Theme 5. Design research

Comics, Robots, Fashion and Programming: outlining the concept of actDresses.

Key points: The report is about how new physical languages can develop based on the study of the semiotic in comics and fashion. More specific, how robots can be controlled by physical means. Physical languages can be used to control, program and predict behavior in the robotic system but instead of having a separate unit controlling the robot, the robot is controlled by physical means. It takes a lot of time changing settings and there is no way to know in advance how the robot’s behavior will change by the new settings. The positive aspect of physical language is that it enables children and end users to easier change the code and thereby the settings and behavior of the robot.

The authors discuss how fashion and clothes contains information that the robot could use and interact with. Comics contains information as well, static pictures, text and visual markings. Buy using these two things as inspiration in creation of physical languages; the result would probably be different from the other physical languages.

ActDresses is “physical markings that can be directly attached to a digital artifact, and that signifies some property, action, or behavior of that artifact” and has two characteristics; immediate physical context and perceivable. To show what actDresses really is, the report shows Pleo (a robotic baby dinosaur) and his interactivity with wearable items, Glowbots and the vacuum robot that can change mode depending on what feeling the item it exposes for are representing. 

Question to discuss during the lecture:

Everything in our surrounding communicates something, especially the kind by man. What is the craziest thing in our surrounding to get inspired from can you come up with? 

Turn Your Mobile Into the Ball: Rendering Live Football Game Using Vibration

1. How can media technologies be evaluated?

Media technologies can be evaluated with user tests, with the aim of as high usability as possible. The three factors affecting usability is effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction.  

Effectiveness – If the task could be accomplished with the system/ error rate.
	In this research; the effectiveness was investigated by seeing how correct the recipient interpreted the information, coming from the vibrating phone.
Efficiency – How much effort is needed to accomplish the task. The goal with the system is that it would when in use; require the least effort as possible.
	In this research they used the user’s reactions skills to measure how long time it took for the user to understand the system.
Satisfaction – Comfort and acceptability of the system to users and others affected by it.
	In the research; it could be measured by the research teams observations of participants in the study using the system but here they investigated it through a survey.

2. What role will prototypes play in research?

Prototypes is a great way of researching a complex thing without having to invest a lot of time and money into something that might not have the slightest similarity to what the end result would be.

3. Why could it be necessary to develop a proof of concept prototype?

I is necessary to visualize the concept and to prove that it is physically due able.

4. What are characteristics and limitations of prototypes?

The characteristics of prototypes are that they all illustrate a full functioning item but only visually. Physically they don’t function as one and it could be a lot of work between a good looking prototype and an actual functioning and fully implemented item. The limitations is accordingly that when one is using prototypes in research projects, the end product with all its features will not be possible to test since it doesn’t respond or work the same way as a prototype does. This is a known fact when hired to implement a website or an interface. If the prototype is too good, the ones hiring you might not want to pay more since the project is “almost done”. Although there is a lot of work to do within the project and would take a long time implementing the features that the real website/interface is to posses.  

5. How can design research be communicated/presented?

Design research can be communicated or presented in a lot of different ways. In the report they are using both the usability factors to evaluate the product and to base the statements on how it worked in use, presenting the feeling users had of the system. They communicated the result of the study by diagrams, charts and informative illustrations and pictures to describe the system.