Curious Displays | Julia Y. Tsao

Julia Y. Tsao

julia.yu.tsao@gmail.com

Introduction / Preliminary Research / Ideas & Content / The Project: Curious Displays / PROJECT DEVELOPMENT / Experiential Prototype / Conclusion

ACCESSORY OBJECTS

My interest in the fiction of the Curious Displays project was explored through a series of imagined objects designed as accessories to the system. These objects served more as an ironc device, a "thinking through making" technique that allowed me to really begin visualizing the push and pull of living with a Curious Display. REMOTE CONTROL

The remote control is our central interface for controlling our televisions today. This interface has largely remained unchanged throughout the history of television technology—only difference has been the complexity of the remote controls to accommodate for the increasing number of features available to our devices.

If we continue this remote-model for the Curious Display system, how would the control interface look? The user would need control of not just the usual channels and volume, but movement, functionality, and behavior, as well. What types of buttons would we have to have for the system? Would there be an array of buttons for different shapes and aspect ratios? For different types of functionality? For different display personalities, even?

KILL SWITCH

Hundreds, even thousands of blocks are running around your living room, creeping efficiently and dutifully across different surfaces, creating illuminating display formations are they move through the space. What if, however, by some bizarre twist, their behavior takes an undesirable turn? Would we need, as peace of mind for our co-habitation with these energetic little blocks, a bit of insurance in the form of a master kill switch in case they did decide to go rougue? This kill switch shuts off all Curious Display blocks within a 200 square foot radius.

WARNING LABELS

As they run through your home, the little blocks will manage to end up somewhere unexpected: lost—wedged in some dark corner,trapped under a misplaced sock, even chewed up by the neighbor’s feisty cat. Often times, the misuse is more prevalent than otherwise! Heed the warning labels to avoid such situations--do not allow the pixel blocks to run up your pant legs, and do not sleep too close or you might accidentally ingest one while sleeping!!