Projects

Our work can be understood as a long-term research programme investigating alternative values for everyday technologies. Nonetheless, projects are the fundamental building blocks of our research. We pursue projects that are formed around particular situations for design, rather than particular forms of technology or theoretical starting points. We have worked with cloistered nuns, small islands, care homes, garden wildlife, residential streets, and energy conservation groups to name a few. We build technologies that respond to these situations, designing research products that may be one-offs for individuals to live with, batch-produced for groups, or self-build DIY designs for anybody to make at home. Here are some of our projects:


Yo–Yo Machines

A photograph of a collection Yo-Yo Machines devices, including two Speed Dials, two Light Touches, and a Knock Knock.
2020

Yo–Yo Machines are low-cost playful communication devices that you can make yourself. They are designed to allow physically separated people to trade nonverbal, expressive signals across the Internet.

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My Naturewatch

A photograph of a My Naturewatch camera outside
2018

My Naturewatch Camera is an inexpensive wildlife camera that we designed for people to make themselves as a way of promoting engagement with nature and digital making.

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ProbeTools

A photograph of a collection of assembled and disassembled ProbeTool devices
2017

ProbeTools are unconventional cameras and audio devices for Cultural Probes studies. Designed as Self-Build devices that researchers can make themselves by following instructions, downloading software and 3D models from a website.

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Datacatcher

A photograph of the Datacatcher device being viewed on a bridge in London
2015

Datacatchers are mobile location-aware devices that stream messages about the area they are in. Derived from ‘big data’ sources, the messages draw attention to the socio-political topology of the lived environment.

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Energy Babble

A photograph of the Energy Babble showing a person holding the microphone which is attached to the device by a curled cable
2015

Energy Babble is a talk radio-like device that broadcasts environmental and energy related content. It draws content from online sources and listeners can use the microphone to join the conversation.

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Indoor Weather Stations

A photograph of the collection of Indoor Weather Stations, featuring Tape Temperature, Light Collector and Wind Tunnel
2012

‘Indoor Weather Stations’ reveal the home’s microclimate by highlighting small gusts of wind, the colour of ambient light, and temperature differentials within the home.

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Photostroller

A photograph of the Photostroller featuring an image on the screen of Barack Obama attending a ceremony
2010

The Photostroller is a movable device that shows a never-ending sequence of images drawn from the Internet, some related, others more random, like an electronic daydream.

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Prayer Companion

A photograph of a top down view of the Prayer Companion displaying a news headline about Ratko Mladić
2009

The Prayer Companion is a resource for the intercessional prayers of a group of cloistered nuns, displaying short texts culled from newsfeeds and social media as an indicator of prevailing issues and moods.

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Plane Tracker

A photograph of the Plane Tracker in the living room of a participant
2007

The Plane Tracker draws on information broadcast by passing aircraft to recreate the view of their journey, allowing people to travel along from the comfort of their sitting room.

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Local Barometer

A photograph of a Local Barometer device on a shelf in the home of a participant
2007

The Local Barometer is a system of devices that reveals the socio-cultural texture around the home by displaying locally produced online information depending on local weather conditions.

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Home Health Horoscope

A photograph showing the components inside the Home Health Horoscope printer
2006

The Home Health Horoscope prints out a daily, automatically generated “horoscope” for the home that reflects domestic activities, based on data from half a dozen bespoke sensor assemblages.

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Video Window

A photograph of the Video Window on a shelf in the home of a participant
2006

A video camera mounted on a ten-metre fishing pole is attached to the roof of one’s house, with the view displayed on a screen indoors which is always left on.

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The History Tablecloth

A photograph of a teapot on top of the History Tablecloth
2004

The History Tablecloth is a device that augments a kitchen or dining room table, featuring an illuminating covering and a system of load sensors that slip under the legs.

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The Drift Table

A photograph of the Drift Table's side view showing the small place name display
2003

The Drift Table is an electronic coffee table that allows people to float slowly over the British landscape from the comfort of their own home.

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The Key Table

A photograph of keys and wallet being thrown onto the Key Table, a motorised picture frame is on the wall behind
2003

The Key Table signals people’s moods when they enter the home. Depending on how they place objects on it, a mechanical picture frame swings out of kilter to signal their emotions.

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