Paper (Talk)

In this paper we introduce coMotion, a shape-changing bench. We explore how physical changes of the bench can shape social situations and how contextual atmospheres may affect users’ experience of the shape-changing bench and its surroundings. The bench was tested in three different contexts; a concert hall, an airport and a shopping mall. We gathered insights from more than 120 people, as they unexpectedly encountered the shape changing capabilities of the bench. By taking the user tests out of the lab and into the wild, we explored the influence of context on the users experience of a shape-changing interface, as well as on the experienced atmospheres.