Shape-shifting tech will change work as we know it

Wilson's book highlights the amazing dexterity and capabilities of the human hand, but also paints a compelling picture of the hand's central role in our cognitive evolution from ape to man. Most computer interfaces today still neglect much of the rich possibilities for interaction that our hands provide.

Noë's work on enactive perception questions a once-dominant approach to cognitive science that had a strong influence on the history of computer interfaces — that we passively perceive the world around us through our sensory system. Noë demonstrates that we actively use the physical world around us, and our manipulation of it, as a core part of our perception. His book is extremely engaging and filled with anecdotes and illustrations that make you question the process of your own perception. These models of perception suggest the need for a new type of interaction that is grounded in the world and is manipulable through our hands and bodies.

This book connects embodied cognition with interaction design, arguing for new types of interaction that are physically embodied in our world and that leverage our innate cognitive abilities for spatial thinking. It also highlights the work of Prof. Hiroshi Ishii, my advisor at the MIT Media Lab, who led the push towards more tangible interfaces.

Brett Victor's short rant captures much of Dourish and Ishii's argument in a few pages — we need interfaces that embrace the hand in all of its glory. Victor is a concise and clear story teller, who can boil down years of HCI research into a more actionable form. His talk on "Seeing Spaces" is also incredibly inspiring.

Don Norman's immensely formative book lead the rallying cry for HCI and user centered design, and it remains as important today as when it was published 30 years ago. All designers of Internet of Things devices should read it. It provides an especially important framework as we think about interfaces that can change their physical form.

Neal Stephenson's The Diamond Age has had a profound effect on many HCI researchers. It looks towards a future where economic inequality has profoundly shaped our world, and where technology is, of course, not equally distributed. Stephenson's "matter compilers," swarms of nano-bots and immersive virtual reality both inspire and caution us as we look to the future of HCI and digital fabrication.