Jill Coffin
CHI 2010
Summary
In this paper, Coffin describes Breeze which is a roboticized maple tree. Breeze is a part of an art research program called Robotany, which uses techno-organic artifacts to study technology-human interaction. Breeze was exhibited for the first time in 2006 in Switzerland, and later that same year in San Jose, California. In 2010 Breeze was exhibited in CHI. Coffin describes the different reactions people had in Switzerland and in San Jose. Breeze's exhibition in Switzerland caught the attention of Coffin and other event organizers, as visitors engaged in interaction with the tree. Visitors waving their hands, saying goodbye, and dancing were some of the physical interactions with Breeze. Later on 2006 with a different type of tree, Breeze was exhibited in San Jose. However the interaction was not the same as in Switzerland, at least the physical interaction was different. The interaction in San Jose was more like carefully analyzing the robotic mechanism of Breeze. The observations made by Coffin focus more of the interactions between humans and the art, and how this relates to HCI.
Decision
When I began to read to read this paper, I thought how absurd is this idea to study technology-human interaction trough the use of techno-organic artifacts. However it was interesting to read how the two different trees made the difference in how visitors interacted with Breeze in Switzerland and in San Jose. If I would have attended to a Breeze exhibition, I would have behaved more like the San Jose visitor. I would have focused more to the robotic mechanism of Breeze and begin wondering what other technologies could be beneficial for it to increase human interaction.
I agree with you that it sounds absurd that making artificial tress would help research. What first came to mind was those mechanical tree's you see at the mall in the children,s play area. I guess I will have to read the full article to understand the concept behind it.
ReplyDelete