Javier Lloret Description

Newshaper, an interactive installation by Mahir M.Yavuz & Javier Lloret

Newshaper is an interactive installation which allows users to shape their own perception about the daily news and share it with others. Through a multitouch tabletop system users are able to create their own “emotional maps” based on actual live news streamed from internet and to compare them with the average of the day.

Using Newshaper users will first visualize the news map of the news headers of the day. If they select a news item they will be able to read its body of text. Once they have read it they can interact with the system through a colour-band tangible user interface. Each colour band is linked to one of these emotions: confused, angry, positive, shocked and fearful. Users can express what they feel about it touching the colour band. The colour bands are circular and they provide 360 degrees of intensity for each emotion. These emotions are not exclusive, so users are allowed to select more than one emotion for the same news item. When users close a news item their emotions are saved and it influences their emotional map, modifying the average emotional visualization of their personal news map.

Initially, the size of the news items is related to the popularity of this news item on the internet, but users are also able to re-define the importance of each news item resizing them. It is also possible to erase news item from the map to be able to focus on the ones that interest you more. When a user has finished his “emotional map” he/she can see his/her overall of emotions and compare it with the overall mood of the day of the rest of the users.