It's better to burn out, than to fade away

532 - My Ultimate Interactive Experience

Here is my presentation for Imagine, a personalized television channel. ITV people: Please don't steal my ideas. Unless you want to hire me. Thanks. :)

Download file

My Marketing Video Scenario Storyboards:

Thanks Will for the second picture!

Anyone catch the DT today....

Saw this in the Daily Trojan at work today.

"Pushing buttons. Students in professor Christopher Gould´s Physics 151 class use personal response system clickers to answer questions. The answers are viewed on a screen in front of the class and immediately discussed.

Introduced in the spring semester of 2004, the personal response systems, commonly called clickers or remotes, use infrared light - just like television remote controls - to transmit information, said Eugene Bickers, chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy.

...The clickers are most commonly used for in-class questions but can also be used to take attendance, said Christopher Gould, professor of physics and astronomy.

Professors can put multiple-choice quiz questions on classroom projection screens, and students can then respond by pressing the corresponding button on their clickers."

Though the current application seems pretty limited, I think this technology has potential for use in interactive education.

It probably inspires attention in the students, seems like good feedback (especially if your answer is correct) and is at least a good way to have a voice in a class of over 200 like most freshmen science classes are.

Microcontroller = Cool!

So I really like this microcontroller basic stamp stuff so far. There is something so joyful about seeing your little LED blink at you. Also the physicality of setting up the wiring is a definite switch from sitting in front of a computer and pounding at keys. I think this touches a bit on what I was expressing on Tuesday, about getting back to being physical with projects. Scissors and glue or breadboards and wire cutters, its all the same!

So, I did short circuit and fry a battery. BUT, nobody got hurt! (oops)

Now I've got to comb the internet looking for projects to do.......

Another Comment From Class

I thought Naimark made a valid point about everyone wanting to know what everyone else is doing, but I don't attribute my idea's fat chance in hell of succeeding to that. A truly personalized television channel parsing shows and specific content from anything broadcast would make it impossible for Nielsen to provide rating points for shows. This would lead to advertisers having nothing to base their purchases on, and kill the entire revenue of the televisions stations and networks, which did 60 B's in 2003. It sort of an interesting problem, because coming up with a different revenue model is way more important then the studies being done on interface and delivery systems, at least for initial implementation. Guess I'll have to become a business person and think it up myself!

But, interface studies are fun too. I hope Brad and I soon get out to Schematic and see what they're all about.