Here is an alphabetical list of our most recent projects. Some of these are tied to the themes described on our home page. Our older work can be seen in the archive.
Design for Older People
Older adults are a heterogeneous group, but one that as a cohort may share certain values and have experienced particular events, such as becoming a grandparent, or lifestyle shifts, such as becoming retired. We have considered the attitudes of older adults, alongside the literature on family relationships, to consider how we might design technologies for this group to support communication, the recording of memories, and storytelling to grandchildren.
Lifelogging the Everyday
As a point of departure from the use of lifelogging tools, such as SenseCam, to support memory, we have focused on how such devices might be appropriated by people in their everyday lives. We have studied individuals as well as families and young couples to consider how SenseCam photos might serve as a form of user-generated content, a prompt for reflection, or an artefact in the telling of stories. We have also investigated how the experience of looking at such images changes over time, visiting participants immediately after photos were taken, and then again 18 months later.
A Memory Making System
This project examines the issue of family archiving and presents a system designed to enable families to capture, manage, create and store new kinds of digital memorabilia. Using Microsoft Surface as its hub it shows how families can upload photos and videos quickly and easily, and scan in physical objects, such as children’s artwork or a child’s first pair of shoes.
Reconfigurable Ferromagnetic Input Devices
Within this project we are investigating the use of ferromagnetic sensor arrays to create novel user interface systems. We have developed a number of prototype systems and created a range of applications for use with the sensor array. We are currently exploring the use of the device for creative expression, particularly as an electronic music interface.
Rudiments
This set of small robotic like devices, called rudiments, investigate human-machine interactions in a variety of different ways. Through careful iterations in their design, the rudiments are intended to provoke curiosity and discussion around the possibility of autonomy in interactive systems. They steer away from a humanoid approach to robot design and explore the potential relations and possibilities for combining robotic devices with appliance like characteristics.
Serendipitous displays
The serendipitous displays project explores alternatives to existing practices concerning the presentation of people’s personal digital content in domestic settings. In order to engage people in novel ways we heavily draw upon elements like surprise, serendipity, agency and anticipation. Tuba and Meerkat, two content displaying devices, are designed to explore combinations of these elements as investigations into their potential contributions to engage people with their personal content.
SketchStorm
This project explores how we might develop new digital tools to facilitate designers in an early ideation stage of the design process. In order to do so we created a technology probe called SketchStorm, a prototype application that supports some common ideation practices including sketching, image search and image collection.
Technology Heirlooms
This project is all about thinking about technology in the long term. While we tend to think of most digital things as only having a shelf life of a few years, the reality is that we're now taking digital photos, and keeping digital items, for long enough that we have to start thinking about the consequences of using them for reminiscing in the future, and even passing them on to our offspring. What does it mean to inherit someone's PC or to use digital technology to reflect on someone's life?
TellTable
TellTable utilises Microsoft Surface Technology to provide an interactive storytelling experience, helping to stimulate creativity and self-expression by children. The storyteller(s) can manipulate various digital characters and sceneries on Surface, which are created by capturing and editing real world elements using a camera. By doing so, they can narrate, act, and record the story in a lightweight way, similar to how children would tell stories using physical toys.
Wayve
Building on research with HomeNote and TxtBoard, Wayve is a situated display with which householders can create content by scribbling or taking photos, and then leave these to be seen within the home, or messaged to others via their mobiles, emails or other Wayves. A three-month field trial across 24 households demonstrated how the device supports the playfulness that is inherent in close social relationships, while supporting a sense of closeness across extended family networks.
Careers
- The Socio-Digital Systems group are always looking for interns and Post-docs. For more information, visit Microsoft Research Careers.
Contact Us
- Socio-Digital Systems
Microsoft Research
7 J J Thomson Ave
Cambridge CB3 0FB, UK
+44 1223 479700
