will.

What I think can be improved…

The phone is designed in the way that it is flexible and can be bend or roll, but the size is more or less being restricted to the original dimensions of this phone model. So, the future phones can be designed in a more flexible way(e.g. able to deform the phone’s shape). In this case, the overall size of the phone can be able to extend to a larger one to accomodate more interfaces and also the phone’s form can then be changed to a wider variety.

Video taken from “http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3dF44XtHek”

What others thought of it…

User Anna commented : “Ok everyone goes wow and woes, but we never know how good it will be, they always say(never judge the book by its cover)so lets wait and see.it looks very good and clever, but you never know guyz….lets keep our fingers crosssed….i really really hope that it will turn out to be perfct,coz it will be the answer to our prayers for a perfect cel-phone.”

User Kahoneez commented : “This is an awesome design, for the first fact it does something no other cell can do. It can bend and turn into various shapes and forms, which is obviously serving it’s functional requirements and size is everything, meaning small or thin is IN. I would like to see a variety of colors, that would make interest even greater and maybe some type of ART work and if I see the pic correctly, it looks as if it is wrapping around a wrist, which is absolutely amazing as it will serve as a great functional feature, with the addition of more of an ARTISTIC outside, maybe a CAMO look, Flowers, this is really going to catch the eye of many people. In my opinion this cell has great potential to make the designer some serious denero.”

User Thakshila Ranaweera commented : “This device will revolutionalise the mobile technology. The Future is here. Its interesting to see at what sort of a price it will be when launched, only time will tell.”

Conclusion…

This Nokia 888 is a very visually appealing device that represent the generation of phones of the modern era and it highlight a number of new and interesting possible ways that us, human beings interact between one and another in the future. I think that the best feature of the phone is that it allow people to control the form instead of letting the form to be “dead” and “still” and we have no control or whatsoever to represent a form to a phone’s function(e.g. a half-curled shape to represent a picked-up call).

Week 5 Practical : Interviews and Surveys

B User Requirement Gathering Methods

Part III – Survey Analysis (Steps and Answers below)

1. a) 2,2,2,2

Median…
Arrange the numbers in ascending order = 2,2,2,2
Middle Numbers = 2 and 2
Therefore, median = (2+2)/2 = 2

Mean = Sum of all the numbers in the dataset/count = (2+2+2+2)/4 = 2

Standard deviation of the mean…
Mean = 2
Deviation of each number from the mean,
2-2 = 0
2-2 = 0
2-2 = 0
2-2 = 0
Square of every deviations,
0×0 = 0
0×0 = 0
0×0 = 0
0×0 = 0
Mean of squared deviations,
(0+0+0+0)/4 = 0
Square root of the quotient,
√0 = 0
Therefore, standard deviation = 0

b) 0.67, 1.03, -0.38, -0.75, 0.79, -0.13, 1.57, -1.78, -0.58, -1.43

Median…

Arrange the numbers in ascending order = -1.78, -1.43, -0.75, -0.58, -0.38, -0.13, 0.67, 0.79, 1.03, 1.57
Middle Numbers = -0.38 and -0.13
Therefore, median = (-0.38)+(-0.13)/2 = -0.255

Mean = Sum of all the numbers in the dataset/count = [(-1.78)+(-1.43)+(-0.75)+(-0.58)+(-0.38)+(-0.13)+(0.67)+(0.79)+(1.03)+(1.57)]/10 = -0.099

Standard deviation of the mean…
Mean = -0.099
Deviation of each number from the mean,
(-1.78)-(-0.099) = -1.681
(-1.43)-(-0.099) = -1.331
(-0.75)-(-0.099) = -0.651
(-0.58)-(-0.099) = -0.481
(-0.38)-(-0.099) = -0.281
(-0.13)-(-0.099) = -0.031
(0.67)-(-0.099) = 0.769
(0.79)-(-0.099) = 0.889
(1.03)-(-0.099) = 1.129
(1.57)-(-0.099) = 1.669
Square of every deviations,
-1.681x-1.681 = 2.826(rounded off)
-1.331x-1.331 = 1.772(rounded off)
-0.651x-0.651 = 0.424(rounded off)
-0.481x-0.481 = 0.231(rounded off)
-0.281x-0.281 = 0.079(rounded off)
-0.031x-0.031 = 0.001(rounded off)
0.769×0.769 = 0.591(rounded off)
0.889×0.889 = 0.790(rounded off)
1.129×1.129 = 1.275(rounded off)
1.669×1.669 = 2.786(rounded off)
Mean of squared deviations,
(2.826+1.772+0.424+0.231+0.079+0.001+0.591+0.790+1.275+2.786)/10 = 1.078(rounded off)
Square root of the quotient,
√1.078 = 1.038(rounded off)
Therefore, standard deviation = 1.038(rounded off)

c) 4.7, 11, 0.42, 0.18, 6.2, 0.74, 38, 0.016, 0.26, 0.037

Median…
Arrange the numbers in ascending order = 0.016, 0.037, 0.18, 0.26, 0.42, 0.74, 4.7, 6.2, 11, 38
Middle Numbers = 0.42 and 0.74
Therefore, median = (0.42+0.74)/2 = 0.58

Mean = Sum of all the numbers in the dataset/count =(0.016+0.037+0.18+0.26+0.42+0.74+4.7+6.2+11+38)/10 = 6.155(rounded off)

Standard deviation of the mean…
Mean = 6.155(rounded off)
Deviation of each number from the mean,
0.016-6.155 = -6.139(rounded off)
0.037-6.155 = -6.118(rounded off)
0.18-6.155 = -5.975(rounded off)
0.26-6.155 = -5.895(rounded off)
0.42-6.155 = -5.735(rounded off)
0.74-6.155 = -5.415(rounded off)
4.7-6.155 = -1.455(rounded off)
6.2-6.155 = 0.045(rounded off)
11-6.155 = 4.845(rounded off)
38-6.155 = 31.845(rounded off)
Square of every deviations,
-6.139x-6.139 = 37.687(rounded off)
-6.118x-6.118 = 37.430(rounded off)
-5.975x-5.975 = 35.701(rounded off)
-5.895x-5.895 = 34.751(rounded off)
-5.735x-5.735 = 32.890(rounded off)
-5.415x-5.415 = 29.322(rounded off)
-1.455x-1.455 = 2.117(rounded off)
0.045×0.045 = 0.002(rounded off)
4.845×4.845 = 23.474(rounded off)
31.845×31.845 = 1014.104(rounded off)
Mean of squared deviations,
(37.687+37.430+35.701+34.751+32.890+29.322+2.117+0.002+23.474+1014.104)/10 = 124.748(rounded off)
Square root of the quotient,
√124.748 = 11.169(rounded off)
Therefore, standard deviation = 11.169(rounded off)

Part I – Conducting an Interview (Jackson’s Blog)
Part II – Preparing a Survey (Thomas’s Blog)

Assignment 2 Part I Update (Idea Generation)

Our group kick start our Assignment 2 by listing down  a few possible problems faced by ourselves in public that we think can be classified under our chosen theme, “Public Expressions”…

So, public expressions for us, = the act of showing what your thoughts or feelings are but not by shouting them out loud.

Then in what we could we show our thoughts or feelings???
We could show our thoughts or feelings through other mediums.

Listed below are some of the problems:

1.People urinating in the lifts. They dirtied the lift and leave a foul smell. This problem could not solved largely as tv monitors, cameras still does not deter these people to continue to urinate.

2.Noise in public housing affecting the households living upstairs or downstairs, especially along the toilet areas.

3.Smell spreading across every households due to the near distance between each units.

4.Litters are stucked in the gaps between the public transport’s seat.

5.There are still people who smoked within the restricted areas of dining areas despite a smoking boundary have been drawn for them.

6.People tearing out pages that they felt are important from books loaned from the library or scribbling over the pages.

7.People who do not have their money ready when they are queuing to pay. They end up holding up the queue by having to dig into their purse for change.

8.Jaywalking/dirtying of public places with dogs’ poos are still largely carried out  despite fines and punishments are carried out.

We are still pushing on to the few final chosen problems and also taking note of further factors that we have to consider in our final prototype. But in the meantime, No. 5 and 8 interests us and we felt that they might have the potential for us to develop further.