The robots are coming

Abstract

On the Edge will place the spotlight on exciting, unusual and often controversial developments from the world of interaction design. It will discuss issues that challenge the current norm---whether in industry or academia---in a way that is not possible in either a shallow news article or a formal research paper. Topics can include a cool gadget that's just been launched in Tokyo's Akihabara district, or some far out research prototype presented at the latest SIGGRAPH or UbiComp conference. I will also introduce concepts and methods that put a new perspective on the profession. Prototypes are cool, but unless they come with a well-grounded theory and a connection to the world outside the lab, they will soon be forgotten and left in a pile together with last year's Tamagotchis and CHI papers. How can interaction designers---who already maintain a precarious balancing act on the borderline between art and science---create products and interfaces that have the potential to change peoples' lives, while simultaneously serving all their masters: commerce and culture, research and intuition, engineering and design, and so on? Welcome to life On The Edge.