Beyond representations: towards an action-centric perspective on tangible interaction

Abstract

In the light of theoretical as well as concrete technical development, we discuss a conceptual shift from an information-centric to an action-centric perspective on tangible interactive technology. We explicitly emphasise the qualities of shareable use, and the importance of designing tangibles that allow for meaningful manipulation and control of the digital material. This involves a broadened focus from studying properties of the interface, to instead aim for qualities of the activity of using a system, a general tendency towards designing for social and sharable use settings and an increased openness towards multiple and subjective interpretations. An effect of this is that tangibles are not designed as representations of data, but as resources for action. We discuss four ways that tangible artefacts work as resources for action: (1) for physical manipulation; (2) for referential, social and contextually oriented action; (3) for perception and sensory experience; (4) for digitally mediated action.

Supporting offline activities on interactive surfaces

“…One of the hallmarks of tangible interaction is its capacity to support collaboration by, e.g., providing users with multiple access points to tokens, lowering the threshold for participation [16] and enabling such objects to act as resources for shared activity [14]. Repositories need be selected to reflect such behaviors.…”

Supporting embodied exploration of physical concepts in mixed digital and physical interactive settings

“…TEI '11, January 22-26, 2011 and social space are also central in research on pervasive computing and tangible interfaces, in which the particular physical manifestation of a computational artifact and its consequences for people's interaction with and through the artifact is commonly brought to discussion [3,4]. Recent research along these lines suggests a shift away from an information-centric to an action-centric perspective on interaction [5,6]. These developments indicate how complex cognitive processes are deeply intertwined with and dependent upon our physical bodies and our relations to the material and physical properties of our social world.…”

Universal robots as 'solutions' to wicked problems

“…Furthermore, we suggest that by viewing robotic artifacts as compositions of so called robotic materials, we will be able to distance ourselves from framing robots as solutions to wicked problems. Such materials would reside in both the physical and digital realm [9], and at the same time articulate aspects attuned to robotic artifacts.…”