Cause & Effect is a data-driven piece of tangible media, which allows users to better understand the detrimental health impact of smoking on the human body.
This project involves a tangible user interface that takes the form of a stuffed toy doll, covered in a series of touch-sensitive buttons (the black spots), which is connected to computer. Users are encouraged to hold the doll while they navigate the interface, which responds to button-presses by playing a short video about the impact of smoking on the body part associated with the location of the button pressed on the doll. Each button is softly illuminated, and when pressed, this light switches off and slowly illuminates as the video plays – giving feedback to the user and reflecting a metaphor of degradation of the associated area of the body.
In creating this project, we sought to provide people with a novel way to physically engage with a serious topic matter and gain new insight and understanding into an issue that impacts millions of people, worldwide.
Collaboration with Lincoln Savage
Project Details
Name: Cause & Effect
Year: 2013
Materials: fabric, conductive paint, MDF, black paint, wire, rare earth magnets
Software: Adobe After Effects & Premiere Pro (for videos)
Hardware: LEDs, hall effect sensor, Arduino Uno, external laptop (variable)