Keywords: Networked objects, emotional products, social hardware, social psychology, challenging obsolescence, physical computing, Arduino, hacking, electronics, sensors.
Networked objects are conversing. These invisible conversations surround us and respond to our directives, but very rarely do they consider engaging us in the dialogue. Physical computing can hack our physical landscapes to create an ecosystem of objects that respond to inputs and outputs. These ‘conversations’ can be conducted in visual, metaphorical, or tangible ways.
How though, can these objects engage us in the conversation, activating us as responsive players in this network? How can intelligent and emotional objects conspire to change each our behaviour, influence each others emotions, calm us, incite each other, induce dialogue…?