Assignment 3: Reflections on Visions of Invisible Computing

Main Tenents: The Computer for the 21st Century

This article by Mark Weis discusses the desire for ubiquitous computing. He attempts to present a new way of thinking about computers and contextualizes his arguement by presenting an archetypal example of ubiquitous computing: writing. He claims that the disappearance of computers into the fabric of everyday life is a consequence of human psychology and to acheive that end development must focus on "embodied virtuality" - that is drawing computers out of their plastic shells. Rather than focusing on simulating the world, he advocates enhancing the world that already exists by strategically tucking functionality into preexisting common artifacts. He relates this concept to the changing implementation of motors in factories, then talks about a modern implementation in the tabs, pads and boards he built.

Main Tenents: Tangible Bits: Towards Seamless Interfaces Between People, Bits and Atoms

This article by Hiroshii Ishii and Brygg Ullmer discusses the importance of bridging the gaps between the physical world and cyber space, as well as the foreground and background of human activities. They advocate developing tools which capitalize on pre-existing artifacts and conventions as representations for the seamless interfacing between the physical and virtual realm. They discuss a number of case studies, including metaDESK, transBOARD, and ambientROOM, in which this concept was a design precept.

Comparison of Tangible Bits and Computer
Both articles fundamentally make recommendation for easing interactions with computers with the integration of familiar objects. Whereas Mark Weiser advocates familiar objects which are themselves computers, however, Hiroshii Ishii and Brygg Ullmer focus on using familiar objects and conventions for designing objects which interface between the virtual and physical world. Tangible Bits doesn't focus so much on making computers ubiquitous as it looks to capitalize on appropriate physical objects, intruments, surfaces and spaces for computational mediation.

Relevance to our project:

Davis Attract falls more in to the realm of capitalizing on familiar objects to ease interaction with the computer - the Microsoft Surface - as perscribed by Tangible Bits. We developed a set of objects which capitalize on certain familiar cultural artifacts (such as the tour guide holding up an identification wand for our tour object) and direct visual analogies (a printer for the print function) which help users anticipate their functionaliuty. They are intended to seemlessly integrate into the interaction with the computer by minimizing confusion on their functionality.