Sandbox adventures

How lovely to be invited by Bristol’s Ished and the Pervasive Media Studio to be one of the advisors for their upcoming Object Sandbox coming up soon. The application deadline is this December 13th, and you can find it here with interviews being held in January 2014.

It’s a part of their REACT programme, which has covered a range of timely themes. The focus here is on interconnected objects, and more than just thinking about the Internet of Things, it will explore what these things and their interconnectedness can bring to our lives. They say:

Historically, technology and electronics have dictated the form of objects and consequently most look exactly like what they are. Additionally the Internet and the web are principally consumed through screens, so interactions and engagement with content takes similar forms.  REACT is taking this opportunity with connected-objects to break free from these constraints and create objects that explore a new language of design.The focus is very much on user-centred design, user experiences and designed objects.  Objects cannot exist in isolation so people and a wider context are integral to the project.  Material properties and affordances of objects will be honestly and appropriately applied.  Technology will be discrete.

What a pleasure it will be to work with Anab Jain of Superflux, finally, and we’ll be in great company with other advisors: Rory Hamilton, Karen Gaskill, Kenton O’Hara, Nicole Yershon, and Alexandra Deschamps-Sonsino.

We are veterans of their very first Media Sandbox back in 2008 with Happy Towns project where we had the chance to develop a socially connected wearable and also facilitated the introductory day for Theatre Sandbox in 2010, bringing theatre people and technologists together to stimulate new kinds of work together.

Theatre Sandbox workshop with signer

It’s been inspiring to see how the Sandbox idea has been expanded and developed into whole new areas, each time pioneering a new space in such a rich, yet understated way. The fact that they have expanded the open workspace over the past few years is no surprise, and the shared space at the Watershed is filled with new fascinating people and projects.

This topic is a personal favourite and a long term interest. Its going to be brilliant. We can’t wait!