Tangible Interfaces for NonLiterate Rural Communities

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Tangible Interfaces for Non-Literate Rural
Communities
Message in a Bottle.
Weather Tank.
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LINCOS (Little Intelligent Communities).
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Anthropologists have found that even the earliest
civilizations have used tangible artifacts to
visualize abstract concepts and store
information. Water Clock, Hour Glass and Memory
Boards are good examples.
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African Memory Board.
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Weather Tank.
Small water tank to visualize weather forecasts
to fishermen.
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(No Transcript)
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Interactions
Output

• Motors with propellers water turbulence.
• Air blowing fans speed and direction of wind.
• Water temperature predicted temperatures.

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Interactions cont.
Input
Users can choose the day or night by pushing
objectssuns, moonsover the rod from one end to
the other.
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Message in a Bottle.
Voicemail interface based on a simple water
bottle.
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Interactions
Refilling andtransferring messages
Listening
Recording
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Refilling and transferring messages
Fingerprint sensor determines identity of user
during refilling process.
Recorded voicemails are uploaded to the
"Communication Machine," incoming voicemails
downloaded to the bottle.
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Listening
Upon opening bottle stored voicemails are played
back to user
Audio is stored as MP3 files in memory chips of a
board under the bottle
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Recording
User drops picture of person to communicate with
into bottle.
RFID sensor registers identity of recipient,
voicemail is recorded with built-in microphone.
After recording, user removes picture from bottle
and takes bottle to refilling machine.
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Deva Seetharam and Stefan Marti deva_at_media,
stefanm_at_media