Parallels in Tangible Interface & Web 2.0 Sharad Singh Solanki

Topics Tangible Interface Parallels in Web 2.0 & Tangible Interfaces

Tangible Interface

Definition: the use of physical artifacts as representations and controls for digital information (Brygg Ullmer & Hiroshi Ishii,MIT) Tangible interfaces use objects instead of traditional input and output means (keyboard, mouse and screen) to work with computers.

Tangible Interface-Examples I/O Brush is a drawing tool to explore colors, textures, and movements found in everyday materials by "picking up" and drawing with them. Source: Tangible Media Group MIT ( ) I/O Brush - Kimiko Ryokai and Professor Hiroshi Ishii

Tangible Interface-Examples “Programmable Beads" - communicate with neighboring beads along a string. Put these beads together in different ways and you get different dynamic patterns of light. Source: Tangible Media Group MIT ( Video Source: Programmable Beads - Rick Borovoy and Kwin Kramer

Tangible Interface-Examples The DataTiles system integrates the benefits of two major interaction paradigms: graphical and physical user interfaces. Source:Sony CSL( ) Video Source: DataTiles - Jun Rekimoto, Brygg Ullmer, and Haro Oba

Tangible Interface-Examples This project highlights new means for querying relational databases and live datastreams through the manipulation of physical objects. Source: MIT Research Lab ( ) Tangible Query Interface - Brygg Ullmer, Zachary Malchano, and Professor Hiroshi Ishii Video source:

Tangible Interface There are 4 characteristics concerning representation and control: 1.Physical representations are computationally coupled to underlying digital information. 2.Physical representations embody mechanisms for interactive control. 3.Physical representations are perceptually coupled to actively mediated digital representations 4.Physical state of tangibles embodies key aspects of the digital state of a system And: 1.Tangible interfaces rely on a balance between physical and digital representations. 2.The elements of TUIs are spatially re-configurable (in contrast to tangible digital appliances)

TUI Toolkit Phidgets™, or physical widgets, are software building blocks that help a developer construct physical user interfaces. Applications can be developed in Visual Basic, VBA (Microsoft Access and Excel), LabView, Java, Delphi, C and C++Phidgets™ ( Papier-Mâché- Applications can be developed in Java TM (

Tangible Interface Phidgets TM Toolset Video Source:Phidget.com & University of Caligary Video source:

Parallels in Web 2.0 & Tangible Interfaces

Web 2.0 & TUI Goal Interaction Environment Interactions Technology

Web 2.0 & TUI-Goal Focused on Efficient User Interactions leading to Rich User Experience with the applications Easy & Fast Learnability

Web 2.0 & TUI- Interaction Environment Center and Periphery of User's Attention within Physical Space (Ishii and Ullmer, Tangible Bits) Browser as a space for web 2.0

Web 2.0 & TUI-Interactions Widgets –Drag & Drop interfaces –Point & Click –Metaphors driven interactions –Gesture & Intention based Interactions Multi user interactions & Sociability –Real time Collaboration-eg.Meebo TM –Social Networking/Group Participation- eg. Del.icio.us

Web 2.0 & TUI-Interactions metaDESK- In the metaDESK design, Ishii & Ullmer have tried to push back from GUIs into the real world, physically embodying many of the metaphorical devices (windows, icons, handles) they have popularized.

Web 2.0 & TUI-Technology Event driven Programming Usage of pointing devices compared to Keyboard entry More client side programming Tagging Asynchronous application model Common Technology Platform

Web 2.0 & TUI-Road Ahead Web 2.0 support in handheld devices eg. mobile version of Konfabulator, Opera Mini™ Online gaming service providers Online shopping service providers And so on…. Happy thinking

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