Contextual Memory

There were just too many great projects at this year's Umea Insitute of Design grad show to mention all of them, but one of my favorites was Paula Guntaur's E-MEM, a self-described "time and context based file management" system.

Paula's concept is a companion to the Smartphones, PDA's, or Notebooks of today (and tomorrow). It is a calendar with an integrated camera and projector that allows its user to locate files based on when and in which context the data was created. When flipping through the calendar, information such as file names, events, and email transactions from that day are all listed alongside the notes and appointments that the user has transcribed into the physical book. The device itself has a limited memory, as it is meant to reference data existing on other nearby devices, such as a Smartphone or Notebook.

Paula did some excellent ethnographic work during the research phase of her project, which really helps to support her final design. She has some very mature and well-considered thoughts and ideas surrounding context-based file management, and the execution is excellent. The industrial design isn't completely resolved (though that is understandable in a research and concept heavy project like this - there is only so much time), but the information design is very nice.



Paula designed the project in collaboration with Microsoft. You can check out the description of Paula's project on the Umea school site here, or Paula's personal site here.

posted by Mike @ 11:40 PM   |   Permalink