cmprietz
Taxonomy of Toys that Respond
For Project Two in our Interface Studio we where designing an interface for interfaces.
1. We began by selecting a genre of designed interfaces. I choose "Toys that Respond"—think Tickle Me Elmo—mainly because I thought it would be much more fun to be working in the genre of toys for this project then something along the lines of politics (although this may not be considered a genre of interface it is the best example I can think of as something that falls rather low on my lists of things that interest enough to illicit further investigation).
2. Next is it parse the genre into a taxonomy. This stage took up the bulk of my time. Wrapping my head first around a genre of interface, then around a taxonomy, then around the taxonomy of interfaces for toys that respond and then keeping all these things in focus was a bit of a process. The research was quite interesting though. I had to resist the urge to actually purchase the USB Hamster and Wheel that runs at a speed consistent with your typing.
3. Then we were to represent the taxonomy of the genre in some form. We were all encouraged to develop our visual language and to reveal the complexity and peculiarity of what you are expressing through the form.
Here you will find my taxonomy. A toy that responds is a plaything that provides feedback based on interaction. It is responsive as opposed to performative and requires a range of physical, durational, emotional and/or cognitive investments from the participant.
The taxonomy functions on varied levels based on a selection of four categories:
1) Degree of Technology: Ordered from left to right, and grouped based on complexity.
2) Degree of Humanization: Shape variation from least humanized (homogenized) to most (humanistic)
3) Degree of Touch: Covering and color variation
red and fuzzy is soft material
blue and smooth is hard material
green and a combination of the both is somewhere in between.
4) Degree of Response: Addition of facial features
no eyes - responds to simple touch
one eye - responds to directed touch
two eyes - responds to motion and movement
mouth - responds to voice commands
nose - responds to the environment (light, terrain, web/digital connections)
Taxonomy of Toys that Respond
For Project Two in our Interface Studio we where designing an interface for interfaces.
1. We began by selecting a genre of designed interfaces. I choose "Toys that Respond"—think Tickle Me Elmo—mainly because I thought it would be much more fun to be working in the genre of toys for this project then something along the lines of politics (although this may not be considered a genre of interface it is the best example I can think of as something that falls rather low on my lists of things that interest enough to illicit further investigation).
2. Next is it parse the genre into a taxonomy. This stage took up the bulk of my time. Wrapping my head first around a genre of interface, then around a taxonomy, then around the taxonomy of interfaces for toys that respond and then keeping all these things in focus was a bit of a process. The research was quite interesting though. I had to resist the urge to actually purchase the USB Hamster and Wheel that runs at a speed consistent with your typing.
3. Then we were to represent the taxonomy of the genre in some form. We were all encouraged to develop our visual language and to reveal the complexity and peculiarity of what you are expressing through the form.
Here you will find my taxonomy. A toy that responds is a plaything that provides feedback based on interaction. It is responsive as opposed to performative and requires a range of physical, durational, emotional and/or cognitive investments from the participant.
The taxonomy functions on varied levels based on a selection of four categories:
1) Degree of Technology: Ordered from left to right, and grouped based on complexity.
2) Degree of Humanization: Shape variation from least humanized (homogenized) to most (humanistic)
3) Degree of Touch: Covering and color variation
red and fuzzy is soft material
blue and smooth is hard material
green and a combination of the both is somewhere in between.
4) Degree of Response: Addition of facial features
no eyes - responds to simple touch
one eye - responds to directed touch
two eyes - responds to motion and movement
mouth - responds to voice commands
nose - responds to the environment (light, terrain, web/digital connections)