Author: ziningy1@andrew.cmu.edu

   

TRANSFORM is a project lead by Professor Hiroshi Ishii of the MIT Tangible Media Group. The project play with the design and technology to transform the still furnitures into a dynamic multi-functional machine driven by computing data and energy.  By utilizing a set of sensors and numerous kinetic shapes, the table display can easily achieve a variety tasks facilitating daily desk activities. For instance, the shapes can easily shift and hold objects such as cups, fruits and office supplies, and it also move them to places as desired. The impressing aspect to me is that they managed to transform the stereotypical fixed furnitures into such tangible and interactive display, which can support a range of practical uses. On the other hand, I also admire the organic motion, which was inspired by natural interactions among wind, water and sand. The organic motion in some activities also stimulates a emotional response of the views, which does not seems artificially stiff. The gesture interaction are also beautifully done as it is more naturally for users to activate certain tasks with simple hand movement above the display. Although I understand the successful project demo video contributes a great part of our impression, in my opinion it is still a brilliant attempt to introduce tangible interactions into our daily still furnitures, and it also contribute to the exploration of the future interactive smart home environments.