1) Noninteractive – when a message is not related to previous messages;
2.)Reactive – when a message is related only to one immediately previous message
3.) Interactive – when a message is related to a number of previous messages and to the relationship between them.
(Liu, Yuping and L. J. Shrum (2002), “What is Interactivity and is it Always Such a Good Thing? Implications of Definition, Person, and Situation for the Influence of Interactivity on Advertising Effectiveness,” Journal of Advertising, 31 (4), p. 53-64. http://www.yupingliu.com/files/papers/liu_shrum_interactivity.pdf.)
The parsing out of the definition and use of the word interactive has become a process of necessity as computational affordance have moved into virtually every products, service, and systems. Interactivity could be considered a byproduct of web based media and computational programming, but “everything is interface (interaction) design” as quoted by Benjamin Bratton media theorist (http://bratton.info/). On a whole when one says I am building an interactive project they are speaking in the realm of computers, interfaces, and programs.
The example of the “interactive” poster series that applies an interaction to communicate the ideas contained with in the imagery can be more directly associated with “reaction”. Although it poses the question of does interaction require computation? Can physicality and reaction with users become the meaning space. Interaction implies that a user has a certain level of control. These options allow for multiple levels of meaning and connection. Depending on the granularity at which anyone looks at a experience everything is accomplished through interaction. Memory, history, content, context, ideas are all inter related.
Since interaction is starting to be parsed out as “related to a number of previous messages and to the relationship between them” then interaction could be defined at the making of meaning. Interaction requires the learned outcomes pulling from context possessed and learned by the user. Interaction can occur with in static media or with in dynamic either way. The goal of interaction is then place in the in between space of information being conveyed and the connections that are produced.
Touch is a research project that investigates Near Field Communication (NFC), a technology that enables connections between mobile phones and physical things. We are developing applications and services that enable people to interact with everyday objects and situations through their mobile devices. http://www.nearfield.org
As invisible technologies including WiFi, RFid, Satellite Communications, Cellular Communication, radar, sonar, IR, UVA, UVB, etc infiltrate consumer markets, questions about the physical understanding and representation of these fields has designer, and consumers worried about their power. Currently with in cellular communication, the connection bar has been a stand in for the the quality of connection a user will receive on that device. The indication of service bars is an abstract representation of the potential invisible field for that device. The abstract representation does not take into account bandwidth, number or callers with in the area or amount of traffic a particular for this case a cell tower is handling. I may be so bold to say the my cell phone calls have been dropped on occasion due to traffic not potential connection.
The issue of field representation takes on a different role when individual consumer devices are communicating independent of their service providers. The implementation of RFid technologies has many consumers, and technology producers skeptical of its use and abuse. RFid takes invisible field communications from the macro world of cell towers and nation wide coverage to the micro of near field communication (NFC) which is a couple of inches to a couple feet from a reader. The fear vetted by many consumers is a level of control and protection. When a user can just walk through a door and be charged for items with out interaction of purpose the implementation of intent has many saying RFid will be the new treat to consumer fraud and identity theft.
Desigers at nearfield.org and many of the experiments I am engaging in within my own work is attempting to challenge and educate consumers, designer, producers, and industries that the technologies can make really engaging experiences but only when there is a intrinsic understanding of operation space. Educate consumers and teach them that communication can be done through proximity and habits and interactions will follow that will engage there interactions with purchasing connection and understands in trans-formative ways.
As I continue to do experiments with giving paper and artifacts computational affordances in a world of networked computation, a number of questions arise from the formal, and informal making pursuits.
1.) Can electronics and circuitry be as ephemeral as paper?
2.) What is the possibility of printed material when it is used as an interaction interface for content that extends the ideas contained with in the print material.
3.) Artifacts contain memories of events for attendees ie a t-shirt or poster from a music concert. What if a attendee of that concert instead of buying just a piece of print material purchased an artifact that embodied and contained the music from the experience.
4.) When computational affordances are added to paper, ie RFid, what does that paper artifact become? does the paper engage that user in a more meaningful experience?
5. ) When meaning is attached to an object the owner of that object makes mental connections to memories and experiences, what are ways computational affordance can assist in the memory retention.
6.) When ubi-comp illuminates the need for the possession of physical data storage, ie every piece of data is no longer on our physical persons, what does data representation look like when it is no longer a CD, DVD, thumbdrive, or portable drive? Data could be represented by paper artifacts again as the access to data is only a access point no the actual data.
7.) Can paper become the new screen through access points of computation?
8.) Will printed material have more of an experience when it is physically needed to interact with its screen counterpart?
9.) Can embedding RFid’s in paper engage the user to interface with the artifact differently?
10.) Can experiences be embodied in artifacts through technology?
RFid tags and reader are becoming more and more accessible in consumer markets. The idea is to do some experiments in giving paper and printed artifacts a computational affordance through the RFid’s. As technology becomes more embedded into our systems, the ability of that technology to engage our role or connection to the content changes. The role of the print medium can potentially be extended through the use of RFid tags and readers. If tags are embedded into the print narrative and incorporate the unique afforance of the RFid then a user can engage in that piece of print media from a new and unique perspective.
The concept is going to explore what paper can become when the technology of RFid and the interactive elements of passive, active, interactive, and networked objects engage the user in a potentially more meaningful, fun, and mystical experience that allows the printed artifact to take on a different role then in opposition to the screen and dynamic content generators.
Three types of RFID tags: active RFID tags, which contain a battery and can transmit signals autonomously, passive RFID tags, which have no battery and require an external source to provoke signal transmission and battery assisted passive (BAP) which require an external source to wake up but have significant higher forward link capability providing great read range.
One is an integrated circuit for storing and processing information, modulating and demodulating a radio-frequency (RF) signal, and other specialized functions. The second is an antenna for receiving and transmitting the signal.
RFid have been the technology that has be toted at the wave of the future. A series of chips and printable items that will allow us to walk out of stores and be automatically charged. For as many companies that claim RFid is the wave of the future there are also a number of skeptics and those fearful of the power and versatile technologies.
Screen printing has a unique affordance involved in the making process, since ink is pulled through a screen rather that placed or sprayed by a machine printer, the maker can decided to layer aspects of the composition. Depending on the opacity of the ink used during the printing process, the blending of layers allows for designers/printmakers to utilize the ability to make a 2 color composition a 3 color through blending and overlapping.
In my experiments with conductive ink for screen printing, it made me think of the possibility of having the conductive aspect of my experiments only work when they are layered or overlapping? could my inks when layered have a chemical connection that would render it conductive.
The thesis direction that I am exploring builds on the ideas of The New Ecology of Things (http://www.newecologyofthings.net/). The methodology is attempting to pull from a number of different influences that over the next year will shape and inform the ideas that are being explored.
3 Main bounding areas have immerged
1.) Tangible Systems : the notion that products, artifacts, areas of attachment to media and content are enhanced by the physicality and tactility of the item.
2. ) Narrative / Storytelling : Design has a rich background in conveying messages in narrative form. As interaction and multimedia becomes involved narrative mediums, the ability of an artist / designer to tell a story about the content becomes more relevant in a dynamic world of branding and systems design.
3.) Circuits : The ability to build and make functioning technologies that push at the ideas of interaction with tangible, physical connections to data, content, and design.
An exploration of materials that are potentially conductive. A sketch book of process and notes that indicate the use, screen print possibility, cost, and aesthetic quality of the material plus whether or not it can conduct electricity. An on-going exploration into mixing conductive powders and materials with inks, paints and glues that could be used for paint or be pulled through a screen. Initial material choices was dictated by whether or not I thought it might have some conductive aspects. I essentially started with shiny and metallic inks, paints, and glues in the hope that some of them would possess conductive qualities. The process has helped me have a greater understanding of the electric qualities of materials and also the aspects of experimenting to make new hybrid inks.
I have found that powdered graphite will conduct electricity but is a variable resistor so a concentration of powder in ink at the right amounts is essential to making it work. Also I have been debunked by copper and silver powders mixed with gesso or clear base screenprinting ink.
These experiments drive at the idea that designers understand the world through making so my experiments in making conductive ink have given me an understanding of conductive material and its potential use in media especially print media.
A series of experiments documented in my process is my attempt to make, learn, and understand conductive inks and electronic circuitry. Through exploration in a number on materials from graphite to gold leafing, I have started to gain an understanding of the principles of conductivity. My assumptions that things that are shiny should conduct has been refuted and my background in science understanding and learning has been challenged.
This series of experiments was made successful through mixing graphite drawing powder and clear acrylic gesso for painting canvas. The concentration in the graphite is as a high enough percentage that the electric current from the 9 volt battery is not dispated over the span. Graphite ink is being used as a test model to help me move my usage for paper that has a computational affordance.
The thesis direction that I am exploring builds on the ideas of The New Ecology of Things (
