Tangible Toolbox transforms domestic environments
The ACCORD project has created a tangible toolbox that enables people to convert such domestic facets as room temperature, television viewing, lighting control and monitoring food stocks into highly automotive technologies. The main goal of the project has been to envision the facilities needed to carry out and handle the fundamental activities within domestic surroundings. Understanding and analysing the domestic environment both in its current and future state comprised most of the efforts during the project's first year. A conceptual model was designed to show how services could be created through a number of components, also known as transformers, which take input and generate output. The transformers are basic information receptors-generators that allow inhabitants to render their own "customisable" environments. The engineering of this concept was performed through ethnographic studies that examined current activities taking place in existing homes as well as technological studies that provided insight on future homes. As the project forged into its second year, the Tangible Toolbox was implemented to show how accommodations can be created though a number of components which operate in combination to make up different embedded services. Some transformers that have been tested and demonstrated in a mock apartment include a "grocery alarm," an "add too list" and an "SMS send". The latter part of the project was comprised of bringing the mock-up to families in order to learn about their understanding of the proposed model. With some additional research, implementation and feedback it may not be long before the Tangible Toolbox finds its way into people's homes and makes regular domestic activities easier to manage.
