Skål is a product that we developed together with Timo Arnall as a part of the research-project Touch at the Oslo School of Architecture and Design. It is a playful media-interface designed specifically for the home that lets you interact with digital media using physical objects. You place objects in a wooden bowl to play back related media on the TV.
When an object is placed in the bowl related media is played back on the TV. For example a physical Moomin character like Little My will play a sequence from the Moomin cartoon where she is featured. Skål lets you control all kinds of digital media; movie-clips, Youtube channels, Flickr photo streams, home videos, online radio etc.
Skål came out of the research-project Touch that explored new possibilites for RFID in interactions and products. With Skål we wanted to investigate potentials for RFID interactions in playful and domestic contexts. Working with materials and activities inspired by living-rooms and daily family life. The research-side of the product is described in more detail on the Touch website.
Skål has been at of a number of design exhibitions, and was chosen to be a part of Norsk Designråd’s Unge Talenter 2008 (Young Talent 2008). Skål has been well received across the internet, in popular media, and have also been written up as a research-paper.
Visit the Skål website for more information, and Flickr for more images.