The goal of our project, Constellation, is to demonstrate an interface that motivates and guides collaborative motion. Collaborative motion covers a cornucopia of activities from cooking, to dancing, to swimming, to yoga. We focus specifically on dance, and particularly flash mobs, as an application ripe for our interface. We examined the natural behavior of swarms, nature’s collaborative motion, and looked to the natural cues of motion in animals such as bees and ants as the basis of our prototype. We developed a system that tracks the synchronization of movement among proximal users. As more users move limbs in sync, the corresponding movement indicators (LEDs) become increasingly brighter. This approach creates an incentive based reward system to encourage users to move in synchronized (e.g. in a flash mob), and also creates an artistic effect that enhances the overall aesthetic experience.

Prototype States

Prototype Development

Example Scenario

Group Members

Shawn Conrad
Research, Stop Motion Video, Material Logistics
Lauren Kim
Research, Stop Motion Video [image editing], Presentation
Jacqueline Kory
Research, Stop Motion Video [music, compilation]
Adina Roth
Research, Stop Motion Video [photography], Prototype [fabrication, hardware], Presentation
Jonathan Speiser
Research, Stop Motion Video, Prototype [programming, electronics]

Final PDF: Assignment 2_constellation

Recent studies have shown that peak creativity emerges when people are in solitude within a comfortable and uninterrupted environment. Contrary to previous belief, group brainstorming can be stifling to many, especially creatives, many of whom are introverts, because of fear of rejection, not being able to speak up to a vocal colleague or succumbing to peer pressure.

Smart Bricks responds to these issues by giving individuals empowerment and creativity to create their own space and share their ideas at their own pace. The bricks come in 3 sizes and individuals can use them both as modular units to create architectural elements such as walls/white boards, furniture and sketch blocks. In terms of articulating the meeting space, the blocks can be used to create an open meeting space, or individual alcoves for private dialogue.

For sharing information, the blocks can be aggregated in certain ways to collect ideas, via a digital pen, from one individual or a shared group or set up in a systematic way to create an ideas wall. The user also has the option to project their ideas from the block onto the wall.

Research has shown that many eureka ideas come from unexpected environments, thus, by letting the partipants create their own space, ideas may be piqued and the individuals would be able to record and share their ideas directly through their environment.