A interesting conceptual design project called Little Signals from London-based industrial design firm Map Project Office and sponsored by Google: Little Signals explores new patterns for technology in our daily lives. The six objects in this design study make use … Continue reading little signals
A fascinating question: Who will design the digital personality of a physical space? Think about how powerful the “personality” of AI digital assistants are in their design and user acceptance/usability. Siri vs Alexa. Clippy vs Hal. The GPS navigation system … Continue reading who designs the digital personality of a physical space?
Here’s a short video competition entry that I made a few years ago as a hobby project. A primer on data-driven ambient media communications in architectural spaces. Frankly, I forgot that I even made this video – it was the … Continue reading revelations and resonance
It’s hard to comprehend how fast technology prices plummet and the implications for the built environment. Case in point: 65″ 4K LCDs panels are now cheaper than the cost of typical cubicle workstation dividers. Don’t believe me? Go to Walmart.com … Continue reading the future of office design?
Perception is a NYC-based design firm that creates the amazing sci-fi interfaces used in various movies – most notably the Marvel franchises – along with interfaces for actual real life tech companies. Core77 has a nice post covering some of … Continue reading perception
Thanks to James McHale and the team at Memoori for hosting a great webinar! If you missed it live, listen to it now at your convenience at this link. Really, I should have picked a different title, because the 6 … Continue reading 6 disruptive lighting trends: recorded webinar
Random Studio in Amsterdam put a couple small experiments on Medium and Instagram that are interesting: Marrying fiber optics to LED screens and using LED screens below water. See the Instagram posts below. I feel like I’ve seen the combination … Continue reading random studio: how can screens be more tactile?
The whole concept of open offices was facing a huge backlash before the pandemic. Now, everyone across the globe is suddenly hyper-sensitive to their body’s relationship to other people. “Social distancing” became a global term in a matter of hours. … Continue reading quarantining the scourge of open offices
Refik Anadol is an artist using data streams to drive beautiful, hyper-kinetic digital visualizations. Make sure to check out the video below from Wired on Anadol’s work — lots of creative inspiration for using ambient communications in the built environment. … Continue reading refik anadol
Taking a moment to reflect on this past year, let me review 3 major topics I put forth attempting to drive innovation in the architectural lighting industry. Ambient Communications At the start of the year I spoke at several conferences … Continue reading closing out a year of innovation
Nice interview with David Rose, an MIT researcher and designer who has great ideas on ambient communications. I’m surprised I haven’t met David – a lot of our concepts on integrating digital content into the built environment are very similar … Continue reading david rose – ambient communications
Editor’s preface, Brad Koerner: This spring and summer I had the privilege of mentoring Yasaman Mavvaj, a graduate thesis student at TU Delft’s Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering. For the past several years, I’ve guest lectured at Professor Sylvia Pont’s … Continue reading ambient communications: research by Yasaman Mavvaj of TU Delft
This past week I attended and presented at the Guangzhou International Lighting Exhibition 2019, staged by the excellent Messe Frankfurt Hong Kong team. My presentation was titled “From Architectural Lighting to Architectural Media“, in which I covered the transition to … Continue reading guangzhou lighting exhibition 2019
“Data-driven” architectural lighting and digital media? “Ambient communications” for architectural spaces? What does that all mean and how will it drive future concepts of lighting and A/V design? Thanks to everyone who attended my presentation at the #ise2019 Smart Building Conference exploring … Continue reading smart building conference 2019: ambient communications
We live in a time where many people feel trapped by digital screens. With our mobile devices, every new app fights for a precious slice of our attention bandwidth. Out and about, digital signage screams for our attention in every store, bus … Continue reading wrap your spaces in social media
“Social walls” are an interesting new concept. Content aggregator services pull together data streams from various social media sites like Instagram or Twitter, based on desired hashtags, geo-fencing, or other qualifiers. These content streams can be displayed in a variety … Continue reading social walls
Boston-based interactive design firm Sosolimited recently installed a public art piece at the Charleston Navy Yard on the tip of Constitution Wharf. According to their press release: ● Custom software collects data in real time from National Oceanic andAtmospheric Administration … Continue reading sosolimited – tidal light
Skandal Technologies have updated their website with their new “Poet” system for controlling ambient information in architectural environments. The Poet system unifies sensors, online data harvesting, generative content engines, servers, lighting solutions, and content management into one solution. According to … Continue reading skandal technologies: update
Lighting designer Tapio Rosenius and a few other founders have recently launched an interesting new startup called Skandal Technologies exploring the field of ambient architectural communication via embedded lighting. Not much is public yet, but according to Tapio’s LinkedIn page and their website: Ambient Communication is a new practice where data informs interventions into the physical environment. Humans have substantial ability to process ambient and peripheral information that directly affects our feelings and subconscious contextual understanding without the need to activate cognitive thought processes. Introducing meaningful digital feeds to our built environments through ambient communication we enhance and extend our … Continue reading skandal technologies
Via Core77 (and thanks Joshua), a luminous “ambient information” concept called Blink consists of two glowing orbs that are touch- and motion-sensitive, color-changing, and equipped with 3G for seamless operation. The project was developed in this case for sick children … Continue reading blink: a language of love
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