ambientROOM

Updated: 07/04/1997, G. Waloszek

Ambientroom

 

Purpose

Physical media (solids, liquids (e.g. water movement, waves), gases (e.g. airflow), light...) serve as an interface between people and computers.

Applications

Monitoring continuous activity by processes that are perceived in the "background" or periphery: Server activity "signaled" by activity of water waves.

Description Given by the Authors

The ambientROOM is a Tangible Bits platform which explores the use of ambient media -- ambient light, shadow, sound, airflow, water flow, and physical activity -- as a means of communicating information at the periphery of human perception. The ambientROOM opens new possibilities for employing both the foreground and background of users' attention.

Authors

Professor Hiroshi Ishii, Craig Wisneski, Brygg Ullmer, Scott Brave and Andrew Dahley (MIT)

Description of the Group Given by the Authors

The Tangible Media Group at the Media Laboratory, led by Professor Hiroshi Ishii ,is working on developing ways to make bits accessible through everyday physical surfaces (e.g. walls, desktops, ceilings, doors, windows) and everyday objects (e.g. cards, books, models). Our intention is to augment reality by coupling online digital information to physical objects and environments, taking advantage of natural physical affordances to achieve a legibility and seamlessness of interaction not achievable with traditional computer interfaces.

Links