Despite the abundance of live travel information, too great a reliance is placed upon interaction with smartphone/tablet based apps. This limited method is known to exclude some users to whom smartphone interaction is uncomfortable due to having few options and descriptive language that does not work in their context, thus creating a barrier for them and consequently leaving them uninformed.
Basing our interaction point on the home TV instead of a smartphone, we have designed two ‘set-top’ type devices as a design provocation. The devices are intentionally linked visually with our physical bus-stop designs and part of a greater exploration into the visual language of inclusive travel information. In these designs, interaction about bus services is achieved using two-way verbal prompts and on-screen digital map, prioritising natural interaction.
Two versions are proposed; an All-in-One device aims to be the centrepiece providing built-in high quality audio; and a smaller jewel-like Cube which provides the same level of visual output and spoken communication but presents itself as a small, yet valuable object that is placed on display.
Hi Paul, in regards to the dimension of the jewel-like cube please see additional content titled 'Set-Top Box Jewel Cube with Size annotation' attached in the gallery. Thank you for your feedback.
Hi Andree, thank you for the feedback. The main advantage of this design is having voice interaction, a form of interaction that is more intuitive for older people. The cube is not a substitute for users' travel card but rather a different form in which the set-top box could come in. It would be great to be able to discuss further with what you have in mind regarding this project, would you be available for further discussion?
Hi Paul, thank you for the feedback. At the moment, the complex surface is covered by soft acoustic textile for audio clarity. However, allowing users to input to the device by engaging with the complex surface sounds interesting. As for the scale, drawing 2 shows its size beside a TV. It would be great to be able to discuss further with what you have in mind regarding this project, would you be available for further discussion?
Although I like the design very much, can you please tell me how this responds to the design brief and what issue it solves.
Like the storyboard
How would be used by older people, it seems to add complexity and another device into their lives, and I don't think they will understand it.
Are you replacing a travel card with a cube? A travel card fits into a wallet or purse, a cube does not . why are there two shapes? do they have the same functionality (eg drawings 2 and 4)
Would be good to get a better sense of scale of the smaller, jewel-like object. Additionally, it's inherent complex surface will most likely catch light - I wonder then, what it would be like to play with these surfaces in a tactile-play sense and see how it would feel to engage with the information on-screen directly via the 'semi-precious' device.
.jpg)
3 years ago