Over the past two semesters of researching Calm Technology, I have begun to focus more and more on Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and how to align it with the principles of Calm Technology to combat the negative effects of the digitalisation of our environment. My goal is to create or change the converter of digital interactions to make them materialise the digital in a more natural way. In my opinion, this can only be done by changing the way, mode and nature of the interactions we currently have with the digital world. So I will try to get impulses in different human-computer interactions and how a calmer materialisation of the digital can be achieved. My first impulse for this is the Klanglicht festival in Graz, as it also partly explores ways of communicating complex information, feelings or stories with the reduced methods of only using sound and light. This happened from two perspectives, one as a visitor and one as a participant in the installation Spektrum of the FH Joanneum.
Klanglicht
From the perspective of a visitor to Klanglicht, it was interesting to see in how many different ways different artists were able to communicate or convey sometimes quite complex stories, emotions or meanings without using traditional storytelling media such as screen or spoken or written text. Only by using sound, light and in some cases movement were they able to convey all this in a clear way. This was achieved by abstracting all the elements of communication between the installation and the visitor and placing them in the right context. Calm Technology aims to do just that, moving away from attention-grabbing push notifications and messages to more natural and contextual interactions that are less overwhelming for the user. This can be achieved by using movement or lights in the periphery of the vision, or by using sounds that convey secondary information in context. This was demonstrated in a more artistic but nonetheless true way by the projects exhibited at Klanglicht. One installation called ENDERS / surface by Boris Acket was particularly inspiring on this theme. The way in which he achieved an almost natural and very calming environment using only fairly technical elements such as motors and stage lighting, and using these elements to create an interplay of shadow and light with subtle movement, was an impressive example of how technology can be used to create something calm and detached from its digital parts. The unpredictable but harmonious movement of the fabric mirrors natural phenomena such as the ripple of water or the wind through grass, creating a sense of calm and connection with the environment. The mirroring of familiar, natural patterns can be a key factor in making human-computer interactions more ambient and enjoyable. By orienting these interactions around the rhythms and behaviours of our natural world, rather than the rigid structures of digital systems, we can create ambient interaction that feel more intuitive and calming. By using our learned understanding of natural behaviours instead of us having to learn new and unnatural patterns and behaviours.
Langnicht
As participants the impulse of Klanglicht was more practical than as visitors. Together with all four majors of our study programme (Communication, Media, Sound & Interaction) we had the opportunity to realise our own sound & light installation under the theme Spektrum in the Antoniuskirche in Graz. The first challenge was to set up the installation inside the church, where we were not allowed to change anything and everything had to be self-supporting as the building is a listed building. But after a few rounds of trial and error and many hours of work, we managed to create a rather impressive and complex installation. As shown in the video below. This first challenge taught me a lot about how to structure projects, how to prioritise tasks and that the more work you do in the background, the smoother and better the experience at the front. The second challenge was to create a three-minute sound and light show to be played on the installation, now in smaller interdisciplinary groups of 5-6 students. Our chosen story for this show was the specter of nature and technology, how they contradict each other, but can also find common ground in a utopian solar punk vision. To convey this message we had only the medium of spatial sound and the construction of LED pixel rails with individual LED dots rather than an LED screen. The learning experience here was how to abstract a message so that it would only work if you heard sounds and saw light dots glowing in an abstract pattern, without losing any of its meaning. In the end, as you can see in the teaser below, we achieved this in some way. This showed me how difficult or much work it is to reduce interaction elements without losing information or meaning in the process. It ended up being a very relevant exercise for me. Because in order to make interactions more ambient, they should follow this abstraction theme.
