IXD BLAST From the Past #6: Comic Chat (1996)

IXD BLAST From the Past #6: Comic Chat (1996)

This text chat interface was so revolutionary and insightful it’s a shame it wasn’t copied and emulated relentlessly. Even today, there’s nothing like it and it’s fusing of text and image is still unique, relevant, and would be successful—especially in the social...
IXD BLAST From the Past #5: Knowledge Navigator (1987)

IXD BLAST From the Past #5: Knowledge Navigator (1987)

This was more than the typical industrial film made by a corporation to communicate a vision of the future. It was a remarkably cogent vision that has largely held up over the last 37 years! Knowledge Navigator was the first of a set of promotional films created by...
IXD BLAST From the Past #4: Microsoft ActiMates (1997)

IXD BLAST From the Past #4: Microsoft ActiMates (1997)

The Microsoft ActiMates were the first stuffed animals (or plush toys) that interacted with children, both directly through physical contact as well as through the computer (when its CD-ROM was inserted), and the television. The result of these simple, yet prophetic...
IXD BLAST From the Past #3: Institut du Monde Arabe (1987)

IXD BLAST From the Past #3: Institut du Monde Arabe (1987)

While this isn’t classically interactive, it is an active experience in a really interesting way. On approaching the entrance to the Institu du Monde Arabe in Paris, the South-facing glass wall of the building, which is also part of the entrance courtyard, appears to...
IXD BLAST From the Past #2: MagicCap (1994)

IXD BLAST From the Past #2: MagicCap (1994)

We used to speak a lot about “metaphors” in interaction design but as we’ve settled on so many archetypes, now, this seldom enters the conversation. We simply assume the dominant paradigm and dress it up differently—if at all. But, the reality of mental models and...
IXD BLAST from the Past #1: Osmose (1995)

IXD BLAST from the Past #1: Osmose (1995)

In it’s day, Osmose was ground-breaking. However, even today, there’s been little like it. Created by Char Davies and a team of developers (including Georges Mauro, John Harrison, Rick Bidlack, and Dorota Blaszczak), it was one of the first virtual reality experiences...