Time Tube

For the week two workshop we were told to bring some simple materials to play around with and try to come up with a very basic object. Whilst out in the hall waiting to go into the workshop, Ned told us of an idea of a bus map that communicates the exact location your bus and its distance from that stop.

With this idea in mind, we looked at the materials we had brought to class to see if they could be used for the bus locator. We came up with an idea that used a frosted plastic column with coloured lights that are able to move up and down inside the column. The lights would correspond with markings on the tube showing the user how many minutes until the bus will be at their stop.

We wanted to keep the output (the map) to be a basic and easy to read as possible. Because of this we wanted to make the “locator” to be powered by an independent source. A chain could hang below the tube, which when pulled, charges a small kinetic motor that powers the lights and receiver. Another way we thought of powering it was the same principle but in a foot pedal on the ground. This would make it accessible to the disabled.

Virtual Gday

The First workshop involved us getting in small groups and collaborating to come up with five different materials that could all be used to communicate messages via input and output interfaces. The material would have to be able to communicate ten different messages.

We came up with several ideas based around a design that communicates very basic messages like: “Hello, how are you?” and “Are you free tonight?” After discussing various material input-output methods, we moved onto brainstorming interactive design concepts for social networking.


Pat came up with the idea of a set of pendulums which communicate wirelessly to other pendulums. It works by having to identical pendulum on a frame that can be tilted, the other frame mimics the first. At the bottom of the frame will be certain messages, the messages are chosen by tilting the frame till the pendulum is above the message you wish to send. The other frame copies the position and the message.

Figure 1. Pendulum Message System

While speaking to our tutor Tim, we came up with a virtual hand shaker. After discussing the importance of the shake and its place in culture and society, we thought of a handshake booth. The user enters the booth and a mechanical wrist and hand allows the user to interact with the hand which is then communicated to another booth (wherever it may be). We thought this concept was fun, however it is still a concept and current technology would not be able to replicate an real-time handshake.