Buddywall: a tangible user interface for wireless remote communication

BuddyWall is a system comprised of a wall-mounted panel with mobile wireless objects that represent remote friends on a virtual network. It uses established software and hardware for communication among a networked set of objects. The purpose of this interface is to allow for communication among remotely located friends and to display an awareness of group presence and others' availability through an ambient wall display. This project illustrates the transparency of a physical interface that provides aesthetically pleasing and emotionally engaging access to digital information for anyone. This paper describes the design of the system and interaction techniques developed in the context of this work. The aesthetics of physical objects can also enrich the digital experience and make it emotionally evocative.