Reflections on Tangible User Interfaces

INTRODUCTION

Senseboard, developed within the Tangible Media Group at the MIT Media Lab, is “a tangible interface platform for manipulating discrete pieces of abstract information.” The basic application developed on the platform is for scheduling conference talks, and the platform seeks to combine the benefits of physically manipulating note cards and of arranging information on a computer.

DESIGN CONCEPT

Information is represented both physically and digitally, by using magnetic “pucks” to represent blocks of time and projections onto the pucks to present their associated data. Commands are represented physically as specially shaped pucks, which can be overlaid onto the informational puck that is to be edited. These commands include copying/linking information, viewing details, grouping/ungrouping pucks, typing information, and exporting information. The shapes chosen to represent command pucks are tied into the function of that command, so that users can quickly grasp their meaning. The shapes chosen to represent informational pucks are designed to fit neatly into the Senseboard’s scheduling constraints.

IMPLEMENTATION

The main physical components of Senseboard are magnetized pucks, to be placed onto a large board. A projector causes the corresponding information for each puck to be projected onto the board based onto the puck’s placement. Additional pucks with a different physical look and size act as command pucks when placed over the informational pucks. The sensing technology used to implement the system is RFID technology, and it is used to track the position and associated information of each puck, so that the projector “knows” where to project given information.

USER EXPERIENCE

Typical users of the Senseboard are conference leaders and event planners seeking to organize their given conference or event. Seeking to collaboratively group presentations and organize them on a schedule is a typical use scenario for the Senseboard. The users interact with the Senseboard by moving pucks, updating their information and relationships with the command pucks, and exporting that information with the “Export” command puck. This TUI leverages the reality-based skills of allocating an activity to a “time slot,” and imposing a command upon an object (by accordingly placing a command puck over an informational puck). To update text, users need to bring in knowledge of how to use a keyboard from outside the application’s domain.