Grounding Research: Embedding Personality

After Andy's 'cute' lecture, I began to remember as a kid seeing faces in things (which today i learned is termed "pareidolia"); and forming (completely ridiculous) attachments with junk that was ...well... just cute!

As this iDevice revolution continues to gather steam, and we continue to find more and more ways to integrate technology with our lifestyles, there is this relationship developing: almost an interdependency with our toys (does anyone else out there think iPhones are just tamagotchi for the older generation?)

When we switch our computer on, we are greeted by a smiley, happy face to let us know all is well in the land of silicon, and the analogies are extended to a saccharin-sweet excess when you try to install, trash or do something that is not allowed -"yes, i really DO want to trash that file that i dragged into the trash!...

But don't get me wrong... I love personality in a device. Hey, I learnt to drive and repair cars on an old '67 IIa Landrover, and this thing had personality... Anyone else out there used to driving these old buckets-of-baling-twine-and-hope will know what i mean - there's something about a system of integrated parts that has worn itself into a rhythm... [or that temperamental pile of old silicon switches on your desk that only works when you hit it the right way....] that we get to know and love - in effect, by the natural modifications of our actions to eke the most out of a system, we become another part of that system!

<&----------------<<

Thinking about embedding personality in devices, really the personality traits i require in my toys today are dependability, speediness, efficiency, intuition... the tools to get the job done... it's all in the interface...


...let's leave all the ghost-in-the-machine stuff for those who need friends ;)
-&c.