Distributed physical interfaces with shared phidgets

Tangible interfaces are best viewed as an interacting collection of remotely-located distributed hardware and software components. The problem is that current physical user interface toolkits do not normally offer distributed systems capabilities, leaving developers with extra burdens such as device discovery and management, low-level hardware access, and networking. Our solution is Shared Phidgets, a toolkit for rapidly prototyping distributed physical interfaces. It offers programmers 3 ways to access and control remotely-located hardware, and the ability to create abstract devices by transforming, aggregating and even simulating device capabilities. Network communication and low-level access to device hardware are handled transparently, regardless of device location. ACM Classification: H.5.2 [Information Interfaces]: User interfaces – input devices and strategies, interaction styles, prototyping, user-centered design Keywords: Distributed physical user interfaces, Phidgets.