You’re at the cutting edge of the very things that I’m talking about, so anything that grounds those ideas and concepts in reality is great to read.

So thanks!

For example, as soon as you get close to a wall or stand on a digital floor space, you can only interact with a small area, and you need to stand back to appraise the creation (depending on its size). For that reason I think fewer walls will be completely covered with the wall-paper, even if it was cheap to install. You just wouldn’t install it wherever it is considered a waste of real estate. But the exception might be for high budget and temporary entertainment applications. Anyway, I’m turning your blog into a hardware review and that’s not right, he he Good work, love reading your stuff.

“The transformation of rooms into such interactive experiences that combine both audio and visual stimuli and feedback has however been installed in spaces for many years now.”

Yes, I’m aware of such things.

But where my ideas differ is in the interactive nature — such as being able to touch and manipulate items on these sheet screens, much like the new iPhone.

So durability through interactivity is a major differentiator here.

“It’s true that the Wii does get kids active … but nothing compares to real intense exercise outdoors, plus the incidental activity and creative learning the outdoors provide.”

Agreed. But something — however little — is always better than nothing.

“Many may not know this, but releasing a product that is marketed as being predominantly environmentally responsible (in some countries at least) is a business strategy that is fraught with far greater danger than many other marketing strategies.”

The market for “green” consumer goods is still very much nascent in many respects.

Of course, there’s been Energy Star compliance for many years, but there are so many other areas that are still lacking.

As with any new market, there are the early movers and early adopters. There are also those quick to capitalize on the ignorance of those early adopters.

As the major players emerge and settle in, quality and consumer awareness lift the shared perception to a point where cheap tricks can no longer thrive among an edified consumer population.

So in time, people begin to make informed purchases, forcing the manufacturers to drive their R&D people to create ever more sophisticated, energy efficient devices.

In the end, we all benefit…

There was a guy at my last job who had a Newton. It was cool, but it was also invariably covered in a slew of little post-it notes! I expect some future iPod or Mac Notepad will be the eventual follow-up to it.

2. The transformation of rooms into such interactive experiences that combine both audio and visual stimuli and feedback has however been installed in spaces for many years now. It’s everywhere from shopping malls, museums to homes. The market is by no means saturated yet with this technology.

Gesturetek started in the 1980’s with the Mandala. Their patented Ground FX (wall and floor transforming interactives) go all the way. Although some might initially say “we are only limited by our imagination in using this technology”, as an industrial designer currently championing the implementation of the technology in a space, I have come across a major limitation. The usability (what a human being can actually do with it before being overwhelmed or confused) is the main limitation. Sometimes technology evolves too fast or can be designed with too complex an interface for both adults and children to effectively enjoy it, and sometimes we need time to evolve to cope with the technology.

I believe 3M has brought out a new digital paper on massive rolls, which can be made interactive with external devices such as infra red sensing of touch across the surface (with a matrix of infra red LED’s). Hm, I must get some in to trial this for the next exhibit and test it against the effectiveness of TFT touch screens.

5. Interestingly Gesturetek appear to have been the first to commercialise the Wii effect (minus the controller) and appear to have licensing agreements with the major players, which will ensure more such interactive consoles… as well as multi touch screens and other gesture controlled interactives.

It’s true that the Wii does get kids active and a local yet well renowned clinic I liaise with has revealed that the heart rate of children is increased when using the Wii, but nothing compares to real intense exercise outdoors, plus the incidental activity and creative learning the outdoors provide. The advertising for the Wii seems misleading.

You may agree as an industrial designer that humans have evolved to use tools (such as hand tools and gadgets), but it will be interesting to see how much hands-free (gesture aided and mind controlled) interactives will soak up the future markets before an equilibrium between the two are established.

The thing about technology trends (in addition to what I covered earlier) is that they’re invariably needs-driven.

It’s rare that someone comes up with a solution to a problem that doesn’t yet exist and then have that product succeed.

Just look at the Apple Newton — way ahead of its time and in turn, totally useless at the time.

I like the thoughts on Social Networks. Which is the kind of thing that sits neatly along side my own ideas…