Reading #6: Tangible Interfaces for Download: Initial Observations from Users’ Everyday Environments

Comments

Steven Hennessy

Shena Hoffman

Reference

Tangible Interfaces for Download: Initial Observations from Users’ Everyday Environments

Enrico Costanza, Matteo Giaccone, Oliver Kung, Simon Shelly, Jeffry Haung

CHI 2010 - Atlanta

Summary

Tangible user interfaces have been discussed heavily in the past fifteen years in the HCI community. D-touch aims to bring tangible user interfaces to the masses, by using only a webcam, printer and computer. Users are first asked to print and cut out small blocks with symbols on them. Then, after mounting their webcam above their workspace, users are free to move the blocks around in order to produce audio results. The system was released online and usage data recorded. Only qualitative analysis was performed on the collected data. The authors claim the widespread use of their software to prove the normal nature of tangible user interfaces. There were some problems with poor lighting conditions causing recognition problems. Overall users enjoyed the system. Future work includes augmenting the hardware to include the LCD monitor as the workspace.

Discussion

Tangible user interfaces are not normal yet. While this idea is novel, and undoubtedly has sparked some interest in a small community of internet users, it is not widely accepted or widely of interest at this time. The scope of this project is a very focused creative task. Creative individuals (usually professionals) are already privy to the idea of uncommon and different interfaces-- but it is still not considered normal. The trouble with the lighting highlights another major problem: this system is an invasion. Until it can be better integrated into everyday life and hardware, it will remain a novelty used by few. The paper is an excellent testament to the creation of novel interfaces using everyday consumer hardware, but doesn't sufficiently prove its claim that tangible user interfaces are "normal".