Design for Tangible, Embedded and Networked Technologies

       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Feel it! See it! Hear it! Probing Tangible Interaction and Data Representational Modality 

Trevor Hogan, Eva Hornecker 

Bauhaus-Universität Weimar (2) 

trevor.hogan@cit.ie

Keywords: Tangible Interface, Representation Modality, Indoor Air Quality, User Experience

Abstract

In this paper we present the design, implementation and evaluation of three tangible devices that measure and represent indoor air quality through different modalities. The motivation for creating these devices is twofold. First, we are interested in exploring how tangible interaction, combined with different representational modalities, affects the way people perceive data. At the same time, we aim to provide people with a novel interface that makes them aware of ambient indoor air quality. To achieve this, the approach we take is to create, what we term design probes: three objects that possess similar design features but differ in one aspect (here: representational modality). We discuss the design rationale and technical implementation of these devices and follow by describing a deployment study conducted to explore their use in real environments. Based on the results of this study we divide our discussion into three parts: Social Aspects, Personal Space and Subtle Changes. We conclude by presenting future research plans that aims to probe deeper into how representational modality affects people’s experience of data.

This paper is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International licence.

download the paper (PDF)

Cite this paper: Hogan, T., Hornecker, E. (2016). Feel it! See it! Hear it! Probing Tangible Interaction and Data Representational Modality. Proceedings of DRS 2016, Design Research Society 50th Anniversary Conference. Brighton, UK, 27–30 June 2016.

This paper will be presented at DRS2016, find it in the conference programme


Take part in the discussion: Your comments