E cigarette

I came across this article about ecigarettes and went to check it out. I am NOT encouraging smoking, just thinking about the possibilities of this technology.

From wikipedia : An electronic cigarette, also known as a personal vaporizer or simply as ecigarette, is a battery-powered device that providesinhaled doses of nicotine by way of a vaporized solution. It is an alternative to smoked tobacco products, such as cigarettes,cigars, or pipes. In addition to nicotine delivery, this vapor also provides a flavor and physical sensation similar to that of inhaled tobacco smoke, while no tobacco, smoke, or combustion is actually involved in its operation.

It provides a flavor and physical sensation similar to that of inhaled tobacco smoke, if this is possible then looking from an interaction design point of view. Maybe it could make the interaction of smell and taste even more interesting and widen these forms of interaction. I think right now I don't see many projects that make use of smell, let alone taste. Could this kind of technology be used to enhance interaction?

Intel's Google News wall

Could this be the future way of accessing information? If so then there would be so many new possibilites of interaction design. A wide screen where people point at the boxes and the information comes out.

Could it be the future way of using a computer? If so then interaction design would be even more important. What gestures would start different commands on the computer? Everything might be based on movement and not so much clicking a mouse or pressing a keyboard.

Maybe in the future it could be combined with nanotechnology (like the nokia concept video i posted), and there could be haptic surfaces (this time a real physical surface that can change depending on the context) for people to interact with. Imagine feeling and picking up a piece of newspaper on screen? Maybe one day, who knows? Makes for an exciting future!

Philips Simplicity: Mini Living Colours

One of the few videos I've seen that actually showcases something that you can have at home. It would be nice to have something like this at home, depending on how you are feeling you can change the colours.

Maybe if it included music it would be even better. Fast changing lighting for fast paced music? Warm fast moving colours if its really quick and fast like rock? Cool slow moving colours for jazz? I think it would create a nice atmosphere.

Maybe it could be taken one step further. When the ambience of the place is soft, like when there is only one or two people the lighting and music could be slow and peaceful. If its crowded like a party maybe the lighting and music could change.

Maybe one day it could detect someones brainwaves and act according to their mood? Wouldn't that just be brilliant..

Yahoo Exercise

B.

Part I - Preparing and conducting an Interview
1. Identify Objectives of your study

The objective of this interview is to improve on the existing problems users faced when using Yahoo! site.


2. Select the type of Interview (Unstructured, Structured and Semi-structured)

Semi-Structured.


3. Write the Questions for your Interview

1. How often do you use it? ________
2. How much time u spend on yahoo? ________
3. What do you think of the search engine, is it easy to search ? Y/N
4. Are you happy with the current functions they are providing? Y/N
5. Which sections can be improved? _________
6. Do you think they should add more functions? if so, what? ________


4. Conduct your interview with a “potential” user

Jackson Tan
Student from NYP Business

1. once per 3 months(I use Google for search engine)
2. 2 minutes
3. I don't like it when they store the history of the search
4. No
5. Remove the history of search section, and have more flash games.
6. No, just need to improve the current site.


5. Note down your findings

Google seems to be a better search engine than Yahoo, but Yahoo provides more services. It depends on the user, what he or she use it for.



Part II – Preparing a Survey
1. Identify Objectives of your study

Objective of the survey is to improve further on the existing website.


2. Select a response format (close-ended or open-ended questions)

Close-ended


3. Write the Questions for your Survey

1. Do you have a yahoo account?
2. Do you use yahoo ?
3. What do you use yahoo for?
4. What other functions that yahoo provide interests you?
5. Is the interface easy to understand?
6. Which function do you use the most?

4. Select your Distribution Method and say why?

Online survey, since Yahoo is a website, so mojority of the users are internet savvy. It is also more convenient for them so we can get more responses.


5. Design your survey form (Sketch out if your are doing a Web Survey)

Please circle your choices.

1. Do you have a yahoo account? Y/N

2. Do you use yahoo ? Y/N

3. What do you use yahoo for?
Use the search engine/ Read the news/ Check mail / Others (Please Specify) ________

4. What other functions that yahoo provide interests you?
Facebook, Flickr, Friendster / Messenger / Others (Please Specify) ________

5. Is the interface easy to understand? Y/N

6. Which function do you use the most?
Mail/ Search Engine / Others (Please Specify) _______




Part III – Survey Analysis
1. For each of the following datasets, calculate the median, mean and standard
deviation of the mean:

a. 2, 2, 2, 2

Median: 2
Mean: 2
Standard Deviation: 0


b. 0.67, 1.03, -0.38, -0.75, 0.79, -0.13, 1.57, -1.78, -0.58, -1.43

Median: -0.255
Mean:-0.099
Standard Deviation: √10.77429 = 3.282421


c. 4.7, 11, 0.42, 0.18, 6.2, 0.74, 38, 0.016, 0.26, 0.037

Median: 6.155
Mean: 0.58
Standard Deviation: √124.748 = 11.169

Nokia Morph Concept

This really amazes me. If we could have this in the future, then things would be so convenient. One device with the functions of many! It "allows control of physical properties of nanostructures and devices with single-molecule precision". That, is exciting. It "can detect specific chemical compounds in the air". Imagine what the future of interaction design would be like with this technology. All the endless possibilities of things we could do.

Not only is it convenient, its environmentally friendly! "Nanomaterials enable solar energy on a large scale - future buildings can be covered by solar cells". How awesome is that? Could this be the solution to our environmental concerns?

Haptic surfaces. Not just a sound feedback or a vibration. But real 3D forms popping up! This is getting me really excited. Imagine interaction design with this technology! "The surface form is context dependent". It can change into many types of surfaces.

If this is the future, I can't wait.

Car park 2.0

We are also planning on adding features to our idea, at first we decided on allowing the users to play a game, by taking a pamphlet containing a riddle to where they parked their car. For example, what is big, strong, is a cat and lives in Africa?

The answer would be Lion. ( the answer would be behind the pamphlet for those who do not wish to solve the riddle) However we realised this could be dangerous as kids might run around trying to solve the riddle.

We came up with other ideas such as using a stamp to allow the users to stamp the icon and information of where they parked (in invisible ink) on their hands. They would then shine the stamp under light to see the icon and information. This would be interesting and new for the users. They also would not have to carry around a pamphlet nor write on anything to help them to remember.

Car park 2.0

Final Sketch - Details and Rationale of Concept

Car park 2.0

After doing research, we found out the main problems people face in car parks are finding parking lots, as well as finding their cars. Our concept is built to tackle these problems in a creative and fun way. We chose a car park, Suntec City Mall’s car park to improve. What we wanted to do was to create a solution that was interesting, fun and easy to understand.

We came up with this solution, to divide the car park into sections (continents), and then further divide the sections by the use of animals, animals that are distinctive with the continent they live on.

This way, the user would be able to remember which continent they parked at, to know which general direction to head, and even more specifically to the distinctive animal of that continent. This would better enable them to remember where they parked their car.

It could also be fun and educational for children as they would be able to learn which animal comes from which continent, it could be a fun activity for the whole family.

This is what a section might look like, this is the continent of Africa, and it is separated into the Rhino, Lion and Gazelle sections.

On each pillar the animals will face in the direction of the lift lobby to indicate where it is.

This is to better enable the user to find the nearest lift lobby.

The parking lots will also be numbered in an easier way to remember, for example, the lion section would be labelled L, for lion. The pillars will indicate the continent, animal, as well as the parking lot numbers in that area.

This would allow the user to remember the parking lot number as well as find it a lot easier as it would not just be a bunch of numbers, but something that makes sense.

On the walls there will also be indications as to where the next section is, for example the lion is chasing the llama, indicating which direction to head if you wanted to find the South America section.

This would make it an easy yet fun and interesting way for the user to find out which section is where.