Designing Smart Living Objects – Enhancing vs. Distracting Traditional Human–Object Interaction

Abstract

Abstract.To realize Weiser's vision of ubiquitous computing, a popular approach has been to create so-called smart living objects, which are everyday objects in our living environment augmented with digital technology. In this paper, we survey different smart living objects and classify their design choices into different types of digital enhancement. These design choices are about choosing the relation between the object's digital enhancement and its traditional use -(1) whether the object's digital function enhances or distracts its original function, and (2) whether the object's digital interaction matches or conflicts with its original interaction. Finally, we formulate design heuristics that new digital enhancement should consider the object's traditional function and interaction method, and avoid conflict between the digital enhancement and the traditional use.

A new urban technoscape component

“…In his vision, the "locality" makes the social practice "a dynamic production involving materials and actors located in multiple ways" (p.21). The social interaction can benefit of materialized texts, infrastructures and architectures, as well as smart-objects [1]. This vision is coherent with the Weiser's work on the ubiquitous computing [10].…”

Design a Virtual Object Representing Human-Machine Interaction for Music Playback Control in Smart Home

“…But what kind of virtual object is a better design to fit the human-machine interaction between smart home and its residents. In [6], the researchers survey and analyze different virtual object, and classify their design choices into different types of digital enhancement. They define the functional and interaction relations to identify their differences on virtual objects and their traditional use.…”

“…Virtual object [6] in design concept is a physical object, but it actually has no useful built-in function. It should arise some intangible or tangible interactions with some devices or equipments embedded in its surrounding circumstance to gain the appropriate functions.…”

Design and evaluation of virtual home objects with music interaction in smart homes

“…Notably, virtual home objects are the augmented versions of conventional home objects with various digital technologies to perform original and novel functions of conventional ones. Chi et al (2007) surveyed and analyzed various smart and virtual home objects, and classified their designs into different digital enhancements. They defined functional and interaction relations to identify the differences between virtual home objects and their uses.…”