James Patten: The best computer interface? Maybe ... your hands | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

This content explores the power of bringing computer-controlled movements and interactions into the physical world through various projects.

Key Insights

• 🏢 The use of computer technology is expanding beyond screens and into the physical world, with examples ranging from storefront kinetic sculptures to robotic harps and interactive exhibits in museums.
• 💡 Using physical objects in interfaces can enhance usability and understanding, as our hands and minds are optimized for interacting with tangible objects.
• 💻 The speaker's goal is to create a system that allows for computer-controlled movement of objects and interactions without the need to build from scratch each time.
• ⚡️ The speaker's first attempt involved an array of electromagnets, but the cost and weight limitations made it impractical.
• 🤖 To address this, the speaker developed a system using small robots with omni wheels and a video projector, enabling physical interaction with digital information.
• 🎥 Examples of this technology include physical controls for video editing and mapping applications for disaster response.
• 😄 The physicality of objects in interfaces allows for a wide range of play styles, opening up new possibilities for entertainment and gaming.
• 🧬The speaker envisions using this technology to tackle complex problems that are challenging for computers or individuals alone, such as protein folding, where physical feedback helps with understanding molecular simulations.

Transcript

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Questions & Answers

Q: What is the purpose of the storefront kinetic sculptures designed by the speaker for Barneys New York?

The purpose of the storefront kinetic sculptures is to bring the power of the computer to move objects around and interact with us in the physical world instead of confining creative expression to the screens of laptops and mobile phones.

Q: What was the speaker's role in designing the robotic harp for Bjork's Biophilia tour?

The speaker's role was to build the electronics and motion control software that made the harps move and play music. The harp had four separate pendulums with 11 strings each, allowing it to swing on its axis and rotate to play different musical notes.

Q: How did the interactive chemistry exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago enhance visitors' understanding and learning?

The exhibit allowed people to use physical objects to grab chemical elements off the periodic table and create chemical reactions. According to a researcher, the physical objects helped people understand how to use the exhibit and facilitated social learning. Using specialized physical objects made it easier for people to interact with the interface and learn.

Q: How did the speaker aim to solve the problem of building objects from scratch every time to bring computer-controlled interactions to the physical world?

The speaker's aim was to create a platform where objects could be moved under computer control and create interactions without the need for building everything from scratch. The speaker's first attempt involved building an array of expensive magnets, but later, an army of small robots with omni wheels coupled with a video projector was developed to enable physical tools for interacting with digital information.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The speaker tells stories about bringing the power of computers into the physical world, like designing kinetic sculptures and building interactive exhibits.

• They explain how physical objects can enhance user understanding and learning, as our hands and minds are optimized to interact with tangible objects.

• The speaker describes their attempts at creating a platform for moving objects under computer control, including using electromagnets and small robots with omni wheels. They showcase examples of physical tools for interacting with digital information.