Emotional and smart Inspiration

Sensory interaction with materials

Sensory interaction with materials
author : H Zuo, T Hope, M Jones, P Castle, Southampton Institute, UK
publication : in McDonagh, Hekkert, Van Erp, Gyi (eds.) (2004), Design and emotion: the experience of everyday things, London: Taylor & Francis.
conference : Design & Emotion 2002
theme : Emotive Effects of the Senses (other than visual)

The aim of this research is to explore the material representation in a holistic system, which in this research is described in a visual narrative matrix. The matrix is created in an empirical way but based on a combination of theoretical and experimental research. Factors involved in material representation and the relationship between these factors are described within the matrix. In-depth experimental investigation is focused on the relationship between material sensory properties (texture) and human subjective response, of which the results will be incorporated into the matrix. The theoretical analysis and the experimental findings will contribute to the development of a new database. The database is expected to make it possible for designers, artists, and engineers, through innovative treatment and application of existing and emerging materials, to be able to create artefacts more effectively matching human perceptual, sensory and emotional expectation. The experimental findings and the visual narrative matrix will be original. In this paper, the preliminary matrix of material representation was reported. Based on controlled experimental research on texture, a common way – that is by using the (Dimension-Lexicons) system – in which people subjectively describe a material texture by touch was identified. Slight differences in detailed lexicons for the subjective description of texture were analysed in terms of gender, materials surface finish, sensory conditions, and control groups etc. With the controlled experimental results incorporated into the matrix, a detailed matrix is being developed. This is a good basis for carrying out further investigation into the correlation between the subjective evaluation and objective material parameters of texture. Experimental results and the established hypothesis will be tested and/or developed through a case study – hand tool evolution.

posted by rebecca otero @ 9:34 AM