Physical Construction Toys for Rapid Sketching of Tangible User Interfaces

Physical construction toys such as Lego or similar brick-based systems provide a rich space for tangible interactions. In this paper we explore their potential as a readily available prototyping platform for Tangible User Interfaces. The system enables interaction designers and users to create functional control layouts, tangible experience prototypes, custom interface elements, and grid based interactions from Lego bricks. The position, color, orientation and shape of the markerless bricks are tracked using a camera. We have conducted an initial exploration of this design space through an exemplary case study of a tangible interface for music creation: users can construct interactive interface elements such as tangible grids for the arrangement of drum-patterns and different types of continuous controllers for parameter adjustments. The system is currently a work in progress; ongoing efforts are aimed at a more thorough evaluation.