Siddharth Muthyala - Interaction Designer

Mega Re-Cap!!!

Siddharth — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 11:03:00 +0000

I recently had the misfortune of deleting several posts at one go. I have complied most of what I lost into one post here. This is highly irritating that there isn’t a trash can to undo deletes!

Post 1
Mock up

Made tiny flash mock ups of the game for my video prototype.
Will have 5 ‘games’ for the final presentation
shooting sometime in the next few days hopefully.

Post 2
Video prototype

The next step that am working on is the video prototype for my concept and idea.
Am using an IPod touch for the scenarios, and a handheld video game console. The idea is just to give a representation of a gadget that a child would use and play with while looking cool and tech like.

Possible choices and what I chose to work with in the end – a Spiderman handheld game

cleaning out the case to make room for the Ipod

encased screen

new prototype

Experience prototype

I recently did an experience prototype with a few kids.
The first one was with Victoria, 6 years old. She enjoyed playing both the games but wasn’t interested for longer than 15 minutes! I have seen the limitations of the demo, even though the concept itself is sound.

Not having a screen on the camera itself would be a terrible mistake.
Test 1:
Trying to see if Victoria got the hang of spotting the right shapes in the environment around her, as the game progressed and the shapes changed she got progressively excited. Which is a good sign.

Test 2:
I asked her to play the game in which the you need to ‘find’ or draw a path between the ball and the hole.

I think this game was conceptually a bit hard for her.

but she did get the hang of it pretty quick.

I also tested the games at the Reboot Conference where they had a ‘Kindergarten’ setup.

Having learnt from my previous experience I set it up a bit differently and this time the concepts worked much better, but once again the concept was a little hard to grasp for the younger children (4 years) but the older boys had no problem mastering the game and stay engaged for a bit.

I count that as a pretty good success.

Reboot
Adam and Eilidh always beat me to the punch, those blog nerds..
Spent the last two days at Reboot 11 in Copenhagen, and CIID had worked out a deal in which we were a design consultancy of sorts for all the people at the conference. I was surprised at the progress we made with people willing to let us participate in their design concepts and actively sought our input!!

check out documentation here, made by Eilidh.

Presentation Round 2
The other day I presented my project and some of the ideas I have been playing with.
presentation 2..
This is still work in progress.

slide 1: # ImpCam what else is a camera supposed to be? (working title) Initial starting point, looking at how kids(me) play
slide 2: experiment with school kids of ages 8 to 10! made them all make fantasy cameras with play dough! really really cool out of this world concepts were born!
slide 3: worksheets the kids had to fill out on how they will share their images and with whom?
slide 4: My research questions and directions.
slide 5: Concepts from the brainstorm! so many to pick from. rubiks cube camera concept..
slide 6: Concept 1
slide 7: Concept 2
slide 8: Concept 3
slide 9: Concept 4
slide 10: Concept 5
slide 11: Concept 5 cont
slide 12: I imagine my concept to be a platform that can be built on and added to depending on what your needs are – Educational, entertainment etc.

Siddharth — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 15:11:46 +0000

Hi! You have reached my blog page where I have kept a log of my work, projects and life at CIID, Copenhagen. I am currently working on my final project, ImpCam at school, and am looking forward to carrying forward my learning over the next few years. I have recently updated my portfolio so feel free to browse around and leave any feedback and/or comments.

Statement

Siddharth — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 18:13:49 +0000

Another long over due post. This is the 2nd proposal for my final project

Long overdue

Siddharth — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 18:05:08 +0000

This is a long overdue post.. but for sake of documenting my work, this is some of the stuff I have found about cameras that are interesting. (some more than others). The Sony concepts are really interesting, and it would be interesting to see if they take it further with regards to the image after its been shot.

“Whereas most cameras use batteries for power, Sony recently revealed a unique looking device that is powered by kinetic energy! The latest in the company’s Odo line of green gadgets.”

Now you can have a digital camera that shoots when it’s thrown.

“The Fun Camera by designer Jian Guan features a 16mm mirrored lens, which can also be replaced with standard lenses. Guan took his inspiration for the design from a magnifying glass. It’s a great concept and would be a lot of fun to use.”

“The is designed to promote creativity! It has a helpful preview screen, and a handle on each side so kids can hold it real steady. So easy to use, a three year old can do it! Includes extremely child-friendly editing software that lets kids create their own stories, slide shows, puzzles, more. The Crayola Kids Camera stores approx. 93 low resolution photos.”

“The Argus Bean 5.0 is a camera for children, LCD screen, flash, zoom and other great features, SD slot, web camera mode, USB storage mode, memory, and image review functions to exceed” (text from website, terribly written)

“Videoservice YouTube became very popular among Internet surfers. Unknown manufacturer under the long title presented new camcorder The Only Children’s Special Effect Video Camera especially for YouTube lovers.”

Canon Snap – new concept camera-ring

“Using a unique ergonomic cylindrical design, the “360 Camera” by Cedric Tay allows users to easily take panoramic images by just holding the device with one hand. Rounding out the specs on this camera is a built-in inclinometer and angle indicator”

http://digitalcameras.techfresh.net/unique-spy-cameras/

Interesting Guitar concept

Siddharth — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 10:06:07 +0000

This is an interesting concept by Ben Lewry from Visionary Instruments It fits into the idea of my cameras that I may be able to build upon.

Concepts

Siddharth — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:15:58 +0000

It’s been awhile since I posted anything. Will be doing it soon..
in the meantime, here!

break

Siddharth — Mon, 25 May 2009 06:44:43 +0000

Well not really a break, we are presently working on our industry projects which are confidential and have no time to update/post on thesis work.
I did update my pictures though, with some Norway images!! cheers!

School day 1 pictures

Siddharth — Fri, 15 May 2009 09:53:06 +0000

I have spent the last two days at the local school with children of ages 8 and 9. We went through a few exercises and discussions that were really insightful and helpful.
- General Discussion about drawing and sketching
- Leading into taking pictures and cameras
- Making imaginary cameras that they want (using clay)
- Worksheet
- Draw one great adventure you will have with your new camera. Be as imaginative and creative as you can!! Have fun.
- Who will you show all your wonderful pictures to?
- How will you show it to them? Try and think of a new way to do it! Remember it can be completely fun and it doesn’t have to use a computer.

a camera on your thumb, so you can do other things with your fingers | camera with removable screen

Very “gadget-y”, projects images wherever you need them | embellished jewel like cameras

Framed pictures, treasure? importance? | Show the pictures inside a tree trunk!! she said because it was ‘cozy’!! I need to decipher this.

buddy device, paring up with friends or family | “an image in the sun, picture projected into the sun because the sun is beautiful”

Lots more pictures here (school day) and here (drawings)

PlayDough Day 1

Siddharth — Fri, 15 May 2009 08:56:43 +0000

Yesterday was my first day at a local school (Ingrid Jespersons Skole on Nordre Frihavnsgade). Nina was with me so she could translate Danish for me – but to my surprise all of them understood English if not even spoke back to me ( I was warned by the principal I would need a Danish speaker with me)

The session started with me starting a discussion about drawing and sketching and what it means to them. There were several examples on the walls and tables and bags. And tried to lead them into the world of cameras and photography.

Children enjoy the sensory experiences, visual, audio, smell, touch, and it’s something that I took for granted – I have a blog to express myself, record myself, keep track of projects for reviews, most of us prefer to just write things down! That’s the last thing a kid wants to do! Write things down?!?

Also what I had sort of not thought about was the context – as we discussed various hobbies and interests it struck me as to how privileged these kids were, and if instead of Denmark I turned my focus to the developing world with the same project and same exercises what would I find? Cameras for children in South America? Africa? India?

“So in my school for a class my teacher has asked me to design cameras for you! But I don’t know what to do and I need your help! who wants to help me build cameras?”

Play dough 1.0

Siddharth — Tue, 12 May 2009 09:10:40 +0000

First round of ‘interviews’ tomorrow. I say that cause one really can’t interview a child, am meeting 20 eight yr old children at a local school to spend some time with them and learn from them.

Am taking with me a small worksheet and a play activity- I just made my first batch of play dough (diff colours even!) and the exercise is to have them make an imaginary camera with me, and then as part of their take home worksheet make drawings, collages about an adventure they plan to have with it.

There is a little bit more to the worksheet, but will share later when I get it clear.

my first attempt!

expensive options at the store

more pictures here
great play dough recipe here