TINK - sketching product experiences of connected objects

36 - TINK
2.2.3 - Objects that pull data from the web
Figure 19. Skube (2012), A.
Nip, R van der Vleuten, M.
Borch, A. Spitz
Figure 20. Ambient Umbrella
(2007), Ambient devices
The category comprehends products that
use the Internet connection to retrieve
data and operate according to it.
Often the interaction with those products
is aimed at creating seamless connections
between users and Internet, moving away
the people from the classical browser.
This is achieved by embedding digital
information in to tangible products
Objects in this category can be physical
representation of social network, like
Instacube 20 and Skube 19 (Figure 19): A
digital frame, the first, which display
Instagram photos, and an audio player
connected to Spotify and Last FM.
In both case it is possible to access
the social network using a specialized
tool. Thus making the interaction more
contextual.
Some projects in the category can be
described as interfaces aimed at providing
access to digital contents in a more
meaningful and contextual way. This is the
case of the Ambient Umbrella 21 ,(Figure 20)
an Umbrella with Internet connection that
reads the weather forecast and informs
the user if it is necessary to go out with
it by changing the colour of a light on the
umbrella itself. The Umbrella is particularly
relevant because apart from displaying
data, again it goes beyond providing
just data to the user, it in fact proposes
decision for the user giving suggestions on
weather to go out with the umbrella.
Transforming data in to information is
what make the object “smarter”. While the
umbrella cannot operate autonomously and
can just propose decision, other objects
use the data to operate autonomously.
An example could be an irrigation sensor
that before watering the plants will also
check the weather forecast, If it discovers
that it is going to rain in the afternoon
it might take the decision to not watering
the plants
This kind of objects aimed at automation
and process optimization has been largely
used already in the industry. Lately the
as the cost of the electronic and software
is diminishing smart objects are being
developed also for end users especially in
the context of “smart home“.