Week 1 Brainstorming and exercises

Communication channels:

• Verbal (spoken language)
• Non-verbal (gestures, body-language, paralanguage etc.)
• Written language
• Symbols, icons
• Abstract (art, painting, sculpture)
• Music
• ...

Types of communication:

• dialogues 
• monologues
• speech to masses

- perhaps focus on other senses than vision for cues, such as smell, hearing, touch. Taste might be challenging to use for communication?

Brainstorming ideas:

• a baby monitor that recognises the different types of cries and communicates the baby's needs to the caretaker. E.g. the dipers light up when it's time to change, the bottle lights up when it's feeding time etc.
• a chip on the front of the car that communicates to other cars, indicating to the driver when they're driving to close to someone. It could also indicate where there is a high concentration of cars, so that the driver might change their route. 
• a key that tells the user who is at home or not at home, and when they entered or left (good for tracking children?)
• A dog collar that notices a dog's movements, so that the owner knows when the dog is scratching on the front door and it's time to walk the dog. 
• A handbag that notices when something is missing from a pocket, and can then tell others that the user left the key's at home or similar (e.g. husband can bring wife's keys to her).
• a toothbrush that detects cavities and communicates to the dentist that it is time to schedule an appointment.
• a cup with/bowl or similar with a built in thermometer, letting the user know if the drink is too hot, or a waiter that the food is hot enough to be sent out to the guests.
• a mould that shapes itself according to it's twin mold. E.g. user A is user B's boyfriend. User A hugs the mold, and user B can 'hug' the mold back. The mold's temperature should be adjusted by the user to 'feel real'
• a ball that changes temperature and colour according to mood, also lets you see what mood your friends are in.