This map encountered in Lausanne this week struck me as interesting because of its complexity. The organization in 3 dimensions coupled with the somehow weirdly legible architecture turns the consultation of the map into a curious exploration. Why do I blog this? It's important to see how signage...
The street, being used
A street scene, captured in Lyon (France) yesterday. An interesting example of two street activities. The book-reading-while-walking is a striking ancestor to the smartphone-contemplation-while walking and the guy in the background reveals the playful activities enabled by street infrastructures. ...
Beyond Future Fatigue
Some interesting quotes from a blogpost by William Gibson about science fiction and temporal dimensions (present, near future, distant future): "Alvin Toffler warned us about Future Shock, but is this Future Fatigue? (...) The Future, capital-F, be it crystalline city on the hill or radioactive p...
Week-ending 106
The previous week was slightly less packed with travels and meetings so I finally had some time to work on parallel projects and be inspired with discussions here and there. A project I really want to push forward is certainly the one about game controller. It's been a while that we have accumulat...
Lift France 10: Marseille
The program for Lift France 10 in Marseilles (yes, it's in English, there's a "s") is now completed. The theme is called "dot.Real" and the conference is meant to explore how the technologies and concepts of the web are changing the real world today and in the future: "For the last 20 years, netwo...
Tangible representation of emotional bonds
Seen in London last week. An interesting sign says "Don't go Neil! We want you to stick around". Why do I blog this? an interesting example of emotional attachment represented with tangible artifacts on the street. The motorcycle acts a proxy for the owner who is attached to a streetlamp. ...
Sony move and gestural interactions
Some interesting insights about gestural interfaces, the Wii and Sony Move on Gamasutra in an interview of Rob Dyer (Sony Computer Entertainment America's senior vice president of publisher relations): "There are certain games and certain genres that are great for motion gaming. I think the bigges...
Habitar: bending the urbran frame
For researchers and designers interested in urban informatics and architecture, the HABITAR exhibition at LABoral Centro de Arte y Creación Industria seems to be a great pick. The curator (José-Luis de Vicente) and his conceptual advisor (none other than Fabien) describe it as: "The new urban land...
“I’ve never been sued by a door. But I guess I can live through it.”
From Ubik, by Philip K. Dick (1969): "The door refused to open. It said, “Five cents, please.” He searched his pockets. No more coins; nothing. “I’ll pay you tomorrow,” he told the door. Again he tried the knob. Again it remained locked tight. “What I pay you,” he informed it, “is in the nature of...
Context-aware applications in 2010
Interestingly, location-based/Context-aware services are more and more present in the press. After the frenziness of 2004-2005 (and less interest afterwards), I see more and more article about the potential role of location and context as the starting point for complex scenarios. See for example t...