Organic User Interfaces

Over the past few years, there has been a quiet revolution in display manufacturing technology. One that is only comparable in scope to that of the invention of the first LCD, one that directly resulted in Kay's DynaBook and the modern laptop. The e-ink electro-chemical pixel, combined with advances in organic thin-film circuit boards have resulted in displays that are so thin and flexible, they are beginning to resemble paper. Soon displays will completely mimick the high contrast, low power consumption and flexibility of real ink. This will cause another revolution in computer user interface design. This revolution marks a final frontier for Human-Computer Interaction: one in which computers can have any organic form or shape, rather than the rigid technological surfaces of DynaBook. One where the shape of the computer is the input device. One where any object, no matter how complex, dynamic or flexible its structure, can display information. This new paradigm of Organic User Interface (Oui!) requires a new set of design guidelines. For example, Oui! devices are designed such that Input Equals Output. Forms dynamically follow the flow of activities surrounding the user's body, with form equalling function. Check out www.organicui.org for a special issue on the topic.