January 11, 2006
LonelyHome
Self-Conscious, Reluctant Furniture
The LonelyHome bench--by Tobi Schneidler--is a hybrid creation, part domestic furniture and part robotic pet: a socially intelligent design object. It can be used as an ordinary piece of living room furniture, but it will also come alive unexpectedly. The LonelyHome is a relative of the RemoteHome, the first apartment that exists in two cities at the same time. Originally conceived as a mediating environment, that connects close friends over distance through tangible design elements, the RemoteHome has also produced some cousins that are rather to be used locally.
Unlike the RemoteHome, the LonelyHome is a domestic, robotic furnishing. It can be (ab-) used as a mundane piece of furniture, but it will also come alive at certain times to confront its owner and challenge his presence. The LonelyHome will define a new class of responsive objects and spaces that claim both the utility of a kitchen blender, as well as the social competence of a robotic pet. But unlike the humanoid fantasies of Japanese robot scientists, the Lonely home is a more hybrid proposal, a socially intelligent design object. [via Interactive Architecture]
Posted by jo at January 11, 2006 08:46 AM
