1.
Horse riding as a metaphor for
smart material interfaces
Prof. Dr. Wim A. Poelman
Poelman Partners
Arnhemse Bovenweg 13
3708 AA Zeist, Netherlands
+ 31 30 6925139
wim@poelman-partners.nl
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2.
Key question: Is interface vanishing as
a discrete phenomenon?
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3.
Ankie van Grinsven
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4.
Observations
• In the past products mainly took over physical functions
from the user.
• In this information era, mental functions are taken over as
well.
• A product is not anymore defined by just design
requirements, but also by a man-machine “contract” in
which rule for cooperation between them are recorded.
• Products will not relate to each other anymore as master
and slave but as partners aiming for an objective, which
generally is decided for by the user.
• But even that is not necessary. The objective could be
decided for by the supplier of the device.
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5.
Conclusion
• Concluding we could argue that the relation man-
machine is changing from:
“a paradigm in which the interface is acting as an
intermediary between user and device”
to
“a paradigm in which man and machine communicate
directly.
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6.
EXTENSION OF HUMAN CAPABILITIES
• Donald Schön [3] and others defined “extension of human
capabilities” as a main goal of technology.
• Philosopher Peter-Paul Verbeek [2] added to that idea the
principle that technology is not something that humans work
with, but something that is part of being human.
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7.
EXTENSION OF HUMAN CAPABILITIES
• In fact there is nothing new about that.
• A pair of spectacles is an extension of your sense of
sight.
• Your clothes are an extension of your capabilities to
manage body temperature, as well as an extension of
you capabilities to express yourself.
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8.
EXTENSION OF HUMAN CAPABILITIES
• Already thousands of years, a horse was an extension of our
capabilities to move.
• The difference between spectacles and clothes on the one
hand and horses on the other hand is the fact that horses are
smart products.
• As the phenomenon of smart products is booming, it is time
to learn from one of the first smart product: a horse.
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9.
ANALYSIS OF HORSE RIDING
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10.
ANALYSIS OF HORSE RIDING
Body Horse
Horse
language
Brains
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11.
Smart materials vacuum cleaner
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12.
Smart materials vacuum cleaner
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13.
Smart materials vacuum cleaner
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14.
Smart materials vacuum cleaner
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15.
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16.
Ionic Metal polymer composites
Ionic Metal polymer composites 2
Disney character
Charlottes filmpje
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17.
conclusions
• This vacuum cleaner has started to look a little bit like a
horse.
• It communicates with body language and manages an
own agenda.
• For developing body language a lot of technology has to
be developed.
• Passive color changing materials are proven to be
possible, but are not yet applicable on a large scale.
• The same counts for shape changing materials. In a horse
this technology is present but it is difficult to imitate.
• There is a lot of work for biomimicry people.
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18.
Thank you!
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