Connecting the web to the real world is not a new idea. It has been called ubiquitous computing in the past and more recently the “Internet of Things“. Popular devices like the iPhone are helping transform the idea from academic fantasy to a glorious capitalist reality and I’ve come across some interesting presentations on Slideshare.net documenting the development. They are filled with a lot of fun pictures that can spur a million ideas about what could be if product designers and engineers got together more often.
This short presentation lays out a historical time line cataloging the development of web enabled objects. It overlooks some developments e.g. the Wii which is the closest mainstream approximation we have of the Minority Report tanglible UI’s, but it helps put things into context.
“Web 2.0″ was famous for its distinct aesthetic: glossy logos, large/bright typography, and stuntd nams. The Internet of Things is already starting to exhibit some visual tropes. This presentation shows a variety of examples that are either UberKawaii with a toy like appearance or PCB Chic with connections and construction fully exposed.
Tweakfest 2009 presentation on the Internet of Things
This presentation by a Norwegian designer is the most thoughtful and cogent set of slides on internet connected objects I’ve come across. They are annotated making them easier to follow, but are filled with cool examples and analysis of how things are starting to come together. If you have a few minutes it is well worth a look.
