Javier Lloret Description

Initial 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.

What Newshaper is an interactive installation by Mahir M.Yavuz & Javier Lloret which allows users to shape their own perception about the daily news and share it with others. The installation consists on a DIY multitouch table of the following dimensions: 100cm x 60cm x 90cm. On top of this table there's a translucent surface of 54cm x 54 cm where users can see and create their own “emotional maps” based on actual live news streamed from internet, compare them with the average of the day and re-define the importance of each news item. 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.

How Using Newshaper users will first visualize the news map of the news headers of the day on the translucent surface of the table. They can re-define the importance of each news item resizing them touching them with two fingers. If they select a news item by touching they will be able to read its body of text. Once they have read it, they can interact with the system by touching each one of the colour bands. Each colour band is linked to one emotion. The colour bands are circular and they provide 360 degrees of intensity. 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 . When the save their personal map they can compare it with the overall map and mood of the day of the rest of the users.

Why Through internet, television or radio, we are surrounded by information on a daily basis. Internet 2.0 has provided some mechanisms to make easier to users to express their feeling using blogs and social networks. But when we read a news item on the media we still can't visually express our feelings.

The main motivation for creating Newshaper it was to provide a system in which its users are able to express easily and visually their common thoughts and feelings about the news provided by media sources. By using Newshaper users can create their “emotional maps” but they can also compare their perception with the average perception of each news item, getting much more information about how is the society reacting to a concrete happening.

In addition to that, Newshaper allows to its users to participate and get feedback about the overall mood of the day of the system.