The tangible user interface uses Phidgets magnet sensors to sensors when a ‘friend pass’ is placed onto the screen. This then triggers one of three actionscripit animations, the initial design and implementation is really simple, but this is just the beginning.

If you are an experienced AS3 coder and know anything about XMLsockets, I would be great full of a hand to get this prototype working to its full potential at the graduate shows. Also, if it could dynamically load photos from Flickr, or really get Tweets that would also be amazing!

Jump in to find out more…

Testing the Sensors Work.

Using Phidget magnet sensors I first worked out if the magnetic I was using were strong enought to work through a laptop LCD. I was lucky that event 5 year old laptops only have a 8-11mm thickness. There are some points that are shielded, but so far there has been no problems with using rare earth magnets so close to the display. A quick good search found out that the magentic problems are mainly associated with Cathode ray monitors.

Embedding the magnetic sensors.

The next stage was to embed the sensors into the rear of the screen. I completely stripped down the Dell laptop that I was using, and taped the sensors in place to get the initial feel for the tangible user interface.

The Flash (AS3) Code

The last stage was to create an image on the screen that aligned the physical object to the location of the magnet sensors. This animation will now apear as if its a tangible user interface, move a object to explore, and the explore diagloge comes up.

Download the AS3 FLA – Source Code

This work is licenced under a Creative Commons Licence. Ben Arent also hold a UK patent pending [0808775.1] on some of this tech, so if your VC and want to get in on the action get in touch!

The ‘Friend Pass’.

The friend pass had to be modified to work on the screen. The resulting friend pass had to have two magnets one to trigger the sensor, and a larger one to stick the avatar to the screen. This is mainly because the weight of the acrylic. Early prototypes used steel, but the final device had to have another magnet placed 30mm about the sensor to hold the pass in place.

You should now have a tangilbe user interface!

This is just the begging of what could be possible, it would be great to see manufactures build sensors directly into screens. If you are a AS3 coder, or think you could even create this in Blend, please get in touch. It would be great to link this up to some live services.

I’m also looking for someone who can help me with an XML socket, which is meant to read the RFID reader.

To finish of my Christmas Presents I decided not to give into the £1 generic Christmas wrapping paper and decided to make my own.

For this you will need.

> A Printer (I use a R1800, as It allows me to print A3, and a roll of A3 (effectively double the width of A3).
> A sketch of something Christmas, I drew a rather odd looking snowflake.
> Photoshop.
> Some blank newspaper, I picked mine up from the London Graphic Center. It cost 20p for a A1 Sheet, in which I cut into half.

Continue to find out more and download my wrapping paper designs.

1. I first scanned in my rather odd looking snowflake. I chose just to the image of the snowflake, and likes its handrawn rustic charm.

2. Crop, change levels, and define a pattern in photoshop.

3. Create a Canvas the size of your paper, and use the pattern as a fill. I then created another layer which i filled and moved into the center of the image.

4. Setup your printer, I’m lucky that the Epson Stylus R1800 can print banners without stopping. I printed my wrapping paper on 20p blank newspaper.

5. Fold your paper and Admire. All you need to do now is by your presents and wrap it up!

I currently find that most BA product design students drop out of there first year of there degree because of the assumption that design is ‘an easy degree’. I am not sure where this idea comes from, but I think its because you are a “jack of all trades, master of none” that you can get away with being bad at lots of things. This isn’t really true, in reality you have to know about business, marketing, sales, engernering, material science, Art Design, Mechatronics, Electronics, Human factors, manufacturing, user experience, and a whole load of other stuff.

The definition of Product Designer is always changing, but basically we are “consumer bonder, we connect with engineers and consumers to create useful and well thought out products and services”

Step 2: Go to School.

There are many arguments about what the best product design school is. Most people will save Brunel, Loughborough, Bournemouth, Newcastle (Just because Jonathon Ive went there) and Middlsex. These are all great schools, and in the future I will hopefully plan to break down what each one has to offer. But in the end of the day you need to visit, meet the lectures, and make sure that the syllabusss is being cons tally updated.

Step 3: Read, Visit, Geekout, Sketch, Absorb

the commen is conception is that its all about doing stuff, pratical stuff, as the literate would say. The truth is that as product design covers such a large range of subjects you have to read about design, design history, new design movements, design blogs and stay constanyl up to date in this rapidly chanign filed.

You will also have to become a geek, these are the programs that I know very well.

> Photoshop
> Illustataor
> Flash
> After Effects
> Premier Pro
> InDesign
> AutoCad
> Solidworks
> Alias StudioTools
> Excel (Maths and Calcuations are very important)
> Web Skills (Dreamweaver, HTML, CSS, ASP, PHP, Flash)

What you also have to remember these are ONLY TOOLS, the first and most powefull tool is you pencil / pen, It is rare that I ever fire up and computer tool, without firing up my pencil / pen first. I would recommend saying that if you can’t think of idea on paper, you won’t be able to put it into CAD. There is nothing wrong with just being a CAD monkey and tackling problems in 3D space, you can even do 3D product design, that is all about CAD work. But keep in mind, you will be the CAD monkey, and not neciscaily working on your own ideas, which may suite you down to the ground.

Step 4: Get experience
Try to get a degree that offers a years work experience. I’m currently working at a lighitng design firm in Seattle, it is not only a great chance to work and actually get to make real stuff you get a good chance to develop your skills for your last year design project. It has given me the chance to further develop my portfolio, improve my reading and general design thinking.

If you can’t get a placement try to do as many design competitions as you can, jsut keep cranking them out. Even if you enter half finished bits of work, the experience will be great as this sort of rushed product is the bread and butter of most design consultancies.

While your a student i would recommend giving up your part time job, and just geeking out and learning the above programs. If and when you do need beer money try to get a job that will help with your career or at least give you more skills to expand your design business thinking. Its surprising how much you can learn about consumers working on the blunt end of sales, or about luxury products by working as silver service waiter.

Step 5: Get contacts.
Keep on networking, start small and just merge well with your class mates. You will learn the What?, Why?, When? from your lectures but you will find that pier group will teach you the ‘how’.

Look at everyone as a opportunity, everyone is a specialist in something. Reflect upon your own family, you might think that you have the most boring, bland family. The truth is, this is what the most of the population are like. These are “the consumers”, observe, ask and design for these people. These are the people who ultimately buy your products. Design for the people, the boring people.

> Get a Corflot profile, and a CarbonMade. These drive a lot of traffic to my site.

Step 6: Get a Job
So know you have finished University, you need to get a job now. I don’t really know what to recommend as I’m still a student. Just remember the best jobs are never advertised, use your network, publish online, do spec work, and just shamelessly self promote. Good work will always show its self, the job will follow your work.

Step 7: Make your Own Job. Freelance or you own Business.
Still no Job, Perhaps you just suck at being a product designer. (this is more than likly true) If so, go back, read, experience, observe and connect with manufactures to start creating real products, for example do you ever notice how few “real stuff” is on Corfolot. The is currently a huge problem between being able to design and manufacture.

If all fails and you can’t get a job, I would say just go at it alone. Start working with materials, designs and company’s. Sell yourself and your unquire design thinking. Remember your thinking process is unquire in the world, and many company’s just desing bad products because no one has ever challenged them.

Go forth wannabe designer, challenge the giants.