This week’s reading advocates for a more holistic approach to interaction design, one that fully engages human capabilities. The author criticizes current interfaces (i.e., touchscreens) for ignoring the full range of human hand functions—particularly our ability to feel textures and manipulate objects. Victor’s criticism of using just one finger made me wonder: if we could accomplish so much with just one finger, how many more opportunities might arise if we used our entire body? However, this also makes me that there is some level of bias because the author formerly worked in interaction design, I wonder if their strong opinions are a result of this experience.
Although I agree with the author’s perception that we can accomplish more with the use of our hands, what about the people who aren’t able to use them? “Picture under glass” is far more accessible than previous interactive designs since it makes use of touch and drag, which is perhaps one of the simplest human movements.
Furthermore, although more natural behaviors like grabbing and throwing are being incorporated into virtual reality systems, these systems are still mostly dependent on visual inputs and are unable to provide true haptic feedback due to limitations in existing technology. This makes me wonder what are innovative ways that technology can simulate these experiences without reverting to traditional physical forms?