Tangible programming bricks : an approach to making programming accessible to everyone
Name
45278905-MIT.pdf
Description
Full printable version
Size
11.36 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
f438b9710fa63a5cf7d575be9c67e23b
Author(s)
McNerney, Timothy S
Advisor(s)
Fred Martin.
Date Issued
2000
Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Abstract
Thanks to inexpensive microprocessors, consumer electronics are getting more powerful. They offer us greater control over our environment, but in a sense they are getting too powerful for their own good. A programmable thermostat can make my home more comfortable and save energy, but only if I successfully program it to match my life-style. Graphical, direct manipulation user interfaces are step in the direction of making devices easier to program, but it is still easier to manipulate physical objects in the real world than it is to interact with virtual objects "inside" a computer display. Tangible, or graspable user interfaces help bridge the gap between the virtual world and the physical world by allowing us to manipulate digital information directly with our hands. Tangible Programming Bricks are physical building blocks for constructing simple programs. In this thesis I provide technical details of the Bricks themselves, demonstrate that they are useful for controlling a variety of digital "everyday objects," from toy cars to kitchen appliances, and set the stage for future research that will more rigorously support my hypothesis that tangible programming is easier to understand, remember, explain to others, and perform in social settings, when compared to traditional programming mechanisms.
Description
Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Program in Media Arts & Sciences, February 2000.
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 65-68).
Subjects
Architecture. Program In Media Arts and Sciences.
MIT Department
Program in Media Arts and Sciences (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
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