TransPrint is a method for fabricating flexible, transparent free-form displays based on electrochromism. Using screen-printing or inkjet printing of electrochromic ink, plus a straightforward assembly process, TransPrint enables rapid prototyping of displays by nonexperts. The displays are nonlight-emissive and only require power to switch state and support the integration of capacitive touch sensing for interactivity. We present instructions and best practices on how to design and assemble the displays and discuss the benefits and shortcomings of the TransPrint approach. To demonstrate the broad applicability of the approach, we present six application prototypes.

The creative industries are at a significant turning point, blurring the lines between human innovation and machine efficiency due to the advent of AI tools for design. This research addresses the design community’s reaction to generative AI’s rapid ascent. Involving both professionals and students, this paper uses a survey (n=49), focus groups (n=6), and interviews (n=6), to explore the perspectives on AI’s role in creative workflows, revealing a mix of enthusiasm and dread for its potential to enhance innovation and concerns about its fit in traditionally human realms. The prevailing view frames AI as a partner or co-worker in design, yet calls for ethical considerations and transparent practices in its applications. This exploration aims to understand current designer attitudes and presents an initial framework for the adoption of AI tools in the designer’s workflow.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions are becoming prevalent in almost all aspects of human life. However, their acceptance may be limited by a lack of transparency of how the AI works. Explainable AI (XAI) aims to provide the users of AI systems with an understanding of why decisions are made, increasing trust in the system. To date, research into XAI has focused on the use of graphical user interfaces, presenting numerical, textual or graphical explanations. However, AI is increasingly being used in systems that include physical devices, and hence the need for explainability in physical or tangible user interfaces (TUI) is also increasing. We present an initial conceptual framework for tangible explainable AI (TangXAI), which identifies the potential approaches of communicating XAI through physical artifacts, using the concepts of data physicalization and tangible interaction. The framework provides a basis into which ongoing research of tangible explainable AI can be mapped and related research gaps identified.

In this case study, the possibilities of hybrid integration of printed and flexible electronics in combination with conventional electronic components to create new types of product concepts is demonstrated. The final result is a personal activity meter demonstrator, which is realized by utilizing various flexible electronics manufacturing and integration techniques. Roll-to-roll printing was used to print the electronic backplane as well as co-planar electrochromic (EC) display. A pick-and-place assembled microcontroller unit and accelerometer, together with passive components, provided the brains for the system. Injection molding was then utilized to create a structural electronics system including an EC display. To validate the feasibility and scalability of the processes used, 100 pieces of the personal activity meter were fabricated. Modeling with continuum computational fluid dynamics and numerical heat transfer, using the high-performance finite volume method, showed that high filling pressure and shear-stress are the key factors causing broken devices. The stability of the devices in harsh environmental conditions as well as in bending seem to be slightly improved in the over molded samples.

We investigate the user experience of taking a remote museum tour with 360 video technologies. We compare the experience of viewing a 360 video feed on a laptop screen vs. a 360 virtual reality (VR) video experienced through a head-mounted display (HMD). Our salient findings from a user study (n = 10) highlight that HMD VR provides a better immersion and sense of control for users. However, the HMD VR user experience suffers from the lack of personal contact, such as eye contact with the guide, discontinuities in the visual presentation, and missing multimodal contextual cues. The research contributes to the design of remote tourism services.