Reading these back-to-back was honestly a bit of a reality check. I went into the “Greatest Hits” list thinking I might find some cool, niche ideas to borrow, but instead I realized that almost every “original” thought I’ve had as a beginner like: digital mirrors, the MIDI gloves is already something established. It’s a bit humbling but I really liked the author’s idea that it’s not about being the first person to use a sensor, it’s about what you actually do with it after the “wow” effect of the tech wears off.
It made me rethink my own process. Because just because I can make someone wave their hand to trigger a sound doesn’t mean it’s meaningful. If the physical action doesn’t match the emotion of the piece it just feels like a tech demo than art.
In the second reading, I loved the actor/director analogy. You don’t tell an actor exactly how to feel, you give them the props, the lighting, and the space, and let them find the emotion themselves. Our job in physical computing is basically to be the stage manager. Also, what thing that really stood out to me was that I usually see someone using the data wrong as a failure on my part, but now I’m trying to see it as a conversation. If they’re confused, that’s not really a bug, it’s actually a reflection of the design which is extremely helpful.