“Physical Computing’s Greatest Hits (and Misses)” was like a fun tour through some of the most popular themes in interactive media projects and I appreciated how he didn’t just list the types of projects such as theremin-like instruments, drum gloves, tilty tables, video mirrors, etc. but really dug into why these ideas come up again and again.
What stood out to me most is how familiar many of these projects feel. Even if I haven’t built them myself, I’ve seen a lot of them or even thought about similar concepts. Igoe makes a great point that just because something’s been done before doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try your own take on it. There’s always room for originality in the way we approach or remix old ideas.
His section on LED fetishism was especially relatable and I feel like every beginner, including me, gets a little too excited about blinking lights. But even those simple projects can be meaningful with the right context.
I also liked his honesty about the limitations of certain projects. For example, waving over a sensor or watching yourself in a video mirror might be cool for a few seconds, but the interaction doesn’t always have depth. On the other hand, ideas like drum gloves or tilty controllers succeed because they connect more directly with natural, intuitive gestures.
Overall, Igoe’s piece made me think more critically about interaction design, not just what’s cool or visually interesting, but what’s actually meaningful to the person using it and I’m hoping that’s something I’ll carry into my own work.