Designing an Expandable Illuminated Ring to Build an Actuated Ring Chart

Abstract

Data physicalizations are growing popular in many societal domains which indicates a strong potential for fostering public engagement thanks to public exhibition (e.g. in train stations, in airports, on roundabouts, and in enterprises). We focus on dynamic physical charts for visualizing renewable energy forecasts in public spaces. To get charts readable from any point of view around, we propose a physical ring chart inspired by stone cairns. To build this physical chart, we designed an expandable and stackable illuminated ring. In this paper, we describe the design process and the limitations of the first prototype of such a ring.

Exploring Axisymmetric Shape-Change’s Purposes and Allure for Ambient Display: 16 Potential Use Cases and a Two-Month Preliminary Study on Daily Notifications

“…First, assess the proper contexts of use, the fit between tasks and interfaces, and the issues around shape-change's cultural appropriation. Second, develop new applications (e.g., beyond Data Physicalization and 1 Disks' diameters expand thanks to a mechanism actuating eight overlaying arcs that maintain a continuous circle-like border; these translucent PMMA-made-arcs are illuminated with RGB LEDs [4].…”

ExpanDial

“…Vázquez et al [45] introduced dials embedding pneumatic actuation to enable the programming of different levels of actuation force from users. Lakatos [23] and Daniel et al [8] demonstrate stacks of width-changing rings for dynamic sculpting and energy forecasting. Both however do not support direct manipulation of the dial-shaped devices.…”

“…Closer to ExpanDial, the authors of previous work on shapechanging dials -rather than end users -proposed applications for their devices [8][15][23] [26]. Taking a different approach, Suh et al [38] studied future applications of Button+ with end-users.…”

“…If ExpanDial provides smooth sides, users will be able to keep their grasps at the bottom/middle while the device is raised or lowered. This is a grand challenge, because current implementation techniques for widthchanging dials [8][23] [29] do not provide a smooth surface at the circumference. Future work may use a different origami pattern with a smooth circumference, such as the one by Sternberg [35].…”

“Will the Last One Out, Please Turn off the Lights”: Promoting Energy Awareness in Public Areas of Office Buildings

“…The computational system was completed with information printed on wooden panels: below the screen, the power of the apparatus (i.e. 170 watts) presented to inform occupants of energy consumption by the system; on the left hand side, the mapping used to translate raw electricity consumption into colored wooden discs (cairns board) with a radius inversely proportional to weekly consumption (an advanced computerized version of the same idea has been developed by Daniel et al [3]). On the right end-side, the rules of the game "Challenge the switch" were displayed engraved in wood.…”