»elastic time« explores the ways in which time and processes can be physically represented and interacted with. We will address the challenge of communicating multidimensional data in physical space and designing physical interfaces that allow users to explore complex temporal relationships. With the goal of developing novel ideas and concepts with in the field of information physicalization, we aim to bring new aspects, links and visions into play.

In this course we will have a strong focus on data and information visualization and explore ways to transmit and interact with information in multimodal physical space. We use the theme of time and time-based processes as a rather loose framework and concept. Our approach to this theme will be experimental and design-research driven. Starting form a very simple question: How can we perceive time and temporal processes by means of our senses? And then explore how we can transmit and interact with information in physical space.

We will begin our project with a series of experimental workshops addressing different dimensions and levels of complexity. The first stage will concentrate on straightforward data collection and experiments. Next, we will proceed to a 2D data visualization workshop and progress further to 3D visualization, concluding with the addition of interactivity. The exploratory workshops will be accompanied by a dive into different related topics. e.g. time perception and the representation of time-based information.

Our goal is to design physical objects that represent, visualize, or/and interact with time-based processes. Thereby we will focus on not just the display of information but designing meaningful relationships between information, context and user. In addition to the application scenarios and conceptual designs, the main objective of the course is the design and realization of prototypes and functional models, so we can experience the intended interaction and the associated experience as well as possible.

During the semester we will have more workshops, supervisors and inputs. We are happy to announce that Till Nagel (Professor for Visual Analytics at the Mannheim University of Applied Sciences) will give an input already at the beginning of the course. In addition, Simon von Schmude (head of the eLab) will support us with a physical computing workshop and will also be available as a supervisor for the final interactive prototypes. Yolanda Leask will supervise your concept texts and join the course after the midterm presentation. And Felix Rasehorn and Robin Hoske (from the Wint Design Lab) will run a workshop on video prototyping and video documentation at the end of the semester.