Intelligent systems promise to support diverse use situations, improve task performance and accuracy, increase transparency, and broaden participation in computing. However, an interaction modality of intelligent systems that has been less explored is Tangible Embodied Interaction (TEI). This studio brings together designers, artists and HCI researchers around topics of tangible and explainable AI/ML.

In the studio, we will map opportunities that TEI in its broadest sense, including TUI, embodied interaction, and physical computing can offer to the design of intelligent systems. We use the phrase Graspable AI, referencing two senses of the word “to grasp”: taking something into one’s hand and when the mind comprehends an idea.

This studio focuses on three successive approaches to Graspable AI:

• Graspable forms are synthesized and unified wholes capable of conveying a meaning, a message or a state (classifying, learning or explaining) manifest in physical forms; they are often self-explanatory, intuitive, and relatable. This studio will explore how such forms of ML/AI models can become basic units of analysis for “graspable” AI.

• Graspable forms over time: In a learning system, meaningful units change over time, increasing complexity of the outcomes and predictions. We ask how temporality influences the tangible forms of algorithms, considering metaphors of biological growth, emergence, and structure-preserving transformations.

• Graspable forms in the world: Design criticism suggests that artifact form structures and integrates diverse dimensions of design, including intentionality, user experiences, and the sociocultural contexts in which the artifact was produced or consumed. We ask how tangible forms, as they undergo change and transformation, acquire and shape meanings in the world.

Participations are open for everyone with or without position papers, however we recommend interested participants to submit a position paper (2–4 pages, excluding the references) in the ACM Extended Abstracts Submission Template (Word or LaTeX) or as visual artifacts to graspableai@googlegroups.com by the end of January 25th.

Possible contributions can be included but not limited to:

• Theoretical considerations: using TEI theoretical frameworks to analyze, interpret and/or frame explainable AI

• Case studies at any stage: proposed, preliminary, or completed case studies that explore TEI with AI/ML systems.

• Prepared data: any physicalizations of data, preparations of data, or data sets

• Methods/approaches: new/adapted methods, design tactics, or approaches to making data more graspable

• Design collections: annotated and visual collections of artifacts, design concepts, critical writing about specific designs or aspects of designs

• Demonstrations/Performances: visual stories, illustrations, physical objects and videos (e.g. dance or music performances, short movies, animations) which visualize or perform the concept of Grapable AI, or whose graspability is relevant to the studio three main topic areas that are mentioned above.

Important Dates:

Submission deadline: January 25th

Workshop date (virtual): February 19th