Thursday

Mechanical Media

Post by Michael Bailey-Van Kuren

As the faculty in AIMS try to determine the Big Questions surrounding Interactive Media, I have struggled to define the role of mechanical engineering in an interactive media organization.  However, I recently realized that I have always interjected a hidden word (”Digital”) into Interactive Media that really isn’t there.  MY media are sensors, actuators, displays, and robots.  The ability of these devices to interact and communicate with people is a widespread area of inquiry within the engineering community. The engineering focus often is constrained to the ability of the device or system to solve a particular problem or need.  Analysis of the interactivity of the device is often overlooked as long as the system has met the customer needs.  A collaborative institute such as AIMS provides the resources to evaluate interactive engineering solutions in terms of their efficacy.

The role mechanical engineering can play in the area of interactive media is enormous. The rate of advancement in the fields of materials, actuators,  and sensors provide a rapidly increasing array of options to those implementing interactivity. Innovation will occur as the most effective mechanical interfaces are identified and evaluated in terms of the systems ability to communicate with users.

In reviewing the recent activities at Innovation Dublin, I find the wide range of exciting activities. However, there was very little engineering content. I would like to see more engineers involved in teams working on non-digital interactive projects.