In the previous group research project and midterm project, I think that interaction must involve two actors in a cyclic process with thinking, processing, and responding. Besides, the interaction must have inputs and outputs, and interaction has to be able to process complex information instead of a simple one, which ultimately differs interaction from an instant reaction.
After the midterm project and learning processing, I pay more attention to the experience and result from the interaction. Many people commented on our midterm project was interactive but the users did not get a result or reward from that interaction. I think the word “reward” never occur to me during the time I was making my midterm project. Moreover, I also have experienced something different during learning Processing. I think everyone has his or her function to use. For me, I really like using “random.” Use random on color, size, and movement. Human beings love getting unexpected results. After all, interaction is a human-centered experience with reward and a process of exploration with multiple and unexpected alternatives.
Here is a project I think aligns with my definition of interaction. The project Click Canvas is a highly interactive project made by Natthakit KIMBAB Kang, which provides multiple alternatives for users to explore. The users can turn on and turn off the LED boxes and change the color of the lights. They also have opportunities to choose the boxes they want to light on the wall. Some of the art pieces that the users create in the video are even beyond the imagination of the maker. And users even took photos with the LED box wall together. I think this is interaction with curiosity and surprise.
The next project I want to analyze is also a great project. However, it does not align with the new definition of interaction I provide. Creepy Cauldron made by Barton Listick is a great toy for children to play with especially in Halloween. His idea is to have the lighting and sound effects get increasingly intense as unsuspecting children approach the cauldron. It definitely scares children to some extent. The lighting and sound feedbacks are strong. However, like my midterm project, there is no reward for this interaction and the feedback is too monotonic, so it differs from my definition of interaction.
The curiosity aspect of interaction also reminds me of the story of Pandora’s box. Pandora opened a box containing sickness, death and many other unspecified evils which were then released into the world. Only the hope was left in the box. Pandora opened the box out of curiosity even Zeus told her not to. Even though it is a story about the curse, Pandora’s action of opening the box can intrigue a certain level of interaction from what is inside of the box.
In the end, the new definition of interaction is a cyclic and complicated process with inputs and outputs, which underlines human-centered experience with reward and a process of exploration with multiple and unexpected alternatives.
Reference
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandora%27s_box
https://create.arduino.cc/projecthub/barton-listick/you-can-t-creep-up-on-this-creepy-cauldron-7e6755?ref=search&ref_id=interactive&offset=22
https://create.arduino.cc/projecthub/natthakit-kim-kang/click-canvas-an-interactive-wall-04332c?ref=tag&ref_id=interactive&offset=0