Software is usually
written on a pc with different programming languages e.g. JavaScript, C++ and
Python. To be able to master any of these languages, many hours of practice has
to be spent by the computer. The appearance of the finished software usually has
little to do with how the end consumer will interact with the product and the
consumers usually doesnt understand how it works.
In Fernaeus. Y, & Jacobsson. M paper “Comics, Robots, Fashion and Programming: outlining the concept of actDresses” they approach this problem. They introduce a programming language called actDresses, which is a form of physical programming. Instead of sitting by a computer mashing code, you “code” with physical languages. In an example in the text they are controlling the behavior of a stuffed dinosaur by putting different garments on the dinosaur. If you applied a collar to its neck it became a watchdog and if you put on a pajama it became “sleepy”.
This kind of “coding” allows children and other people without programming knowledge to be able to engage and understand the technology in a new way. I also might open the door to learn “real” programming for that group.
The article by Lee.H et al. “Turn Your Mobile Into the Ball: Rendering Live Football Game Using Vibration” is about exploring a new way to experience a game of football. The device they designed gave feedback to the user about what was happening on the pitch such as what team controlled the ball, position of the ball, shots and goals through vibrations.
Creating a prototype is a great way to get a feeling for what the finished product will look like. The inventor of the Palm Pilot carried a block of wood in the same size of the potential Palm Pilot for a week for this reason. Just to see how it felt to have in his pockets or his hands.
If you’re looking for financial backing, a prototype might catch the investors interest more then what just a concept would.
A prototype can take your product in new directions when you realize what you considered good on paper doesn’t work or should be done differently in reality.
In a development process it’s easy to become attached to your own product. You might not see the flaws and weaknesses that seem great to you but would only confuse the majority of the end-consumers. Since the technology will be used many other persons, it’s important that everyone understands it. Therefore media technologies need to be evaluated by bringing in an expert on the area, focus groups or feedback sessions in-house to test your prototype. A fresh pair of eyes can point out what need to be removed, clarified or added. This is usually done continuously during the process to save time and money.
In Fernaeus. Y, & Jacobsson. M paper “Comics, Robots, Fashion and Programming: outlining the concept of actDresses” they approach this problem. They introduce a programming language called actDresses, which is a form of physical programming. Instead of sitting by a computer mashing code, you “code” with physical languages. In an example in the text they are controlling the behavior of a stuffed dinosaur by putting different garments on the dinosaur. If you applied a collar to its neck it became a watchdog and if you put on a pajama it became “sleepy”.
This kind of “coding” allows children and other people without programming knowledge to be able to engage and understand the technology in a new way. I also might open the door to learn “real” programming for that group.
The article by Lee.H et al. “Turn Your Mobile Into the Ball: Rendering Live Football Game Using Vibration” is about exploring a new way to experience a game of football. The device they designed gave feedback to the user about what was happening on the pitch such as what team controlled the ball, position of the ball, shots and goals through vibrations.
Creating a prototype is a great way to get a feeling for what the finished product will look like. The inventor of the Palm Pilot carried a block of wood in the same size of the potential Palm Pilot for a week for this reason. Just to see how it felt to have in his pockets or his hands.
If you’re looking for financial backing, a prototype might catch the investors interest more then what just a concept would.
A prototype can take your product in new directions when you realize what you considered good on paper doesn’t work or should be done differently in reality.
In a development process it’s easy to become attached to your own product. You might not see the flaws and weaknesses that seem great to you but would only confuse the majority of the end-consumers. Since the technology will be used many other persons, it’s important that everyone understands it. Therefore media technologies need to be evaluated by bringing in an expert on the area, focus groups or feedback sessions in-house to test your prototype. A fresh pair of eyes can point out what need to be removed, clarified or added. This is usually done continuously during the process to save time and money.
Hej Martin!
SvaraRaderaYou bring up a very important aspect of why prototypes are important namely:
"In a development process it’s easy to become attached to your own product. You might not see the flaws and weaknesses that seem great to you but would only confuse the majority of the end-consumers. "
When you are developing something yourself everything is super clear to you and you become blind for the weak spots and its dysfunctional sides as you know how to handle the system in order for it to work as its best.
This made me think about SEB, where I am a customer. They recently changed their user interface for their internet-banking. In my opinion, this new interface is so completely backwards I find it difficult to handle it correctly. I really think they should have used a larger test group for that development!
You make a good point that this kind of physical "coding" might be a gateway for children or unexperienced programmers to further investigate the world of programming, and that is of course a very good thing! However I fail to see what other use physical programming might have in the real world. What would be a real application, today or in the future?
SvaraRaderaAfter reading what you said about the benefits of prototyping its clear to me that financial backing has to be one of the main reasons, or at least motivators, to make a really good prototype. I can't believe that I didn't think of that! Maybe you have a more entrepreneurial spirit than I do. This of course depends on what your goal with your research is. It might be to get a market share in a specific field, or it might be to contribute to the scientific development of a specific area (or maybe both?).
I'm with Carl on this one. I have nothing against what you wrote Martin, I just don't understand the concept on a broader scale. I mean, today we have a lot of "sensors" which can activate on some kind of input. It could the proximity of two different object (i.e. distance), maybe a treshhold of some sort etc. This is basically what the authors propose when they descibe their "vision" of simplified programming. By putting on different kinds of garment on the dinosaur it reacts. The garment triggers something. But I wouldn't really cal that "programming".
SvaraRaderaDo you guys understand what I'm getting at? I don't see the concept as programming. Rather a more specific application with already existing technology.