Eminent Human-computer interaction researcher, at the MIT Media Lab, leading the “Tangible Media” group, which explores interactions merging the worlds of bits and atoms.
I think one main reason I’m drawn to his work is that unlike most contemporary work in HCI, there’s a bold and imaginative vision running through his lab’s work. In fact, on his group’s home page, he writes:
Looking back on the history of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), we notice that quantum leaps have rarely resulted from studies on users’ needs; they have instead stemmed from the passion and dreams of visionaries like Dr. Douglas Engelbart. By looking beyond current limitations, we believe that vision-driven design is critical to foster these quantum leaps, while also complementing needs-driven and technology-driven design. From Tangible Bits, an early example of our vision-driven research, we shifted to Radical Atoms, which seeks out new guiding principles and concepts to view the world of bits and atoms in a new light, with the goal of trailblazing a new realm in interaction design.
From these three approaches in design research — technology-driven, needs-driven, and vision-driven — we focus on the vision-driven approach due to its lifespan. We know that technologies become obsolete in ~1 year, and users’ needs change quickly and dramatically in ~10 years. However, we believe that a clear vision can last beyond our lifespan. While it may be decades before atom hackers (such as material scientists or self-organizing nano-robot engineers) invent the necessary enabling technologies for Radical Atoms, the exploration of interaction design should begin today.