The CHI 2007 Student Design Competition advanced to the next round. Of the 54 submissions from 19 schools and 11 countries, a dozen teams were selected to show their posters at the conference Monday, and four teams made the cut to present on Wednesday morning … including two IU School of Informatics teams. Ri-Ri is a team of second-year master’s students (Christian Beck, Arvind Ashok and Nick Quagliara) who designed something to help bus conductors in Madras, India. Celerometer was the entry of first-year master’s students (Tyler Pace, Shruti Ramalingam, and David Roedl) who redefined the design problem to focus on improving efficiency of school buses. The other finalists are altVerto (U of Michigan) and EMI: A system to improve and promote the use of public transportation (Universidad Tecnologica de la Mixteca, Mexico).
We still miss Kevin, still.
The boys spent the afternoon, literally, spreading mud all over themselves. Afterward, we took pictures, but iphoto crashed under the weight of such artsy photos. Instead, we have me coaching the boys, saying, “pretend you can see Daddy, right here, right now. What do you look like?” These photos contain their answers.
Designing Interactions
The opening plenary at CHI 2007 was Bill Moggridge, the co-founder of the design firm IDEO. His talk was essentially a plug for his new book, Designing Interactions, which consists of a series of interviews with various industry folk to support a skills framework for intuitive design. Among those highlighted this morning were Takeshi Natsuno (i-Mode), David Liddle, Tim Mott and Larry Tesler (Xerox Parc), Jeff Hawkins (Palm), Mat Hunter (Kodak), and Paul Mercer (iPod).
Wherefore are thou, HoJo?
Company aside, I had to rethink the decision to appropriate floor space from a group staying at the local Howard Johnsons. I say “local” only because it is easily reachable by bus. The walk back this morning was no worse than any daily hike from Informatics to Eigenmann back on the IU campus, but at night with a small boat for a suitcase it seemed longer. Free wireless, though.
We still miss Kevin
Only we couldn’t smile at the same time.
I woke up this morning to find Carter wearing a button down shirt, khakis, and a tie. He had also cleaned his room. His explanation?
“I’m a museum curator, Mom. Archie’s exhibit needs some work though.”
In search of Value-Oriented Vince
One of the goodies in the tote bags for CHI 2007 this year is a series of seven cardboard cut-out personas by Cisco. They include: Eagle-Eye Ed, Keep His Cool Kumar, Motivated Mitch, Supporting Sam, Multitasking Millie, No Lunch Nancy, and Value-Oriented Vince. Vince, alas, is still MIA, and SV’s are currently scouring the San Jose Convention Center in search of the missing persona. Hang in there, Vince.
Man-child blinded by boob
This guy shares his worst nightmare- a mom nursing in public. There’s a little bit of a new twist though- the idea that breastfeeding creates entitled brats down the line, and that nursing mamas are comparable to guerrilla warriors. Ahh. Let me get this straight: I should provide my infant with substandard nutritional [...]