links for 2009-04-20

"This is an on-going project to rediscover the work of cybernetician Gordon Pask and reconsider Pask's relevance to the construction of "interactive environments" by producing new embodiments that richly explore the human meaning of "interaction" and "conversation" in an actual built space.

We will develop a conceptual framework for building interactive systems that deals with the natural dynamic complexity that "environments" must have without becoming prescriptive, restrictive and autocratic. As such, the work also functions as a critique of conventional ubiquitous computing practices which ignore the poetries of interaction that architecture (in its widest sense) affords."

"Borrowing its name from a class of marine invertebrates, Siphonophora consists of a collection of small reactive devices that float in one of Gunpowder Park's lakes, tracking light, temperature, audio, pH levels and other pond life activity. We are researching ways to enable the population of devices to evolve their behaviour organically in response to specific site conditions including the local bird population, insects in and around the water and human interaction from visitors who come to see it from the existing bird hide."

"Natural Fuse harnesses the carbon-sinking capabilities of plants to create a city-wide network of electronically-assisted plants that act both as energy providers and as shared "carbon sink" circuit breakers. By sharing resources and information between the plants energy expenditure can be collectively monitored and managed."

Largely academic case studies.

"Ubiquitous Computing: Design, Implementation and Usability highlights the emergent usability theories, techniques, tools and best practices in these environments. This book shows that usable and useful systems are able to be achieved in ways that will improve usability to enhance user experiences. Research on the usability issues for young children, teenagers, adults, and the elderly is presented, with different techniques for the mobile, ubiquitous, and virtual environments."