Attention-Preserving Tangible Interfaces Workshop

Workshop Details

Conference TEI 26 - 20th Anniversary Conference on Tangible, Embedded, and Embodied Interaction

Date March 8, 2026

Location Museum of Science and Industry
Chicago, IL

Format Full-day in-person studio

Participants 15-20 people

Group Size 3-4 people per group

Overview

This full-day studio introduces "attention-preserving tangible interfaces"—tangible interfaces that preserve attention through sensory reduction rather than peripheral operation. While ambient interfaces and calm technology address attention by operating peripherally in the background, we explore how primary interfaces can employ "least sensing" or "sensory reduction" as attention-preserving mechanisms.

Building on the success of physical privacy-preserving mechanisms (like camera covers and microphone switches), this studio examines how physical mechanisms might similarly protect attention in smart home contexts. Through hands-on activities, participants will explore how primary interfaces might be designed to reduce sensory engagement, offering an alternative vision of technology that respects rather than demands our focus.

Workshop Activities

Activity 1: Examining Contexts for Attention-Preserving Interfaces (90-120 minutes)

Examine multiple contexts including physical privacy-preserving mechanisms, ambient interfaces, and prior work on attention-preserving interfaces. Through hands-on exploration of sample devices, identify design principles and patterns across different approaches.

Activity 2: Prototyping Attention-Preserving Principles with Sensory Reduction (90-120 minutes)

Generate design principles for attention-preserving tangible interfaces. Develop heuristics, checklists, or questionnaires to support designing with attention-preserving principles in mind.

Activity 3: Exploring Sensory Reduction in Primary Interfaces (90-120 minutes)

Design and prototype tangible interfaces that reduce sensory engagement in primary interactions, experimenting with minimal sensory channels, reduced feedback, and sensory reduction techniques.

Activity 4: Reflection and Discussion (60-90 minutes)

Present prototypes and engage in facilitated discussion about the implications of attention-preserving tangible interfaces, exploring limits, trade-offs, and future directions.

Learning Goals

Understand ambient interfaces, calm technology, and physical privacy-preserving mechanisms
Explore least sensing and sensory reduction as attention-preserving mechanisms
Speculate on what physical attention-preserving mechanisms might look like
Gain practical experience designing attention-preserving tangible interfaces
Develop design principles for attention-preserving tangible interaction
Critically examine when sensory reduction is appropriate and when immediate interactions might be necessary
Connect theory and practice in domestic interaction design
Build a community of practice around rethinking interaction paradigms

Materials

Participants will work with accessible, home-appropriate materials emphasizing physicality and sensory qualities:

Cardboard and paper for rapid prototyping
Textile materials (fabric, thread, buttons) for soft, tactile interfaces
Natural and organic materials (wood, stone, clay, cork, bamboo, beeswax)
Physical privacy-preserving mechanisms (camera covers, microphone switches) for reference
Attention-preserving interfaces from prior work for inspiration

Who Should Attend

The studio is accessible to participants with varying levels of experience in tangible interaction and prototyping. No prior technical expertise is required, though familiarity with basic HCI concepts will be helpful. The emphasis is on exploration and critical thinking rather than technical implementation.

Suitable for researchers, designers, and practitioners interested in rethinking interaction paradigms in domestic spaces.