Emergent Interfaces: Constructive Assembly of Identical Units

Alexandru Dancu2 Stig Anton Nielsen1 Zhu Kening3 Adviye Ayca Unluer4,2

3 City University of Hong Kong, China

4 Yilidz Technical University, Turkey

Max Witt1

1 Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden

2 t2i Lab, Chalmers Universityof Technology, Sweden

Catherine Hedler1 Hanna Frank1 Axel Pelling1 Christian Carlsson1 Morten Fjeld2

Emergent InterfacesCan emergence be applied to interface design?

Outline

IntroductionRelated WorkDesignExperimentDiscussionConclusion

Can we apply emergence in design of user interfaces employing constructive assemblies?

Computer interfaces

Future paradigm

Constructive assemblies

http://media.aau.dk/~stg/tangibleMixSurface/

...

[Nokia Morph, ‘11]

[Apple Mac, ‘84]

Positioning

[Samsung Youm, ‘16]

Computer interfaces

Future paradigm

Constructive assemblies

http://media.aau.dk/~stg/tangibleMixSurface/

[Nokia Morph, ‘11][Samsung Youm, ‘16]

[Apple Mac, ‘84]

[Alonso-Mora et. Al (Disney), ‘11]

Positioning

[Spröwitz et. al, (EPFL), ‘14]

...

Designing for Emergence

Hypothesis

•design must harness the process of emergence

•bottom-up and iterative unfolding of emergence

[Van Alstyne, Logan, 2007]

Where do we start?

Designing for Emergence

Definition

Emergence

“refers to the process by which a higher level of organization

arises through the aggregation and interaction of lower level components

revealing new behaviors or properties

not associated with the lower level components”

[Van Alstyne, Logan, 2007]

complexity

Properties

Emergence properties (complex systems research)

– computational undecidability– self-organizing phenomena– sensitivity to initial conditions

[Ronald, 1999]

Examples

[Ronald et. al, 1999]

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/files/uploads/flocking.jpg http://mathworld.wolfram.com/images/eps-gif/ElementaryCARule030_700.gif

Complexity of natural systems

http://transition-lab.com/blog/

Examples

http://mathworld.wolfram.com/Rule110.html

Complexity of cellular automata

Examples

Morphogenetic Engineering

[Doursat et. al, 2012]

Relevance to user interfaces

Organic User Interfaces

Definition

organic semiconductors

inspiration from organic shapes in nature

rich variety, transformable flexible, adaptable,

evolvable resilient, reliable [Holman and Vertegaal, 2008]

Organic User Interfaces

Principles

input equals output – function equals form –

form adapts to context –

Designing computers to take any shape or form

[Holman and Vertegaal, 2008]

Our Guidelines

Emergence properties

Emergence definition–interaction of units–obeying simple rules–complex outcome

Design constructive assemblies - identical units- connect manually - form complex structure- human scale

Our Approach

robust to sustain a structure

as high as a person, fit in one hand

assemble/detach fast and easy

Design constructive assemblies - identical units

Our Approach

Blocks Brainstorming – SketchesDesign constructive assemblies

- identical units

Our Approach

Cutout Cyclinder

Dodecahedron

Octagonal Prism

Blocks Brainstorming – Sketches & Prot.Design constructive assemblies

- identical units

Our Approach

Hexagonal cog wheel, 6 cogs

Final Building Block Design

Hexagonal cog wheel, 6 cogsa) CNC cutting curveb) Removing cylinders

c) Cylinder slices, cog wheels

Final Building Block Design

Building Block Family

1. Kinect2. Projector3. Pressure sensor plate

Projection -Balance-Score-Free space

Physical-Digital System Design

multiple aspects from environment developing morphology

Previous Work

[Nielsen and Dancu, 2014]

Experiment

Experiment

Evaluation of assembly– factors influencing the

assembly process

With – 28 participants (12 f)– Age (M=28.6, SD=6.1)

Experiment

3 cogs unit results in structures with low height

4 cogs yields structures with perpendicular branches.

Discussion

Emergence properties– Non-determinism– Temporal design– Self-organization

the lower the number of openings, the less opportunities exist

supports the best building in the desired direction

Emerging helix

Discussion

Can we apply emergence to interface design?

Discussion

Can we apply emergence to interface design?

https://phonebloks.com/

Conclusion

Harnessing emergence properties in digital interfaces would lead to richer morphologies and behavior.

Thank you

More details on alexandrudancu.com/emergent-interfaces

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the EU FP7 People Programme (Marie Curie Actions) under REA Grant Agreement 290227

t2i.se/openings/