Connected Objects, Connected Places. Design Fluid Ecosystems.

Connected Objects, Connected Places
designing fluid ecosystems
Milan, March 18th, 2014
Pier Paolo Bardoni!

we design the connected world
things.is a physical/digital design agency

WEB USERS IN ITALY
31MILLIONS
55%
DAILY USERS
93%
LESS THAN
25 YEARS OLD
60%
MORE THAN
54 YEARS OLD
74%
23M
15%
4.7M
+29%
+8.1M
23%
7.1M
7%
2.2M
53%USE SMARTPHONES
22%USE TABLETS
+41%
USE SMARTPHONES
FOR SOCIAL NETWORKS
SOURCE: ITALIA 2.0 Report Nov. 2013!
78%ARE ON SOCIAL
+1 +500
MILLIONSBILLION
WORLD
INTERNET USERS
SOCIAL TRENDS
MOBILE WEB
© THINGS 2014 | all rights reserved,

we are experiencing a paradigm shift

"My colleagues and I have built what  
we call tabs, pads and boards:  
inch-scale machines that approximate
active Post-It notes, foot-scale ones
that behave something like a sheet of
paper (or a book or a magazine), and
yard-scale displays that are the
equivalent of a blackboard or bulletin
board".
!
Mark Weiser, 1991
The Computer for the 21st Century
UBIQUITOUS COMPUTING
“next comes ubiquitous computing, or the
age of calm technology, when technology
recedes into the background of our lives"

tabs
pads

ANYTIME

ANYPLACE

FOR

ANYONE
ANYTIME

ANYPLACE

FOR

ANYTHING
yesterday tomorrow
THE EVOLUTION OF THE CONNECTIVITY
today
(somewhere

in the middle)

SOURCE Cisco IBSG, Apr 2011; NOTE: these estimates do not take into account rapid advances in
Internet or device technology; the numbers presented are based on what is known to be true today.
CONNECTED
DEVICES
WORLD
POPULATION
CONNECTED
DEVICES
PER PERSON
2003 2010 2015 2020
0.08 1.84 3.47 6.58
6.58 billion 6.80 billion 7.20 billion 7.60 billion
12.5 billion 25.0 billion 50.0 billion0.5 billion
MORE CONNECTED
DEVICES THEN PEOPLE
2020: BILLIONS OF CONNECTED OBJECTS
62020
MORE THAN
CONNECTED
DEVICES
PER PERSON

the design of connected objects

DESIGN IS NOT JUST ABOUT SHAPE
BUT IS ABOUT BEHAVIOUR

4 KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF  
CONNECTED OBJECTS

#sensing the world

!
Objects should be able to “perceive”
the world around them through sensors.
SENSE-ABLE1

SOURCE: LIFX: The Light Bulb Reinvented http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/limemouse/lifx-the-light-bulb-reinvented
it is a tiny, beautifully designed
personal environment monitor that
connects with your phone to measure,
collect and analyze the hidden qualities
of your surroundings.
Lapka

SOURCE: LIFX: The Light Bulb Reinvented http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/limemouse/lifx-the-light-bulb-reinvented
Bracelet with a minimalist design with a
complementary mobile app that tracks
how you sleep, move and eat. You can
even track progress and set goals in
real-time.
Jawbone UP

#sharing data

!
Objects should be able to communicate their
status and share data across networks.
SOCIAL
2

a family of connected lamps lets you
communicate the act of coming back
home to your loved ones, remotely
Good Night Lamp

messaging system that allows you to “talk”
with your appliances. You can tell them
what to do or ask them questions about
their activities.
LG HomeChat System

!
#exchanging things

!
Objects should be able to be shared with
friends. Friends can use your data and your
objects itself.
SHARED3

it makes your
electronic door locks
more secure and
allows you to create
and manage virtual
keys from anywhere
with your
smartphone or
computer.
Sclak

ﬁrst wearable, sharable, programmable and
100% cotton t-shirt. it could be shared on
your facebook status and your tweets, your
favourite songs and pictures
TshirtOS

#designed without harming the
environment

!
Objects should be able to communicate how
they can be used, repaired, reused or recycled.
4 SUSTAINABLE

it allows you to capture the energy
dissipated while cycling and braking
and save it for when you need a bit of
a boost. It also maps pollution levels,
traﬃc congestion and road conditions
in real-time.
The Copenhagen Wheel

A simple easy-to install sensor that
identiﬁes water waste and leaks
indoors and out. The information can
also identify potential problems
before they become serious.
Belkin Echo Water

APPLICATIONS
FOOD
CARS
HOME
TRANSPORTATION
TOYS
HEALTH
GADGETS
SHOES
CLOTHES
CITIES

The adoption of ubiquitous computing,
the diﬀusion of mobile devices and the
availability of big data are changing
how we live, work, and play in domestic
and urban places.

Increasingly, a digital landscape overlays
the physical world expanding information
ﬂows, enhancing people relationships and
enabling a new smart society.

Places are completely connected and
become multiple interlaced ecosystems
where people and objects are, at the
same time, the platform, the network,
the sensors & actuators, and interfaces.

PEOPLE
OBJECTS
& SERVICES
PLACES
private home
bus stop
supermarket
car parking
neighborhood
...
CONNECTED PLACES, HYPOTHETIC SCENARIO

CONNECTED PLACES ARE
FLUID ECOSYSTEMS
OF PEOPLE AND OBJECTS (& SERVICES)
PHOTO BY: Shutterstock / zhu difeng

key drivers for successfully
designing objects

DESIGN IS ABOUT
BEHAVIOUR

DESIGN IS ABOUT PEOPLE & OBJECTS
BEHAVIOUR

TO DESIGN THESE NEW PRODUCTS AND
SERVICES WE NEED A NEW APPROACH

WE NEED TO SHIFT FROM FOCUSING ON
THE EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES TO
OUTLINING THE NEEDS AND MOTIVATIONS
OF PEOPLE.

WHAT ARE THE KEY DRIVERS FOR
DESIGNING CONNECTED OBJECTS?
seamlessly connect the physical & digital
create a relationship btwn user & product
realize new business models
think of an ecosystem from the start

© Copyright 2014 
 
THINGS srl 
 
Registered oﬃce: 
Viale Papiniano 44 
20123 Milano ITALIA 
 
P.IVA/Vat no. 08360540960 
 
http://things.is
Operating oﬃce:  
Via Bartolomeo Panizza 7 
20144 Milano ITALIA 
 
For inquiries, please contact 
Pierpaolo Bardoni 
pier.bardoni@things.is
thank you! follow us
@pierbardoni
@THINGS_IS
https://www.facebook.com/THINGS.IS

Connected Objects, Connected Places. Design Fluid Ecosystems.

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