I began working with the Oracles last summer, when George P. Johnson (GPJ) lent one to our studio. GPJ brought me on board in the fall to further develope an application I designed in the Interactive Objects and Spaces studio. Above is a video of the Acura Advance Lab, one of the two applications I designed for GPJ. Visitors who touch the surface are connected to each other through the Oracle — Get Connected through Acura Technology.

(the second one, the ELS Sound Table, didn't make it through development, but would have connected the Oracle to a surround-sound system, activating speakers in the room that correspond spatially to the surface of the Oracle).

Designing for a multi-touch surface requires a different approach to interaction design. You need to consider how to engage several people simulatneously, and for different durations of time and input. In contrast, designing for the computer sceen involves one user with a single, standard input (a mouse click).

My early ideas revolved around the concept of collaboration, as a round table has no head, no hierarchy, and the leather padding induces a lounging posture that people frequently hang around.

It is also interesting to consider what happens when the interactions with the table are recorded.

2006 Acura Oracle website >>

George P. Johnson >>

Acura Oracle articles >>