The difference today is that, as computers slowly recede into
walls, tables and furniture, we now have in our repertoire new tools of computing and
multimedia. Now for the ?¬?rst time users can interact with information??”change the way
it envelopes their existence; search for more or better information; communicate their
needs; and expect a reaction. All of this leads to a realm of experience that was hereinbefore
unheard of. Design of interactive (mediated) places will not necessarily change
what is being designed, only how it is designed, and how it is perceived by users. And the
onset of ubiquitous computing signals a paradigm shift??”of new places in unique contexts
with their spatial, temporal and material con?¬?gurations coalescing to form meaningful
experiences for its users.
19.2.2 Communication Conundrum
The design of ??????smart??™??™ places involves the seamless integration of both the physical and
virtual. As computing initiatives evolve intelligent devices that work in the background of
our day to day living, questions arise about how we interact with these devices. Traditional
input=output systems such as the keyboard and the mouse become redundant as computation
reverts into physical entities such as walls, windows, and furniture. Several ideas are
being pursued in universities and research labs around the world??”tactile interfaces using
RFID Tagging and the Design of ??????Place??™??™ 353
gesture recognition and multitouch systems are being evaluated as interactive systems
(MERL, 2006; Microsoft, 2007; Synaptics, 2007); and voice recognition systems may one
day become our mode of interaction with computers in our homes (Furui, 2000).
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