Abstract
In this paper we present the design, implementation and evaluation of three tangible devices that measure and represent indoor air quality through different modalities. The motivation for creating these devices is twofold. First, we are interested in exploring how tangible interaction, combined with different representational modalities, affects the way people perceive data. At the same time, we aim to provide people with a novel interface that makes them aware of ambient indoor air quality. To achieve this, the approach we take is to create, what we term design probes: three objects that possess similar design features but differ in one aspect (here: representational modality). We discuss the design rationale and technical implementation of these devices and follow by describing a deployment study conducted to explore their use in real environments. Based on the results of this study we divide our discussion into three parts: Social Aspects, Personal Space and Subtle Changes. We conclude by presenting future research plans that aims to probe deeper into how representational modality affects people’s experience of data.
Keywords
Tangible Interface, Representation Modality, Indoor Air Quality, User Experience
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2016.35
Citation
Hogan, T., and Hornecker, E. (2016) Feel it! See it! Hear it! Probing Tangible Interaction and Data Representational Modality, in Lloyd, P. and Bohemia, E. (eds.), Future Focused Thinking - DRS International Conference 2016, 27 - 30 June, Brighton, United Kingdom. https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2016.35
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Feel it! See it! Hear it! Probing Tangible Interaction and Data Representational Modality
In this paper we present the design, implementation and evaluation of three tangible devices that measure and represent indoor air quality through different modalities. The motivation for creating these devices is twofold. First, we are interested in exploring how tangible interaction, combined with different representational modalities, affects the way people perceive data. At the same time, we aim to provide people with a novel interface that makes them aware of ambient indoor air quality. To achieve this, the approach we take is to create, what we term design probes: three objects that possess similar design features but differ in one aspect (here: representational modality). We discuss the design rationale and technical implementation of these devices and follow by describing a deployment study conducted to explore their use in real environments. Based on the results of this study we divide our discussion into three parts: Social Aspects, Personal Space and Subtle Changes. We conclude by presenting future research plans that aims to probe deeper into how representational modality affects people’s experience of data.