- Data Physicalization

Research on Data Physicalization

What if data moved off the screen, with 3D physical shape and materiality? Ongoing research investigates Data Physicalization - physical artefacts whose geometry or material properties encode data. Building on past experience from Trevor Hogan's 'Tactile Data' PhD we have pursued this further, in student projects, as Hannes Waldschütz' and Rosa van Koningsbruggen's research focus and with the DFG Project FluidData on the UX of DataPhys.  

- SS 2018 Data Driven Objects (student research project): Trommelwirbel + Bellum Omni contra omnes (war of all against all)
- WS 2018/19 Data Matters - Physical data representation through kinetic artifacts (student research project): The Sixth Wave
- WS 20/21 Data Perspectives. Physical Representations of Everyday Data (student research project)
- WS 21/22 Data Physicalization of Hidden Data (seminar+practical, joint course with LMU and Uni Regensburg run online)
- WS 22/23 A touch of data. Designing haptic data physicalisations of personal data (student research project)
- WS 23/24 Queer(y)ing Data: Re-Imaging and Re-Designing Personal Data (student research project) 
- SS 24 Data driven Objects (another student project) 

  • van Koningsbruggen, Haliburton, Rossmy, George, Hornecker, Hengeveld. Metaphors and `Tacit' Data: the Role of Metaphors in Data and Physical Data Representations. ACM TEI 2024 Proceedings. 
  • Hornecker, Hogan, Hinrichs, van Koningsbruggen. A Design Vocabulary for Data Physicalization. ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction, Volume 31 Issue 1, Article No.: 2
  • Wang, Segal, Klatsky, F. Keefe, Isenberg, Hurtienne, Hornecker, Dwyer, Barrass. An Emotional Response to the Value of Visualization. IEEE Computer Graphics & Applications Magazine, Visualization Viewpoints, Vol.: 39, Issue:5,  Sept/Oct. 2019. pp. 8-17.  DOI: 10.1109/MCG.2019.2923483 

DFG Project FluidData - The User Experience of Novel Pneumatic Shape-Changing Interfaces for Dynamic Data Physicalization

March 2020 our new DFG Project FluidData started. This investigates the potential of dynamic shape-changing interfaces for data representation. The project has a constructive-technical and an empirical strand. Project staff: Hannes Waldschütz and Rosa van Koningsbruggen.

On a constructive-engineering level, we will realize controlled shape change via pneumatically actuated (fluidic) membrane structures from  textile/elastomeric material (inflatables) and explore the novel options this offers for shape-change and interaction. For this, we build on and collaborate with Kristian Gohlke's ongoing PhD work. The empirical focus of this project is on the user experience of data physicalization (especially with shape-change). While other research teams have begun investigating performance and accuracy in Data Physicalization, we believe that beyond  pragmatic and utilitarian factors (i.e. usability), there are qualities and benefits related to user affect, sensation and meaning, i.e. UX. For some usage situations, this might be more important for increasing engagement and empathy with data. We will thus investigate terms of qualities and interpretations ascribed to a representation, as well as sense-making processes evoked, including the potential to raise empathy.

  • Waldschütz, van Koningsbruggen, Hornecker. pneuCNTRL: a Pneumatic Control System for User Studies on Dynamic, Haptic Inflatables. Proc. of ACM TEI 2024, Work in Progress
  • Waldschütz, Hornecker. Inflatable Textures: Creating Dynamic Haptic Surfaces with Inflatables. Proc. of ACM TEI 2024, Work in Progress
  • Mahecha Arango, Ovais, Youssef, Das, van Koningsbruggen, Hornecker. `A Fair Game?': Using Narrative Sensification and Embodied Metaphors for Awareness. Proc. of ACM TEI 2024
  • Gohlke, Waldschütz, Hornecker. WireShape - A Hybrid Prototyping Process for Fast & Reliable Manufacturing of Inflatable Interface Props with CNC-Fabricated Heat–Sealing Tools. Proc. of the 8th ACM Symposium on Computational Fabrication (SCF '23).  Article 7, 1–8.
  • van Koningsbruggen, Shalawadi, Hornecker, Echtler. Frankie: Exploring how Self-Tracking Technologies can go from Data-Centred to Human-Centred. Proc. of ACM MUM'22. ACM DL
  • Dodani, van Koningsbruggen, Hornecker. Birdbox: Exploring the User Experience of Crossmodal, Multisensory Data Representations. Proc. of ACM MUM'22. ACM DL
  • Gohlke, Sattler, Hornecker. AirPinch – An Inflatable Touch Fader with Pneumatic Tactile Feedback. Proc. of ACM TEI 2022 (collaboration with RethiCare project) ACM DL
  • van Koningsbruggen, Waldschütz, Hornecker. What is Data? - Exploring the Meaning of Data in Data Physicalisation Teaching. Proc. of ACM TEI 2022. ACM DL
  • van Koningsbruggen, Hornecker. “It’s Just a Graph” – The Effect of Post-Hoc Rationalisation on InfoVis Evaluation. Proc. of ACM Creativity & Cognition2021  (C&C'21) (HONORABLE MENTION AWARD)
  • López García, Hornecker. Scaling Data Physicalization – How Does Size Influence Experience?  Proc. of ACM TEI’ 2021, ACM DL
  • Ren, Hornecker. Comparing Understanding and Memorization in Physicalization and VR Visualization. Proc. of ACM TEI’ 2021, ACM DL
  • Waldschütz, Hornecker. The Importance of Data Curation for Data Physicalization. DIS’ 20 Companion Proceedings, 293–297. ACM DL
  • Waldschütz, Hornecker, Fischer, Temme, Alnayef, Shalawadi, Ren. Drum Roll: A Data Physicalization of Real-Time Radiation Sensor Readings. DIS’ 20 Companion Proceedings, 477–479. ACM DL