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We envision that the physical architectural space we inhabit will be a new form of interfacebetween humans and digital information [2]. This paper and video present the design of the ambientROOM, an interface to information for processing in the background of awareness. This information is displayed through various subtle displays of light, sound, and movement. Physical objects are also employed as controls for these "ambient media."

This paper introduces a novel interface for digitallyaugmented cooperative play. We present the concept of the "athletic-tangible interface," a new class of interaction which uses tangible objects and full-body motion in physical spaces with digital augmentation. We detail the implementation of PingPongPlus, a "reactive ping-pong table", which features a novel sound-based ball tracking technology. The game is augmented and transformed with dynamic graphics and sound, determined by the position of impact, and the rhythm and style of play. A variety of different modes of play and initial experiences with PingPongPlus are also described.

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PingPongPlus is a digitally enhanced version of the classic ping-pong game. Various audio and visual augmentations have been added to a conventional ping-pong table with a non-invasive, sound-based ball tracking system. The "reactive table" displays patterns of light and shadow as a game is played, and the rhythm and style of play drives accompanying sound. At times, the game is subtly enhanced, and sometimes it is powerfully changed. In one mode, the table appears to be covered with water, so that playing on it creates patterns of subtle ripples. In another mode, images that race around the table change the entire scoring system and method of play. The goal of the project is to explore systems for collaborative play that push the physical world back into the forefront of design, without relying on simple GUI controllers, such as a mouse, keyboard, and joystick.