This document summarizes a mini thesis presentation on exploring interaction design between the digital and physical world. The presenter identifies three methods of integration: 1) Connected physical objects that share digital information, 2) Computer recognition of objects and gestures, 3) Embedding digital information in everyday spaces using augmented reality. The presenter proposes exploring these methods in home and public spaces. Their concept is an interactive art installation called "Curiosity Space" that uses gesture recognition to intrigue people into creating visual art, in order to study people's curiosity towards new technologies. The presentation concludes by discussing implementation testing of the concept.

1. Mini Thesis Presentation
Thesis R&D
One-Week Thesis
2013.09.10
Curiosity Space
// Yu-Wen (Mark) Liang

2. “I think the next big thing would be now
called The Internet of Things, which is
essentially about connecting all kinds of
things that currently not connected digitally
[…] basically get more of the physical world
connect with the digital world.”
-Jonas Löwgren
Professor of IxD, Malmö University, Sweden

3. “…You give up a lot of the control. The luxury
of old times – one user, one task, one
computer – This is all gone now. It’s much
more like you are setting up a stage for
other people to perform. But you can never
tell them what to do”
-Jonas Löwgren
Professor of IxD, Malmö University, Sweden

4. Mini Thesis
Exploration Space
I’m interested in exploring the future interaction design,
focusing on the seamless integration of digital and physical
world, and how it could enable interpersonal connections
and create inspiring & delightful experience.

5. Mini Thesis
Research Direction
I identified three methods of integration to study:
1. Objects with digital information are connect with each other
and response to human. (ex: Fitbit)
2. Computer recognizes objects and understands human
gestures and movements. (ex: Kinect, Leap Motion)
3. Digital information were embedded in our daily space and
objects using augmented reality. (ex: Google Glass)
…and two space to explore:
1. Home environment 2. Public space

6. Mini Thesis
Example Projects - 1/4
RoomE //frog design
Room-Sized Computing
(h#p://www.frogdesign.com/work/roome.html)

7. Mini Thesis
Example Projects - 2/4
IllumiRoom //microsoft
Peripheral Projected Illusions for Interactive Experiences
(h#p://research.microso9.com/en-­‐us/projects/illumiroom/)

8. Mini Thesis
Example Projects - 3/4
Bottle Bank Arcade Machine //The Fun Theory
Public interactive installation for behavior changes / for fun
(h#p://www.thefuntheory.com/bo#le-­‐bank-­‐arcade-­‐machine)

9. Mini Thesis
Example Projects - 4/4
Nike Store Turin Opening //ToDo
Interactive projection mapping in public space
(h#p://www.todo.to.it/#projects/hyperfuse)

10. Mini Thesis
Ask Questions
Integrating digital information with physical object is about
connecting all kinds of things, facilitating collaboration and
sharing information. It makes things smarter and makes
life easier. But it also make people give up a lot of control,
and forget the curiosity deep inside our hearts…
// What is the true essence of integrating digital & physical?
// How do we evaluate the properness of the integration?
// How can we bring delight to people with technology?

11. Mini Thesis
Point of View
The future of interaction design should continue focusing
on human, help us accomplish tasks and goals in an
innovative way and bring delight to people. It should take
over the loads for us but at the same time give us enough
control to do what we want.

12. Mini Thesis
Objectives
1. Learning human behaviors and their experience of
interacting with technologies. Studying the relationship
between human and computers.
2. Understanding the trends of interaction design, and
developing my own design language to deliver
delightful interaction experience.

13. Mini Thesis
Hypotheses & Solutions
// People are curious about new things in their daily lives.
// People are embarrassed to interact with others in public.
// People enjoy creating and leaving some mark on the world.
For the mini thesis project I want to learn about people’s
curiosity. One important factor about public space
engagement is that the thing you build should be intriguing
enough for people to approach, and friendly and intuitive
enough for people to interact with it. And most important of
all, bring delight to people.

14. Mini Thesis
Concept
My mini-thesis concept is an interactive installation called
Curiosity Space, a gesture-based tool that intrigue people
to engage and create visual art with their movements. By
setting up a stage without further explanations, I want to
observe people’s curiosity and understand how well they
can learn about new technologies.

15. Mini Thesis
Exhibition Concept - 1/3

16. Mini Thesis
Exhibition Concept - 2/3

17. Mini Thesis
Exhibition Concept- 3/3

18. Mini Thesis
Implementation Testing

19. Thesis R&D
One-Week Thesis
2013.09.10
Thank you.
// Yu-Wen (Mark) Liang