Sara Ljungblad

Between aesthetics and utility: designing ambient information visualizations

Unlike traditional information visualization, ambient information visualizations reside in the environment of the user rather than on the screen of a desktop computer. Currently, most dynamic information that is displayed in public places consists of text and numbers. We argue that information visualization can be employed to make such dynamic data more useful and appealing. However, visualizations intended for non-desktop spaces will have to both provide valuable information and present an attractive addition to the environment - they must strike a balance between aesthetical appeal and usefulness. To explore this, we designed a real-time visualization of bus departure times and deployed it in a public space, with about 300 potential users. To make the presentation more visually appealing, we took inspiration from a modern abstract artist. The visualization was designed in two passes. First, we did a preliminary version that was presented to and discussed with prospective users. Based on their input, we did a final design. We discuss the lessons learned in designing this and previous ambient information visualizations, including how visual art can be used as a design constraint, and how the choice of information and the placement of the display affect the visualization.

Transfer scenarios: grounding innovation with marginal practices

Transfer scenarios is a method developed to support the design of innovative interactive technology. Such a method should help the designer to come up with inventive ideas, and at the same time provide grounding in real human needs. In transfer scenarios, we use marginal practices to encourage a changed mindset throughout the design process. A marginal practice consists of individuals who share an activity that they find meaningful. We regard these individuals not as end-users, but as valuable input in the design process. We applied this method when designing novel applications for autonomous embodied agents, e.g. robots. Owners of unusual pets, such as snakes and spiders, were interviewed - not with the intention to design robot pets, but to determine underlying needs and interests of their practice. The results were then used to design a set of applications for more general users, including a dynamic living-room wall and a set of communicating hobby robots.

Capturing the invisible: designing context-aware photography

Taking a photograph using a digital camera is today still basically the same as using the analog counterpart. We are designing a digital camera that senses its context to explore new possibilities for digital photography. The sensor data produces real-time visual effects on the image displayed in the viewfinder and enables the user to take unique pictures, whose visual qualities reflect the context. Our first prototype is based on a digital camera mounted on a handheld computer. Our development process involves participatory design sessions with possible end users, including a panel of enthusiastic amateur photographers.

Context photography: modifying the digital camera into a new creative tool

Context photography consists of capturing context when taking a picture, by sensing physical input in addition to light and representing it visually in real time. By developing this concept, we explore alternative potentials of digital cameras as everyday creative tools. We have developed two prototypes and tested them in user workshops. Based on the results of this process, we present implications of such modifications of underlying characteristics of a still camera.

More than meets the eye: an exploratory study of context photography

In context photography, sensors gather real-time context information, which visually affects a photograph as it is taken. We have implemented a prototype running on standard camera phones. It uses sound and movement as context information and a set of custom-made computer graphics effects which affect images in real time. To investigate how people would receive the concept, we conducted an exploratory user study with seven participants using context cameras for a six-week period. The study provided insights into how such a camera is perceived and used, revealing the emergence of new goals, expectations, aesthetics and practice in taking pictures.

Designing Personal Embodied Agents with Personas

We are exploring strategies for designing novel robots, or more generally, personal embodied agents. The motivation is to open up the design space for robots in everyday environments, while at the same time grounding new designs in existing human interests. We have modified established methods from the field of human-computer interaction (HCI). First, we investigated specific human interests, in this case in exotic pets, to understand and design for possible interests of future robot owners. Based on the data from interviews with pet owners, we developed four active characters, so called personas. Each persona has a specific interest in robots as personal embodied agents, which has a particular form, role and behaviour. From the resulting personas we derived a number of possible designs, where the agents take on different roles in peoples everyday activities

Designing robot applications for everyday environments

We report from the workshop Designing robot applications for everyday use. This event gathered robot researchers and interaction designers from several countries in order to push robot application domains in novel directions. This article presents the methods we used for breaking out of limited views of robots, and our process for refining ideas to more realistic product opportunities. Based on the results of the workshop, we discuss current challenges of extending the design space of novel robot product ideas.

Designing for new photographic experiences: how the lomographic practice informed context photography

This paper reports on how we learned from an alternative practice in order to design engaging interactive technology intended for a more general user group. When investigating new types of digital photography we designed context photography, where real-time context data visually affects digital pictures as they are taken. To understand how to design for a meaningful photographic experience, we took inspiration from an amateur practice involving a particular type of analogue camera --- Lomography. This paper shows how such alternative or marginal practices can help to ground design of interactive technology in existing human interests, while at the same time leading to a novel design outcome.

Designing tomorrow's smart products' experience with the Smart-Itsxs platform

Designers will increasingly be facing the challenge of creating context-aware or ì smartî productsóeveryda y objects that have embedded computation, sensing, and communication capabilities. Smart-Its is a prototyping platform for creating such objects, that is being developed in a European Union research project. A Smart-It is a very small computer equipped with wireless communication and a set of sensors. We describe how we approached the design of future user experiences and interactions based on the Smart-Its platform. Using scenario-based methods to support collaboration within a multi-disciplinary working group, we developed innovative demonstrators of how ì smartî objects support dynamic usage situations and new interactions in a restaurant setting. A group of designers were invited to provide feedback on design aspects of prototyping with Smart-Its. We found that our prototypes and design materials stimulated creative speculation about future interactive products.

Bringing computer graphics to everyday environments with informative art

The field of display technology is rapidly developing, and LCD-and plasma-displays are already invading our surroundings. Alternative technologies such as electronic ink, electro-luminescent materials, and even color-changing textiles [Holmquist and Melin 2001] will further increase the number of possibilities to integrate computer graphics in our everyday lives. We believe that computer graphics for everyday life will have requirements that are very different from those of a Web page or a movie special effect. To explore this, we have developed a type of applications that anticipates a future use of computer graphics, so-called Informative Art.