Physical Computing’s Greatest Hits (and misses)
This reading made me realize that I have interacted with way more physical computing projects/products in my life than I initially realized. While reading each example the author gives, I began remembering different projects I have experienced or come across. I started reflecting on how these projects might have been implemented and how I can draw inspiration from them to build something new.
The reading mentions the Wii remote, specifically its tilty controlling abilities. This brought back some great memories for me as I grew up playing Wii. It specifically reminded me of Mario Kart, which relies on the tilting sensors of the remote to control the car.
The “multitouch interfaces” example reminded me of an interactive sand experience I saw in the Science Park in Spain.
The projected image on the sand changes based on the height of the sand in a certain area. For instance, if you create a mini sand hill, the projected image on that hill will be an island. In areas with less sand, they will show as surrounding sea water. The design changes as you change the sand. This got me thinking about its implementation. I predict it probably uses sensors from the top, which measure the distance between the sand and the sensor, to determine what should be displayed at that point. If the distance is shorter, then it shows the top of the island, and as the distance gets longer, it displays a transition from the top of the island into the ocean.
Making Interactive Art: Set the Stage, Then Shut Up and Listen
I found that this reading kind of goes hand-in-hand with a previous reading we did in the semester about good design being obvious. To be able to act on this readings advice and allow the users to take full control of their interaction with your work, you must have designed it to be self-explanatory. It would be difficult to throw someone into an interaction with no context on it and controls that are difficult to understand. Therefore, in order to allow people to fully immerse in your experience, as the reading suggests, it is crucial to ensure you have a good design.