Meanwhile, the computer scientists in Nottingham were developing a system to support the development of new ubiquitous computing experiences by designers and – ideally – members of the public. The Equip Component Toolkit (ECT) eased the creation of networks of devices and software modules, allowing data to flow among them according to rules and patterns defined onscreen. The design and computer science agendas complemented each other well: ECT helped the design team achieve their goals, while their practical experiences provided valuable feedback to the development team about bugs, redesigns, and powerful features.

Over time, interest converged on how information and awareness flows within, through and beyond the physical boundaries of the home. Related to this, we became intrigued by how local information might be combined with the more placeless information of the internet to augment the experience of both. The Boundary Devices explore these issues in a variety of ways. Like all the designs we have produced for the home, the first priority in their design is to create compelling experiences that people will appreciate over time. But they serve a deeper agenda as well, seeking to uncover and enrich an experience of place for the home in this age of all-pervading, universal information.

A slideshow of photos from the Curious Home Exhibition in July 2007 is available here.