Sustainable Interaction Design
A funded research project by Matthias Laschke, Marc Hassenzahl and Kurt Mehnert | 2010
This project was funded by Universal Home. A consortium of companies such as 3M, Gira, Miele, Poggenpohl, RWE, Schott, Vaillant, and WMF.
This project was intended to explore the possibilities to change behavior through design. The project is located in the context of sustainability and conscious consumption.
No light for two
You get a certain amount of light for your flat. Enough for one room and one corridor. If use more, it is distributed to the rooms and consequently dimmed. But who needs light in room he is not using?
Augmented reality
As it’s name implies, the concepts augments electrical devices by information (e.g. power consumption).
Rainmaker
Like a sandglass, the rainmaker drops small metal bullets trough a cylinder with little spikes based on the amount of electricity that is used. Hence, you can here a more or less loud rush.
Wooden calendar
Twelf wooden sticks represent the whole year. Based on the eclectricity consumption the sticks get smaller like with a pencil sharpener.
Heating cactus
If it becomes to warm in your flat, the cactus shows its prickles. Time to regulate the heating.
Shower hose
Using too much water, the shower hose splits into two parts. Of course it could be easily fixed, but the water is used anyway.
Diving rod
Using the rod brings people into the activity of exploring their house. Based on harmless electric feedback, people are able to explore the difference between high and low consuming electric devices
Backwards socket
What a (un-) comfortable socket. You can use it as a extension cord. Unfortunately is starts to pull back the cable, whatever it is attached.
Spitting socket
Based on a pre-assessed time the socket spits out the plugged cable. Just to remember that electricity is limited.
Light stick
With this stick it is possible to limit the amount of light that is used. The metal stick conducts the current (switching current) between two metal roles. As time went by the stick glides down. One of the ends is ceramic and the other on is metal. When it comes to the ceramic side light fades. But you can ease the situation by lift the stick again or turn it around. Because when it comes to the metal end, light will “never” fade.
