Recently, there’s been a lot of buzz around ambient computing; the future of interacting naturally with a multitude of devices embedded in your surrounding environment seems closer than ever. Most talks and articles approach the subject through the lens of feasibility and viability, but rarely desirability. Is this technology something people actually desire? Are people eager to live in a world with flashing screens and holograms whirling around their face?
In my talk I’ll challenge the audience to shift their understanding of ambient from ‘all-encompassing’ to ‘creating a peaceful and relaxed atmosphere’. I’ll share 5 provocations on how we can design ambient technology to subtly enhance the warmth and seamlessness humans get from interacting with other humans.