Tactiles
Category
Masterthesis // Speculative Design
An investigation of human perception and the future of more haptic interfaces. This work represents the result of my master’s thesis, which focuses on the role of tactility in smartphone interactions. It examines how humans perceive and interact with touch-based interfaces and explores the potential development of more advanced haptic technologies. By investigating the relationship between human perception and emerging haptic interfaces, this research aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of the future of tactile interaction.
In a world increasingly permeated by digital technologies, interaction with digital devices plays a central role in people's daily lives. In particular, the use of smartphones has profoundly transformed everyday life in recent decades, influencing human behavior in previously unknown dimensions.
A key aspect of this development is the use of gesture controls on smartphones. This thesis assumes that haptic and unconventional materials on touchscreens not only influence the way users interact but also open up new perspectives on consciously experiencing and reflecting on one's smartphone usage.
Feel the Future.
“In the intertwining of the human body and digital technologies, emotions play a role in the process. From a media anthropological perspective, it is possible to examine the extent to which these processes are influenced by specific ‘emotional affordances’, i.e. by the technical or digital possibilities and limitations that shape emotions and emotional practices.”
(Bareither, 2019, author’s translation, p. 19)
My research suggests that the smooth, cold surface of a touchscreen may not be optimally suited to our needs. This is particularly notable when you consider how much time we spend touching our smartphones every day. The final touch of the day is often on our smartphone, not a loved one.
“Due to the frequent use of smartphones, the relevance of using technical media in relation to physical, somatic life and experience has become important. A tactile-haptic feedback that comes from the technical devices, as well as a reciprocal ‘smoothness of the body and the media machine’ should be examined more closely.”
(Weigelt, undated, author’s translation, p. 123/124).
Introduction of
the Phone-Objects
After researching and designing the phone- objects, I conducted a qualitative survey with 10 people. The following results were obtained.
Impressions of
the Survey
Conclusion of
the Survey
1
Contrasts to the digital coldness of the smartphone was prefered.
Many chose objects that represented a clear contrast to the cold, digital smartphone. Almost all of the test subjects chose an object that was connected to nature or one that exuded a particularly calm atmosphere.
2
The surface temperature plays a role.
The trend showed that objects that were perceived as warm were preferred.
3
Contrast-dependent choice of material.
In addition, the test subjects were able to imagine using different materials in different environments. Some materials were perceived as private and therefore more likely to be chosen for use at home, while more impersonal materials were primarily preferred for use on the go.
4
Preference for natural materials.
It is also interesting that despite selecting 83 objects, five phone objects were chosen twice by different test subjects. This indicates a clear preference for natural materials, as four of the five objects evoked associations with nature.
5
Short-term impact on perception: Reflection of gesture controls by phone objects.
The evaluation showed that the test subjects reacted to the phone objects with curiosity and interest. The majority said that the dispute would make them think about their gesture control on their smartphone in the short term.
Overall Conclusion
The aim of this thesis was to explore smartphone users' gesture control in the context of meta-awareness. The study investigated how future human-computer interactions could be designed by replacing traditional touchscreens with haptic materials. By linking digital interaction with analog approaches, a deeper understanding of the haptic and emotional dimensions of gestures was developed.
The findings showed that materiality significantly influences gesture control: soft surfaces encouraged pressing movements, firm ones led to swiping, and brittle materials were handled with more care. Stroking, pressing, and circular movements were predominant, and participants often held the objects with both hands. Test subjects preferred warm, nature-inspired materials that evoked positive emotions such as calmness and joy. Analog materials, such as ceramics, were appreciated as a contrast to digital smartphones and were associated with private or relaxed scenarios.
Overall, the results underscore the importance of haptics and materiality in the perception and reflection of gesture control, as well as a preference for natural materials in selecting phone objects. These findings provide valuable insights for designing future touchscreen surfaces, especially for smartphones. They highlight the necessity of encouraging users toward more mindful engagement with gesture control through intentional design.
Future research could explore how different materials and textures affect the emotional experience of gestures. Additionally, integrating technologies such as haptic feedback or augmented reality offers potential for further experiments.
Source
Bareither, C. (2019). Medien der Alltäglichkeit. Zeitschrift für Volkskunde, 1, 3–26.
Weigelt, S. (2019). Tasten. Taktilität als Paradigma des Digitalen. In Rainer Mühlhoff, Anja Breljak, Jan Slaby (Hrsg.), Affekt Macht Netz. Auf dem Weg zu einer Sozialtheorie der Digitalen Gesellschaft (S. 107–128). transcript. https://doi.org/10.25969/mediarep/13223
UNIVERSITY
Technical University of Applied Science
Würzburg-Schweinfurt, Germany
SPECIAL THANKS TO
Shih Chien University
Taipei, Taiwan
Ceramics shop Versammeln
抱瓶庵藝事空間, Taipei, Taiwan
DESIGN PROCESS
CONSULTING
Prof. Erich Schöls
Prof. Dr. phil. habil. Gerhard Schweppenhäuser
YEAR
2024/25
AWARD