Applying an Aesthetic Framework of Touch for Table-Top Interactions

In this paper, we propose a conceptual framework for understanding the aesthetic qualities of multi-touch and tactile interfaces for table-top interaction. While aesthetics has traditionally been defined as the visual appearance of an artifact, we promote a tactile aesthetics that is firmly rooted in the experience of use and interaction. Our model of tactile aesthetics comprises four distinct yet overlapping areas: 1.) Embodiment which grounds our framework within the larger philosophical context of experience. 2.) Materiality which emphasizes the importance of the physical shape, form and texture of interactive systems. 3.) Sensorial Mapping which is the creation of appropriate cross-modal relationships between touch and our other senses. 4.) Semantics of Caress which is the investigation into the meaning of touch which can then inform computational models of gesture recognition. We apply this framework to evaluate a series of tactile and multi-touch artworks and discuss how our model can benefit the design of future multi- touch systems.