If you program, you know this is the genesis of your first program. It is also the subject of three documentaries on three programming languages (Processing, OpenFrameworks and Pure data) widely used by artists not to mention by us as well

Currently, there is software such as Logo, Scratch and Alice for those that are fluent with the WIMP interaction model. Not too long ago, when children wanted to interact with a moving image, they looked for a mouse. Now, they want to interact directly with the content just like they do on touchscreen devices which is best illustrated in this video of a baby and it’s interaction with an iPad and then a magazine. While the iPad offers immediate feedback, the quality is still graphical in nature. The key to learning at a much earlier age is tactile feedback.

And so like a lot of things today, it started with a tweet:

@sven_kr @filtercake @railscamp_hh I see rails for kids being physical blocks that one would arrange to write code…OOP made tactile

The goal is to explore physical computing (with haptic feedback built-in) as the environment to enable children to learn the fundamentals of programming. The outcome will be a working prototype(s) that clearly demonstrates the potential of object oriented play to children and their parents.

Related links:
littleBits
OnObject
ElectroPlushies
Sifteo Cubes
Drawdio

Further links:
Coding for Kids (an overview)

Image of wooden letters via Marc Böttler’s Klotz Type Experiment

Here’s to the crazy ones.

Inksphere was developed in the “Interactive Media Facades/ Action Painting” course lead by Prof. Franziska Hübler (design) and Prof. Dr. Birgit Wendholt, Prof. Dr. Gunter Klemke and Prof. Dr. Kai von Luck (computer science).

Find out more about Inksphere
Design Made in Germany
Kinect Hacks
Frequency

This built upon the work of Lizzie Malcom and her FaceOSC twitter experiment which Sven Krauter and I demonstrated at the Agile Design Camp.

Im Mittelpunkt der Ausstellung stand die Sensibilisierung für das Ungreifbare, das Unsichtbare, dass durch verschiedene Sensoren sichtbar und formbar gemacht wurde. Die Arbeiten bewegen sich zwischen Technik und künstlerischer Formgebung, sie experimentieren mit der Wirkung projizierter Form auf zweidimensionaler Fläche.

Hier stand man nicht als passiver Beobachter sondern wurde selbst ein Teil aktiv-Arbeiten, was die Ausstellung zu einem ganz besonderen und einzigartigen Erlebnis machte.

Ein Kooperationsprojekt der Departments Design und Informatik mit Clara Bosch, Gesa Hansen, Erik Herrmann, Marco Johns, Fee Keller, Marissa Kimmel, Adriane Künne, Christoph Lohse, Jascha Nitzschmann, Fabian Puller, Paul Zürker betreut von Prof. Franziska Hübler, Prof. Gunter Klemke, Prof. Kai von Luck, Prof. Birgit Wendholt und mit Unterstützung der Zentralwerkstatt.

Installationen & Objekte, Eröffnung am Do. 22 April um 19 Uhr, 23-29. April Di – Fr 15 – 20, Sa 14 – 20

Im Gängeviertel / Kutscherhaus, Caffamacherreihe Ecke Valentinskamp, Hamburg, Germany

Mit Katrin Cornils, Gesa Hansen, Fee Keller, Svenja Keune, Marissa Kimmel, Milena Krais, Janina Schlichte, Gesa Troch and Paul Zürker geleitet von Prof. Franziska Hübler, Dr. Prof. Kai von Luck and André Jeworutzki