Xastol – LookingOutwards08

A project from Hiroshi Ishii and the Tangible Media Group at (MIT Media Lab) that I became very interested with is Materiable. The project is based off of Hiroshi Ishii’s concept of tangible works called radical atoms. The idea behind radical atoms is a combination of computational screen work and actual physical work: using technology to make previously un-tangible data, tangible. Materiable exemplifies this idea very well. In this project, intractable prisms/pins come together to create a larger malleable prism that is responsive to touch and is able to replicate dynamic material (i.e. – sponge, elastic surface, etc.). This work, among many other Hiroshi Ishii works, is on the forefront of new technology/dynamic works. I’m excited to see how this concept of radical atoms can expand farther from its roots and effect other previously intangible media like film.