Project by Hanna Johnson and Gabriela Kiryluk

Abstract In the rapid increase of technological advances, little reflection has been done on how people hope the future to be and the problems they foresee. Wish Upon A Meteor creates a space for emotionally charged speculation, in which collective imaginings of the future are embodied in a physical artifact. Using methods of design fiction, material speculation, and tangible affective interaction, the sound and capacitive sensors are intertwined to afford this unique locus of reflection. People confronted with the meteor characterized it as a vulnerable object, with the inseparable modalities of recorded voice and touch creating an intimate interaction. This cements its potential to instigate difficult and multifaceted conversations about the future. Based on the exploratory evaluation of the sonic meteor, this paper suggests potential criteria for evaluating tangible affective interfaces.