Comments for Ambient Informatics http://senseable3.mit.edu/ambient Designing Pervasive Technologies for Copenhagen / Scottish Highlands & Islands Sat, 05 Jul 2008 00:19:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 Comment on Bothy Hike by jon.holdsworth http://senseable3.mit.edu/ambient/blog/2008/03/12/bothy-hike/#comment-77 jon.holdsworth Fri, 11 Apr 2008 17:13:11 +0000 http://senseable3.mit.edu/ambient/blog/2008/03/12/bothy-hike/#comment-77 Yup I agree. Good photo, looked wet but everyone is smiling. Thats Scotland for you. Get in touch guys would like to hear from you soon. Yup I agree. Good photo, looked wet but everyone is smiling. Thats Scotland for you. Get in touch guys would like to hear from you soon.

]]> Comment on Bothy Hike by laura.dingwall http://senseable3.mit.edu/ambient/blog/2008/03/12/bothy-hike/#comment-76 laura.dingwall Fri, 11 Apr 2008 16:43:14 +0000 http://senseable3.mit.edu/ambient/blog/2008/03/12/bothy-hike/#comment-76 Love the photo guys - hope you had a good time! It was great meeting you all so hope to see you again in May onsite at MIT... Laura Love the photo guys - hope you had a good time! It was great meeting you all so hope to see you again in May onsite at MIT… Laura

]]> Comment on Cutting up the cake by jon.holdsworth http://senseable3.mit.edu/ambient/blog/2008/02/24/cutting-up-the-cake/#comment-42 jon.holdsworth Wed, 19 Mar 2008 16:19:28 +0000 http://senseable3.mit.edu/ambient/blog/2008/02/24/cutting-up-the-cake/#comment-42 It was really interesting meeting the H&I team over here in Scotland. It was nice to get to know them and spend time with them, as a representitive of the Lochaber College, but also as a Scot. I really hope you all enjoyed your 'researc' and hope that you will look me up when your back over. I may have a job in Tulloch Outdoor, so I'll take you quad biking. I also hope I was some use to your research on the first day we met, had I been given a little prior knowledge I would have done my own research. Anyway, thank you again and I'll speak to you again. Jon Macleod Holdsworth It was really interesting meeting the H&I team over here in Scotland. It was nice to get to know them and spend time with them, as a representitive of the Lochaber College, but also as a Scot.
I really hope you all enjoyed your ‘researc’ and hope that you will look me up when your back over. I may have a job in Tulloch Outdoor, so I’ll take you quad biking.
I also hope I was some use to your research on the first day we met, had I been given a little prior knowledge I would have done my own research.
Anyway, thank you again and I’ll speak to you again.

Jon Macleod Holdsworth

]]> Comment on Minority Report by Lena Vassilev http://senseable3.mit.edu/ambient/blog/2008/02/15/minority-report/#comment-8 Lena Vassilev Mon, 18 Feb 2008 00:22:24 +0000 http://senseable3.mit.edu/ambient/blog/2008/02/15/minority-report/#comment-8 Your PS comment really intrigued me. I too am a fan of mediterranean markets, especially because of the fundamental interaction that you have while you're shopping. One of my most pleasant memories from Bulgaria is buying my groceries. Even now, when I return, I never even for a second think of going to the supermarket. When I'm there, I go to the butcher for my meat, I know who always has the best tomatoes at the market, my grandparents tell me where to get yogurt and milk from (they know the man who has been selling it to them from the same cows for the past few years)...and if it turns into an all-day scavenging event, then even better! It's all about experience, word of mouth, the palpable thrill of looking, touching, feeling your environment...and body language. I wonder if there could be a way for digital marketing techniques to emulate these very human experiences and qualities about shopping in places like the US, where people for the most part have lost that connection between what they consume and where it truly comes from? Your PS comment really intrigued me. I too am a fan of mediterranean markets, especially because of the fundamental interaction that you have while you’re shopping.

One of my most pleasant memories from Bulgaria is buying my groceries.
Even now, when I return, I never even for a second think of going to the supermarket. When I’m there, I go to the butcher for my meat, I know who always has the best tomatoes at the market, my grandparents tell me where to get yogurt and milk from (they know the man who has been selling it to them from the same cows for the past few years)…and if it turns into an all-day scavenging event, then even better!

It’s all about experience, word of mouth, the palpable thrill of looking, touching, feeling your environment…and body language.

I wonder if there could be a way for digital marketing techniques to emulate these very human experiences and qualities about shopping in places like the US, where people for the most part have lost that connection between what they consume and where it truly comes from?

]]> Comment on Minority Report by christineoutram http://senseable3.mit.edu/ambient/blog/2008/02/15/minority-report/#comment-7 christineoutram Sat, 16 Feb 2008 19:02:56 +0000 http://senseable3.mit.edu/ambient/blog/2008/02/15/minority-report/#comment-7 PS: i love Mediterranean markets. I love having all that noise and motion around me, knowing that I am calm on the inside and completely in control of how much i want to interact with it. What is different about markets and advertising however, is that with markets it is my physical self that is in control. With a flicker of eye contact, I can intimate that I would like more information about something, with a purposeful walk, i let people know that there is 'no sale here'! With advertising that interaction does not exist, it replays to me what it wants and although i can block it out, I have less control over the intensity of that information. PS: i love Mediterranean markets. I love having all that noise and motion around me, knowing that I am calm on the inside and completely in control of how much i want to interact with it. What is different about markets and advertising however, is that with markets it is my physical self that is in control. With a flicker of eye contact, I can intimate that I would like more information about something, with a purposeful walk, i let people know that there is ‘no sale here’! With advertising that interaction does not exist, it replays to me what it wants and although i can block it out, I have less control over the intensity of that information.

]]> Comment on Minority Report by christineoutram http://senseable3.mit.edu/ambient/blog/2008/02/15/minority-report/#comment-6 christineoutram Sat, 16 Feb 2008 18:43:59 +0000 http://senseable3.mit.edu/ambient/blog/2008/02/15/minority-report/#comment-6 Yeah, it is interesting to think about how we filter out advertisements and whether it is actually possible to filter them out at all! It makes me think of the subliminal advertising coca-cola ads in the old days - when they use to splice frames into the film that went by so fast that no-one could see them but everyone came out of the theatre with a strange desire for coke (!). Perhaps that is more anecdotal than true, but still interesting. However, we do definitely need to be more savvy about our advertising in this new world of context and location aware computing particularly because (as demonstrated in this class) we all feel differently towards it... Some thoughts that I have are: At present we have very little ‘off’ mechanisms for commercial privacy. Static advertisements are everywhere on buses and buildings and although numbers vary depending on the studies, it is estimated that the average American might be exposed to anywhere between 250 and 3000 ads a day. (http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=56750) It is much more possible, however to have an ‘off’ mechanism for digital advertisements which in the realm of context and location aware computing, could have a much more intrusive effect on our daily lives, particularly when all ads are targeted to our interests and it is impossible to ignore the ones that are not relevant. Ad blockers are common on websites and this (although perhaps not in this form) is needed in the urban environment so that there is a way to block the data about ourselves (our likes, needs and preferences) to targeted advertising software until we choose to be alerted or actively seek information out. A filtering system based on personal preference could also be used, whereby for example, I could choose to always be alerted of the local coffee shops in my area, but not the local McDonalds. Any thoughts? comments? Yeah, it is interesting to think about how we filter out advertisements and whether it is actually possible to filter them out at all! It makes me think of the subliminal advertising coca-cola ads in the old days - when they use to splice frames into the film that went by so fast that no-one could see them but everyone came out of the theatre with a strange desire for coke (!).
Perhaps that is more anecdotal than true, but still interesting.
However, we do definitely need to be more savvy about our advertising in this new world of context and location aware computing particularly because (as demonstrated in this class) we all feel differently towards it…
Some thoughts that I have are:
At present we have very little ‘off’ mechanisms for commercial privacy. Static advertisements are everywhere on buses and buildings and although numbers vary depending on the studies, it is estimated that the average American might be exposed to anywhere between 250 and 3000 ads a day. (http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=56750) It is much more possible, however to have an ‘off’ mechanism for digital advertisements which in the realm of context and location aware computing, could have a much more intrusive effect on our daily lives, particularly when all ads are targeted to our interests and it is impossible to ignore the ones that are not relevant. Ad blockers are common on websites and this (although perhaps not in this form) is needed in the urban environment so that there is a way to block the data about ourselves (our likes, needs and preferences) to targeted advertising software until we choose to be alerted or actively seek information out. A filtering system based on personal preference could also be used, whereby for example, I could choose to always be alerted of the local coffee shops in my area, but not the local McDonalds.
Any thoughts? comments?

]]> Comment on Minority Report by Lena Vassilev http://senseable3.mit.edu/ambient/blog/2008/02/15/minority-report/#comment-5 Lena Vassilev Sat, 16 Feb 2008 15:58:46 +0000 http://senseable3.mit.edu/ambient/blog/2008/02/15/minority-report/#comment-5 I'm thinking about the heated discussion that we had last Tuesday and the comments posted above. I don't necessarily agree with the notion that this type of marketing already exists in the Mediterranean markets. The scenarios as shown in the Minority Report, for instance aren't just a stranger shouting at you as you walk down the street, but an algorithm that knows your buying history, socio-economic status, your height, weight, likes, dislikes, credit card information, address...it is incredibly invasive to say the least. The level of violation in the Mediterranean market would be akin to having the store owner follow you home, look through your trash, your credit card receipts and sneak a peak next time you're in the shower. What is fascinating though, is that we have allowed marketing to permeate our lives in such profound ways, yet we deem it completely innocent. Not even mentioning Christmas or Easter, for example...when did we let the simple act of watching a sporting event turn into an excuse to pig out on marketed junk food and beer and watch half-time commercials with the same enthusiasm as we would the game itself? What I honestly wish for is not for me to be able to consciously tune out unwanted commercials, but tune in as I please...I want the information to be there when I want it, or when I'm looking for a particular service...or perhaps I should just move to a Greek Island.... I’m thinking about the heated discussion that we had last Tuesday and the comments posted above.

I don’t necessarily agree with the notion that this type of marketing already exists in the Mediterranean markets. The scenarios as shown in the Minority Report, for instance aren’t just a stranger shouting at you as you walk down the street, but an algorithm that knows your buying history, socio-economic status, your height, weight, likes, dislikes, credit card information, address…it is incredibly invasive to say the least.
The level of violation in the Mediterranean market would be akin to having the store owner follow you home, look through your trash, your credit card receipts and sneak a peak next time you’re in the shower.

What is fascinating though, is that we have allowed marketing to permeate our lives in such profound ways, yet we deem it completely innocent. Not even mentioning Christmas or Easter, for example…when did we let the simple act of watching a sporting event turn into an excuse to pig out on marketed junk food and beer and watch half-time commercials with the same enthusiasm as we would the game itself?

What I honestly wish for is not for me to be able to consciously tune out unwanted commercials, but tune in as I please…I want the information to be there when I want it, or when I’m looking for a particular service…or perhaps I should just move to a Greek Island….

]]> Comment on Minority Report by Rebecca Waber http://senseable3.mit.edu/ambient/blog/2008/02/15/minority-report/#comment-4 Rebecca Waber Fri, 15 Feb 2008 20:53:12 +0000 http://senseable3.mit.edu/ambient/blog/2008/02/15/minority-report/#comment-4 Yeah, the idealized version of what marketing is/should be, is ultimately about providing people with the things they want. Every person consumes products, (books, mortgages, earrings, travel), and knowing about the products that you want in a targeted way is liberating because it means you're not bothered with the ones you don't want- that's the cool promise of the minority report-type advertising. I agree that hawking environments are extremely uncomfortable, and I too avoid them when possible. On the other hand I didn't grow up in an environment with that kind of market, so maybe that makes a difference. I certainly find it easy to tune out unwanted tv commercials, a medium I have more experience with, while tuning in to the funny or interesting ones. Yeah, the idealized version of what marketing is/should be, is ultimately about providing people with the things they want. Every person consumes products, (books, mortgages, earrings, travel), and knowing about the products that you want in a targeted way is liberating because it means you’re not bothered with the ones you don’t want- that’s the cool promise of the minority report-type advertising. I agree that hawking environments are extremely uncomfortable, and I too avoid them when possible. On the other hand I didn’t grow up in an environment with that kind of market, so maybe that makes a difference. I certainly find it easy to tune out unwanted tv commercials, a medium I have more experience with, while tuning in to the funny or interesting ones.

]]> Comment on Reminder: Open your own blog by Rebecca Waber http://senseable3.mit.edu/ambient/blog/2008/02/09/reminder-open-your-own-blog/#comment-3 Rebecca Waber Mon, 11 Feb 2008 03:37:01 +0000 http://senseable3.mit.edu/ambient/blog/2008/02/09/reminder-open-your-own-blog/#comment-3 I've opened a new blog for this purpose. Find it here: http://rationalambiance.blogspot.com/ I’ve opened a new blog for this purpose. Find it here: http://rationalambiance.blogspot.com/

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