There’s no doubt about it: technology fuels the often frenetic pace of our lives. But it can also help us slow down and smell the (non-pixelated) roses.
Today at the Next blog, Editor Steve Clayton shines a light on Richard Banks and his work exploring the design opportunities of slow technology. One example is the Movement Crafter, seen in the video above. It combines motion sensors into a pair of knitting needles, which transmit data to a screen that will visualize your progress. The screen even displays the works of others, so you can form your own virtual knitting circle.
Another project underway at Microsoft Research Cambridge is the Long Living Chair. The project endows a basic rocking chair with digital memory, helping users track how many times the chair is used in order to create a bit more of a relationship with it.
“Both projects really seem to epitomize the slow technology movement, which is all about using technology to encourage moments of quiet reflection and meaningful connection, rather than always being “connected” or productive,” Clayton writes.
Jake Siegel
Microsoft News Center Staff