SmartIts

Smart-Its are a toolbox for rapid assembly of interactive devices. The toolbox provides core modules that are self-contained computers with wireless network, and a wide variety of add-on boards for physical input and output.

Smart-Its are device-building devices: they focus on the construction of new devices and provide hardware and software building blocks for rapid assembly. The design rationale for Smart-Its is to reduce the effort for physical prototyping of novel device concepts, and to enable rapid iterations between design idea and tangible implementation. This makes it possible to expose device concepts to users and to try application scenarios very early in the development process.

Smart-Its are based on hardware modules that are purposefully simple in composition, so that they can be modified and reproduced easily.

The module shown below is a core board with microcontroller and radio. The other two are examples of add-on boards, one including light, temperature, touch and acceleration sensors and the other allowing attachment and power control of up to 4 actuators.

Smart-Its has been used for construction of a wide range of devices in Equator, for example the Weight Surfaces that in turn have been deployed in appliances such as the Drift Table and Weight Furniture generally.

Smart-Its has also been demonstrated widely. For example, it was shown in the Emerging Technologies track at SIGGRAPH 2003. The table, chairs, vase and glasses shown in photo above are all augmented with Smart-Its.

The demonstration highlighted how invisibly embedded technology allows mundane objects to collectively maintain awareness of everyday interactions.