David Merrill: Toy tiles that talk to each other

翻译人员: han congmei 校对人员: Chaoran Yu

I want to start out by asking you to think back to when you were a kid,

首先，我想请大家回忆一下你们在孩提时代

playing with blocks.

玩过的积木。

As you figured out how to reach out and grasp,

当你构思着怎么去搭建积木

pick them up and move them around,

并且去动手操作的时候，

you were actually learning how to think and solve problems

其实是你正在学习怎样思考和解决问题。

by understanding and manipulating spatial relationships.

这即是对物体的空间结构的理解和感知。

Spatial reasoning is deeply connected

理解物体的空间结构非常有助于

to how we understand a lot of the world around us.

我们对很多周围事物的学习。

So, as a computer scientist

因此，作为一个计算机领域的科学家，

inspired by this utility of our interactions with physical objects --

在这种手动思考方式的启发下，

along with my adviser Pattie, and my collaborator Jeevan Kalanithi --

以及在我的导师Pattie和我的合作伙伴Jeevan Kalanithi的帮助下，

I started to wonder -- what if when we used a computer,

我开始思考--要是我们能用一种新型计算机

instead of having this one mouse cursor that was a like a digital fingertip

来代替鼠标移动光标，就好比一种数字化的手指尖

moving around a flat desktop,

在桌面移动--那样会如何呢？

what if we could reach in with both hands and grasp information physically,

要是我们能用手来直接感知信息，

arranging it the way we wanted?

按我们的思路来组合信息--那样会如何呢？

This question was so compelling that we decided to explore the answer,

这样的疑问不断萦绕在我的脑海中，于是我们决定去探寻答案，

by building Siftables.

所以才有了这款Siftables。

In a nutshell, a Siftable is an interactive computer

简单地说，Siftable是一款互动计算机，

the size of a cookie.

体积如饼干般大小。

They're able to be moved around by hand,

Siftables可以用手随意移动，

they can sense each other, they can sense their motion,

每块Siftable可以互相感知彼此的移动，

and they have a screen and a wireless radio.

每块Siftable还有显示屏和无线电装置。

Most importantly, they're physical,

最重要的是，每块Siftable都是独立的，

so like the blocks, you can move them just by reaching out and grasping.

就像积木一样，可以随意搭配。

And Siftables are an example of a new ecosystem

而且Siftables代表了一种新的生态系统

of tools for manipulating digital information.

--即数字化信息的操作工具。

And as these tools become more physical,

这种操作工具更加独立，

more aware of their motion, aware of each other,

更加灵敏，能彼此感知，

and aware of the nuance of how we move them,

感知任何细微的移动，

we can start to explore some new and fun interaction styles.

所以我们可以使用这种工具尝试一些新的有趣的互动。

So, I'm going to start with some simple examples.

现在，我就来演示一些简单的。

This Siftable is configured to show video,

这块Siftable有映像配置，

and if I tilt it in one direction, it'll roll the video this way;

如果我把它向一侧倾斜，那么它所显示的画面也朝这边倾斜，

if I tilt it the other way it rolls it backwards.

如果我把它朝反方向倾斜，那么图像也朝反方向倾斜。

And these interactive portraits are aware of each other.

而且这些Siftables能互相感知。

So if I put them next to each other, they get interested.

如果把它们一个挨一个摆好，有趣的现象就会发生。

If they get surrounded, they notice that too,

如果把它们随意一堆，他们也会察觉到，

they might get a little flustered.

那就会有点儿混乱。

And they can also sense their motion and tilt.

它们还能感知彼此的移动和倾斜。

One of the interesting implications on interaction, we started to realize,

我们发现一个有趣的互动--

was that we could use everyday gestures on data,

我们可以通过一些常用的手势和Siftables进行互动，

like pouring a color the way we might pour a liquid.

比如象倒液体那样把颜色从一块Siftable倒入另一块Siftable.

So in this case, we've got three Siftables configured to be paint buckets

我们来看这个演示，这有三块设置成油漆桶模式的Siftables,

and I can use them to pour color into that central one,

我们可以把这些桶里的颜色倒入中间的那个，

where they get mixed.

把颜色混在一起.

If we overshoot, we can pour a little bit back.

如果倒多了，可以再倒回去一些。

There are also some neat possibilities for education,

Siftables还有学习机的功能，

like language, math and logic games

可以用来学语言、算算术等--

where we want to give people the ability to try things quickly,

我们希望通过这些功能让学习变得快捷，

and view the results immediately.

更快看到结果。

So here I'm --

这也是我来这里展示Siftables的原因--

(Applause)

（掌声）

This is a Fibonacci sequence that I'm making with a simple equation program.

这是我用一个简单方程式做成的斐波那契数列。

Here we have a word game that's kind of like a mash-up between Scrabble and Boggle.

Siftables还可以玩拼字游戏--一种Scrabble和Boggle混搭的拼字游戏。

Basically, in every round

这种拼字游戏的玩法大致如下，

you get a randomly assigned letter on each Siftable,

你随意拿一块带有字母的Siftable,

and as you try to make words it checks against a dictionary.

当你把几块带有字母的Siftables拼在一起组成单词时，Siftables会在字典里自动查找单词。

Then, after about 30 seconds, it reshuffles,

大约30秒后Siftables会自动根据正确的单词拼写顺序改变原来显示的字母，组成正确的单词，

and you have a new set of letters and new possibilities to try.

你还可以尝试用其他的字母拼出新的单词。

(Applause)

（掌声）

Thank you.

谢谢大家。

(Applause)

（掌声）

So these are some kids that came on a field trip to the Media Lab,

现在，屏幕上显示的是一些孩子正在Media Lab 里参与Siftables的试用体验，

and I managed to get them to try it out, and shoot a video.

我把孩子们的体验过程拍了下来。

They really loved it.

孩子们非常喜欢Siftables。

And, one of the interesting things about this kind of application

而且有趣的是在玩这个拼字游戏的时候

is that you don't have to give people many instructions.

我们并不需要向他们解释什么。

All you have to say is, "Make words,"

只要跟他们说这是个“拼字”游戏时，

and they know exactly what to do.

他们就知道该怎么做了。

So here's another few people trying it out.

现在屏幕上显示的是另一些人在体验Siftables。

That's our youngest beta tester, down there on the right.

右下角这位是年龄最小的体验者。

Turns out, all he wanted to do was to stack the Siftables up.

他只是想把Siftables堆在一起。

So to him, they were just blocks.

在他看来，Siftables只是积木。

Now, this is an interactive cartoon application.

现在屏幕上显示的是一种动画功能的互动尝试。

And we wanted to build a learning tool for language learners.

我们希望Siftables能成为学习语言的帮手。

And this is Felix, actually.

画面上的这个孩子叫Felix。

And he can bring new characters into the scene,

他能把一些新元素添加到动画图像上，

just by lifting the Siftables off the table that have that character shown on them.

他所做的就是把桌上的Siftables拿起来朝着动画图像投一下影，就可以把这些新元素加到动画上了。

Here, he's bringing the sun out.

看，他把太阳加上去了。

Video: The sun is rising.

视频：太阳升起来了。

David Merrill: Now he's brought a tractor into the scene.

大卫·梅若：现在他把拖拉机加上去了。

Video: The orange tractor.

视频：橙色的拖拉机。

Good job! Yeah!

做的不错！

DM: So by shaking the Siftables and putting them next to each other

把Siftables朝动画图像晃一下就可以把新元素加到画面上

he can make the characters interact --

他把新元素加上去了--

Video: Woof!

视频：狗吠声

DM: inventing his own narrative.

梅若：他在编写属于他的动画故事。

Video: Hello!

视频：你好！

DM: It's an open-ended story,

梅若：这是个开放式结局的故事，

and he gets to decide how it unfolds.

他在计划怎样展开故事情节。.

Video: Fly away, cat.

视频：猫坐着热气球飞走了。

DM: So, the last example I have time to show you today

梅若：下面我要给大家进行最后一个展示

is a music sequencing and live performance tool

这个功能可以编排、演奏音乐

that we've built recently,

是我们最近研发的，

in which Siftables act as sounds

Siftables的这种功能体现在声音方面，

like lead, bass and drums.

能发出像超载音、贝斯及鼓的声音。

Each of these has four different variations,

每个模块有四档可供调节，

you get to choose which one you want to use.

任君选择。

And you can inject these sounds into a sequence

你可以把声音模块的Siftable里的声音加入编辑模块的Siftable

that you can assemble into the pattern that you want.

按你喜欢的方式。

And you inject it by just bumping up the sound Siftable against a sequence Siftable.

加入声音只需把声音模块靠近编辑模块。

There are effects that you can control live, like reverb and filter.

还有类似混响器、滤声器作用的Siftable模块。

You attach it to a particular sound and then tilt to adjust it.

把这类模块靠近声音模块就可以调整声音了。

And then, overall effects like tempo and volume

接下来，可以用控制总体节奏和音量的Siftable模块

that apply to the entire sequence.

靠近编辑模块的Siftable来调整节奏和音量。

So let's have a look.

我们来看一下。

Video: (Music)

视频：（音乐）

DM: We'll start by putting a lead

梅若：开始先把超载音

into two sequence Siftables, arrange them into a series,

注入两个编辑模块，

extend it, add a little more lead.

再加一些超载音。

Now I put a bass line in.

现在加入贝斯音。

Video: (Music)

视频：（音乐）

DM: Now I'll put some percussion in.

梅若：现在加入一些打击乐器的声音。

Video: (Music)

视频：（音乐）

DM: And now I'll attach the filter to the drums, so I can control the effect live.

梅若：现在把滤声模块靠近鼓声模块，这样可以调整声音。

Video: (Music)

视频：（音乐）

DM: I can speed up the whole sequence

梅若：我来把节奏加快些

by tilting the tempo one way or the other.

只需把节奏模块靠近编辑模块。

Video: (Music)

视频：（音乐）

DM: And now I'll attach the filter to the bass for some more expression.

梅若：现在再把滤声模块靠近贝斯模块滤声。

Video: (Music)

视频：（音乐）

DM: I can rearrange the sequence while it plays.

梅若：在音乐演奏的过程中还可以重新编排。

So I don't have to plan it out in advance, but I can improvise,

所以并不需要提前编排，而是在演奏时随时改编，

making it longer or shorter as I go.

可长可短。

And now, finally, I can fade the whole sequence out

最后，我来结束整个演奏，

using the volume Siftable, tilted to the left.

用音量模块靠近编辑模块，用左边这个档。

(Applause)

（掌声）

Thank you.

谢谢大家。

So, as you can see,

正如大家看到的，

my passion is for making new human-computer interfaces

我的理想就是研发一款新型的能够人机互动的媒介

that are a better match to the ways our brains and bodies work.

更好地配合人体大脑的运作。

And today, I had time to show you one point in this new design space,

今天，我在这给大家展示了Siftable，

and a few of the possibilities that we're working to bring out of the laboratory.

我们的后续研究正在实验室中进行。

So the thought I want to leave you with

我想跟大家交流的想法就是

is that we're on the cusp of this new generation of tools

我们在研发新一代尖端科技产品

for interacting with digital media

--可以和数字媒体接轨的科技产品，

that are going to bring information into our world

它将给世界带来变化

on our terms.

这样的革新在我们这一代就会看到。

Thank you very much.

非常感谢大家。

I look forward to talking with all of you.

我期待着和大家共同探讨。

(Applause)

（掌声）