frontiers of interaction '11 speech. florence, italy

Cyborg Anthropology and the Evaporation of the Interface

Amber Case@caseorganiccase@caseorganic.com

we are all cyborgs

an organism “to which exogenous components have been added for the purpose of adapting to new ambient spaces”

cyborg:

Flickr: cybertoad

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/119/293670483_cbce23bdde_b.jpg

Flickr: soylentgreen23

“soon, perhaps, it will be impossible to tell where humans end and machines begin”

- maureen mchugh

traditional anthropology

cyborg anthropologyFlickr: futurestreet

macy meetings - anthropologists and scientists discussing humans and technology in 1941.

cyborg anthropology launched as a sub-discipline of anthropology at AAA in 1992

I. Present Day

Flickr: soylentgreen23

the automaticproductionof space

HyperlinkedMemories

PersistentPaleontology

Panic architecture

Prostheticsand their discontents

ambient intimacy Leisa Reichelt

Flickr: piet_musterd

III. Becoming a Cyborg

Infants have a second self before they are even born.

this is yoursecond self

presentation of self in digital life

Reality isn’t always fun

Reality isn’t always fast

Reality is +5 points!

Reality is 5 stars!

Accelerated Rewards

Database Games

Spreadsheets have never been so exciting!

Level Ups

+1 Friend+1 Follower

Socialgrooming

psychologicaleffects

+1

IV. The Future

• Invisible interfaces• Trigger-based

interactions• Actions as buttons• Calm technology

Information should be pushed to you

A robot working for you behind the scenes. The more it knows about you the more it can do for you.

Ambient user input

User’s location

Time of day

Current speed (slow or fast?)

Average speed over time (driving vs. walking)

Prior actions (clicks, subscriptions

User’s friends on another platform

Proximal Notification

GeonotesLocation-Based Reminders

your phone will become a remote control for reality.

Home Automation

When you check in to your house, your lights turn on!

When you leave the house, your lights turn off!

The best technologyis invisible

It should get out of the way and connect people.

Thank you.

Amber CaseTwitter: @caseorganiccase@caseorganic.com