Eskom uses video game to inform public about Energy Demand Management
An interview with designer Scott Chapman about designing the Eskom Energy Planner game
Recently Formula D interactive designed the Eskom Energy Planner Game to educate people on the different power generation technologies in an entertaining way. The online game allows players to take custody of a virtual city’s power plan and seek a balance between the most efficient technologies currently available and the most environmentally friendly ones. Players must also take into account the varying costs of production of the different technologies and face the challenge of maintaining an economically viable mix of all of these elements. We asked Scott Chapman, multimedia designer at Formula D, who was heading the development team at Formula D, what it takes to design an educational game like this.
Interaction design for learning
We all know it; it is the mantra of our time: Our lives have changed a lot in the last years through information and communication technology. It has changed the way we work. It has changed the way we communicate. New technologies like mobile computing, new tools and interfaces not only have a major impact on our work and social experiences, we can rightly claim that they have improved our lives in various areas. Unfortunately, this is not the case in the field of education. Here, it seems as though things are moving slower than anywhere else. The following article proposes various engagement points for interaction designers to make technology count for education.
International design project researches gentrification in Berlin and Cape Town
The Koeln International School of Design, the Faculty of Informatics and Design of the Cape Peninsula University and Formula D interactive cooperate on an international design project investigating the effect of gentrification in Neukölln, Berlin and Cape Town, The Fringe. A UN report predicts that 4.9 billion world citizens will be living in cities by [...]
World Design Capital 2014 – Participatory design and experimentation are key to urban innovation
Although, there had been hopes for an economic boost which did not materialise in the form it was anticipated, South Africa’s FiFa World Cup 2010 was a success story. The deliverables were clearly set: Build stadiums, manage infrastructure, and provide safety for an event that would merely endure 4 weeks. In turn, the deliverables for World Design Capital 2014 are far from clear, a fact which on one hand provides an opportunity to shape the scope around the unique requirements and capacity of the region, but also bears the risk of disappointed expectations on the other. The World Design Capital project should be used as an opportunity to focus on developing change strategies following a bigger vision, instead of settling in on preconceived expectations for solutions.
Designing interfaces to humanise technology
The way we interact with all the small and big machines we handle and inhabit in our daily lives tells us a lot about our personal relationship with technology. What do we actually want from technology and are we really getting it? Which side is more adaptive and compensates for the flaws of the other; Human or machine? What role play designers and artists when designing interfaces for the many black boxes our scientists and technologists surprise us with? Or can only magic save us from becoming machines ourselves? The video shows my 20 minutes talk from last July at Cape Town’s Creative Mornings event and tries to answer some of these questions.
Recycling education with an interactive floor projection game
The Recycling Floor projection Game educates players about different recyclable materials and how they can be identified. Located some thirty-eight kilometers north west of Port Elizabeth, Uitenhage was historically known as the ‘garden town’ of the Eastern Cape. Over the years, as its population has expanded, waste has become a visible problem in the area. [...]
25 Questions and Answers on Art, Technology and Design
Two weeks ago Catherine Henderson, who organises the Cape Town’s Creative mornings, asked Formula D interactive’s Michael Wolf 25 questions about design, art and tech via Twitter. Questions and answers were limited to 140 character each. Here are all Q & A’s in one thread. Q: Michael Wolf, what do you do? A: I am founder, [...]
Multitouch table helps young people to understand how personal choices affect their lives
The ability to choose is one of the things that makes us human. But making decisions is not always easy. The consequences of one bad decision can affect the rest of our lives. What happens when you’re faced with a difficult choice? Say you’ve just completed high school. Do you get a job or study further? How do you know what to do? Which path is the right one to choose?
For young people in Uitenhage, Formula D’s Life Choices Touch Table Game is helping them to understand how personal choices affect their lives.
Innovating education in South Africa: Formula D interactive presents a virtual, yet tangible Chemistry Lab.
Formula D Interactive recently developed a Virtual Chemistry Lab, as a safe, low cost alternative to the standard chemistry laboratory in schools. The heart of the system is a so called object recognition table. The interactive platform consists of a 50″ High Definition rear projected screen prepped with lots of computing power. Sophisticated pattern recognition technology allows users to navigate content information by placing physical cards onto the table’s glass surface.
ibali – speaking public furniture design to inspire citizens
ibali is a public furniture design concept designed by Johan du Toit and Michael Wolf from Formula D interactive in their spare time. ibali offers an extra service to city dwellers: It inspires. A recent city branding initiative gave Cape Town the title: City of Inspiration. Cape Town and its citizens are rich with inspirational people and stories that are linked to specific places and streets in Cape Town. ibali – space of inspiration aims at creating islands of inspiration in the city allowing citizens to step out of the stream of everyday life to get a dose of hope and inspiration.
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