1HDC 09.09 - The Future of Digital Reading - Submissions

After reviewing the research and thinking about the evolution of reading over the years, I don’t think that the Kindle model is that far off from a enjoyable reading experience. The three main issues that resonated with me and I think will be resolved with The New Page are: 1) turning the page, 2) sharing and 3) using a digital reading device with children.

The New Page includes screens on front and back, button controls, a flash drive slot (like common digital cameras) and speakers.

  1. Turning the Page is addressed in The New Page by the user flipping the device over to advance the page instead of a button. The user actually feels is making a motion to advance emulating the act of turning a page.

  2. Sharing can be easy! In an age where bands are releasing records on memory sticks instead of cds there is nothing stopping The New Page from incorporating existing technology utilized in digital cameras to the reading experience. Trading a flash cards (or reloading them) can become the new way of trading books easily.

  3. Using a digital reading device with Children is made more interesting and feasible with The New Page. The back screen can also be used as a way to share pictures illustrating the story on the other side (think teacher reading aloud and then holding the book out for the children to see the illustrations) or, with The New Page’s color screens and speakers, read along with your child to richer content.

Digital Home Entertainment Center

We anticipate that the entire home “entertainment center” will be digitized in years to come. In doing so, a person or family’s collection of books, movies, games, photographs, and music will be archived digitally, eliminating the need for the physical formats in the home. The various collections will be represented by application icons on a giant iPod touch screen and displayed in the person’s living room. In this regard, a digital library can be displayed by the touch of an “app”. While the books may all be in digital formats, the covers can easily be seen on display. When the user wants to choose a new book to read, they simply connect their own personal digital reader to their home entertainment center, and drag the desired book from the digital library to the reader. This is the future of digital archiving.

The Coffee Table Book

A digital book format that would replace coffee table books, while maintaining the decorative aspect of books within the home. The book screen would sit on a coffee table and the content would then scroll page by page on intervals. Multiple volumes and books could also be stored within the scrolling book so the owner could access any decorative book they wanted to view instantly.
Idea #2 small.jpg

This portable digital hand-held book allows the reader to take digital reading to the next level while maintaining some key elements that one has with a “proper” printed book. After reviewing the research analysis we discovered multiple elements and concerns from numerous users that current digital reading has left out.

Currently the devices have limitations from the one screen design, this new double screen allows versatility and many more functions. Immediately the user feels as if they are holding a prober book. The “home” screen introduces a variety of new options, two being the public library access which allows 24 hour access to any public library as well as the “bump” application that introduces the sharing characteristic. The user must physically be with the person they would like to share there book with so that there digital book can bump and transfer information, requiring more human contact. With pirating in mind these shared books would only last for a certain amount of time. This new durable, hand held device would allow readers to view “proper” texts from books by virtue of designed pages and colored illustrations that would mirror image the current printed book. There would be a Stylus Pen that permits digital writing and digital highlighting directly on the book or on a digital notebook. Another issue is that the feel of the book is lost in current hand held devices. This new model allows for key visual prompts that remind the viewer of the printed page; “the-dog-ear” feature, the visual of the swooping page triggered by ones finger or the buttons on the side. The idea of a virtual library became important as it is a personal preference how one organizes their reading material. The library becomes a wall of spines that the user can scroll through almost as if browsing in a library. Hopefully through this design one can feel connected to the printed word but still have the accessibility and the possibilities that digital devices offer.

For lack of a better name, I will refer to my idea as the “Electrobook”.

The Electrobook is comprised of three thick “pages”:

  1. The outside cover & left hand reading page
  2. The right hand reading page & paper pad
  3. The “homepage” & back cover

EXTERIOR:

The exterior consists of two screens displaying the cover.

Similar to album covers, the book cover can be a powerful thing, and shouldn’t be lost as digital reading gains popularity. Despite the old adage of judging a book by its cover, it certainly affects the reader in some way, and possibly those around them. (Call It Booklyn - The New York Times)
Another thing to note is that often different editions have different cover art, which can affect the value of the book. What is displayed on the outside screen of the Electrobook may change according to edition and book condition.

For users that want to express individuality, they can also customize their exterior if they’d like, with different photos, patterns, etc. Users may also use this feature if they don’t want readers to see what they are reading.

THE READING EXPERIENCE:

The reader will open the cover like a paper book, and will be presented with the surfaces where the text is displayed. Like some of the other entries, The Electrobook will have two pages, a left and a right, to mimic the experience of reading a paper book.

In order to mimic some of the other experiences of a paper book, on the corner of each page will be a tab that the user can click to create a “dog ear”. Also in the corner (or at least outside edge somewhere) will be a button to turn the pages back and forth, which is usually where readers flip to the next page.

By using a stylus, the reader can also make highlights and take notes in the margin of the book, a very important part of the paper book experience.

THE “HOMEPAGE”:

All of these user notes – the highlights, the pre-reading and margin notes, the dog ears, etc. will then be compiled into the user’s “homepage” which will be shown on the last page of the Electrobook (what would be the inside back cover).

Also on the same face as the homepage will be the control panel, where the user can opt to share the book with others, thus creating network/ecosystem:

  • Gifting – can purchase books or giftcards for others
  • Donate – when a reader no longer needs a title, they can pass it along to someone else
  • Loan – can grant access to other readers
  • Sell – can sell their book access for a price

Also on the control panel the user can change the settings/appearance of the book:

  • Specify environmental setting like a camera, so lighting changes as needed (outdoor, indoor, lowlight, beach, etc.)
  • Book condition - New (crisp, white page appearance) vs. Used (yellowed, maybe more pulpy texture, font changes, perhaps even including common reader anecdotes). Cover art will also change based on edition
  • Sound (page turns) - on or off
  • Text size (large format, regular, small)

thE-Book

“The Ultimate Book: The only book you will ever need”

thE-Book is a product that allows the user to download content of their choice off the internet through internet access. It contains the technology that allows one to get online quickly and download information instantly (similar to the technology of a Blackberry for instance). It has internal battery that needs to be charged daily. thE-Book comes in a lightweight, compact form and can be easily carried in one’s pocket or purse. The dimensions of folded thE-Book are 4" x 5". It unfolds into a form resembling that of a book with full dimensions of 8" x 10 " (or 8" x 5" per page). Each section that folds/pulls out snaps onto its adjacent component thus securing itself into a shape mimicking a small sized book. The outside covers are finished with recycled leather/suede to provide a soft tactile and familiar experience for a reader.
The previously assembled 2 pages (the slide in and out - see picture 4.) are connected by small snappable connectors which upon snapping allow for thE-Book to fold from 180 degrees to 90 degrees. Once thE-Book is assembled a main central reading page is revealed that’s made out of softer/flexible OLED. This page can be flipped back and forth just like a page in the book and with each turn of the page the content/text progresses to the following paragraph/chapter. The central page consists of 2 OLEDs attached to one another so that both sides of the central page are readable. User can also easily go “BACK” to previous pages by selecting the option on the screen. There is also a thE-Map showing overall chapters/pages/articles that allows user to easily skip to a desired page (location of thE-Map is discussed below)

The interior right-side cover contains enclosure for a very thin thE-Pen that can be used to highlight the central reading page, go to main menu located on the left-side cover (described below), to take notes in the NOTES touch screen (that’s right above thE-Pen slot), or work and otherwise interact with any of the touchscreens in thE-Book. There is a small button by thE-Pen slot that - when pressed - releases thE-Pen. After use, thE-Pen is safely stored back into the slot.
The interior left cover has 2 touch screens - top and bottom - thus divided due to the fold in the center which allows thE-Book to be folded into a compact size. The screens provides a menu for the user with shortcut “buttons” that can be set up by the user depending on how he or she decides to use thE-Book.
For instance the shortcut buttons/options displayed on screen can be the following:

Newspaper (when selected it guides readers to select which newspaper content they wish to read - such as NY Times etc. Users can also subscribe to a particular newspaper so that contents are downloaded automatically off the internet at a specific time each day)

Book Engine (leads users to chose which book they wish to download off the internet; there is an option of saving their credit card information so that book content installation is quick, easy and instant; Users can protect their personal information from being misused if thE-Book is lost or stolen by setting an entrance password; in case thE-Book is reseted all personal information is deleted)

Audio Book Browser (users can download audio files as thE-Book has an option that allows users to plug in their headphones and enjoy the experience of hearing their news/novels/etc. This is specifically useful for the visually impaired - for this reason thE-Book has additional software that provides an option of responding to voice - thus the visually impaired user is able to obtain and hear content simply by requesting it through speech. This particular software for thE-Book is sold separately)

Games (users can download crossword puzzles and some simple games such as tetris, solitaire etc. They can use enclosed thE-Pen to interact with the main central screen)

Kids Corner - optional for parents (provides content for children - including children’s books, animation/cartoons, games, “coloring book”, interactive educational content, etc)

Other (user can choose any additional shortcuts on their main menu such as for example dictionary/thesaurus/translator which - if activated - can be opened in the NOTES section at the same time the central page is activated with content - this is ideal for those studying foreign languages on thE-Book. If not purposely activated by the user, NOTES section displays a map for newspaper/book thus allowing the user to easily skip from chapter to chapter, or from page to page of their choice)

After choosing the category or application - the user starts to see central page activating with the content that has been selected from the Main Menu on the left cover.

Settings for thE-Book can be accessed and modified on the touch screen located between thE-Pen slot and NOTES screen on the right-side cover. thE-Book can be as simple or as complex as its user chooses to make it.

Last but not least, thE-Book comes with an attractive protective enclosure bag available in various colors that user can choose from.

Meet PAIGE - The Next Generation e-Reader.

It’s a book it! … It’s a tablet!

SENSUAL
PAIGE would be as open to marking as a paper book.
– 6.25" x 9.25" D-size (pretty standard for hardcovers)
– touch screen panel to use with a pen or a stylus
– touch screen panel also functions as keyboard, navigation, etc.
– rotate PAIGE for easy typing
– write in margins / highlight text with finger or stylus
– tag your notes
– tablet could offer other computer / PDA functions
– a special e-book jacket - the physical embodiment of each book - could wrap around PAIGE to give it more of a book feel. these jackets would be optional.

READING RITUALS
PAIGE would display books as PDFs. The infrastructure to do this already exists because most manufactured books are printed from a PDF.
– could be encrypted to protect copyright
– maintain unique design of individual books and usage of typography
– avoid loose lines, widows, incorrect word hyphenation, and orphans that make e-reading a little sloppy
– the e-book on a PAIGE would match the real book - easy reference and consistent bibliographies
– an adjustable, non-formatted style could be included to allow for text size changes for people with poor eyesight

SOCIAL
Ever wonder how your friends or classmates draw or write in books? Or what they would recommend?
– share and read notes, tags, as highlights from others as they appear in the text
– view and hide notes through your buddy list
– view other’s digitally shared library to see what they are reading or recommend

ECOSYSTEM
– e-books could be bought online or in a book store. e-books could come free with a hardcover purchase and be unlocked with a special one-time-use barcode.
– e-books could also be purchased as only the e-book jacket (with the barcode) that would wrap securely around PAIGE so that you could display what you are currently reading. People could continue to collect and display covers but store them in a flat file.
– a PAIGE library would probably look more like a display wall showing a collection of covers rather than shelves of books.

My design compose of 2 components, The Cover and The Reader.
The Cover stores the content of the book. You can download stories from the iRead website (similar to the iTune store)
We sell different covers for different kinds of books and reading in different environments. For example, if you are going to the beach, the cover would be waterproof and sand proof and light weight for easy transport. If you like to read at the comfort of your home, the cover might be more fitting to your living room. We would use leather or wood as the exterior and because it is at home, it is fine to be a little heavier but more classy. And so on…
The Reader fits inside The Cover, it basically reads the content from the The Cover and displays the content. You can flip through pages by the corner button. Bookmark pages, add notes, etc.

Because The Cover only stores the stories, you could lend your book to friends without losing the Reader, which is the expensive component. And ideally you would have 10-20 of these Covers and you switch from cover to cover with just one Reader.

With my concept, I sought to reconcile the opposing benefits of tangible and digital books.

The Gutenberg Local/Global Bookmaker combines the connectivity of the digital realm with the tangible, timeless activity of preparing knowledge for storage and acquisition. By involving the user in the bookmaking process, it promotes appreciation for information and knowledge that the digital has led us to take for granted.

I’m convinced that no matter how advanced technologically, no device can properly mimic the analog reading experience. An entirely digital solution eliminates the universal adaptability of books, is more harmful to the environment, and more prone to censorship. Nevertheless, the internet and the benefits of digital access are engrained in society and present an unprecedented opportunity to disseminate truth, knowledge, and wisdom to humanity.

Digital format adaptability to user needs is preserved, but the user can create a tangible library with materials available in their immediate community. The online ecosystem will be a combination of open-source classic works (an extension of Project Gutenberg - see http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page), contemporary professional publications, and non-profit self-publishing endeavors. Book files are either free or downloadable at a one-time fee for permanent use.

Gutenberg would have high volume printing and thermal perfect binding components. The parts and ink system would be open sourced to the world for long-term sustainability and desired customization.


Hello everyone,
My product is not so much turned toward reading but writing. It is quite obvious from the research that people need interaction with their reading. This is why it is important to have a digital tool for writing because any reading origines is writing.

The writing starts with scanning a piece a text which then can be commented on through the use of tablet. Since you can scan both normal book or screen, this new tool is designed to breach the gap between digital and non-digital reading.

This product also tries to follow the boom of digital camera: everybody records their visual life. Here is a tool to record your reading life.

The size 110mm70mm15mm makes it pocketable to carry everywhere and can be considered both as a private tool. A professional use would require a larger size. On the top cover a smooth shape is integrated to enclose the pen.

thanks for reading !! I hope you enjoyed this digital text.
Paul


Classic Reader
This idea is a portable book that has the look, feel and smell of an old fashioned leather bound book.

Features:

Size Matters-The page opens up to the width that you prefer to read based on what you like and what your surroundings are. The graphics will all scale up or down based on how open the book is.

Interface-The Book has a color preview screen and external speaker. When you open the book up to read there is a slide bar on the right handle to let you zoom in/out.

Data Exchange- This would have built in Wi Fi to download content on the go.
Feels Good- - The edges of the book are bound in leather and wear with time. The outer binding would come personalized with classic gold lettering and name personalization. (Janes Addiction is reading…)

Page Technology-The page would consist of a eink type of paper that can become transparent when you need it to be. Like when you are on the train and some oddball is staring at your junk.
Turn Da Page- When you need to turn the page it would be cool to tie in some sort of page turning physical motion. If you bring the sides together a few inches the page turns. Or you could have a use a tilting sensor inside to detect a motion to the left or right to turn the page / Scroll/ Zoom.

Enjoy

Joe MacCarthy

The perfect reading experience.

Thanks!
Johnny Shi

Scribbled out by hand as my computer was having major surgery until yesterday…

E-books are interesting devices and they offer new features on the way of reading.
But, like many other people, I will always like to interact with paper documents in
certain moments or situations. They also have valuable advantages compared to electronic
devices.

This is my contribution to a future of NOT JUST electronic reading devices:

DON´T RECYCLE IT, REPRINT IT FIRST!

Everyday people at home or at the office throw away huge amounts of paper that is still in good conditions, but the information it contains is not valuable anymore.
Most of this paper would be recycled, but… wouldn´t it be even better if we could reuse it meanwhile it is in good shape to reprint new information?

This printer uses a special ink that can be degradated by its exposure to an ultraviolet light.
The ink can be used with any kind of paper.
Before printing, or reprinting, a sheet of paper, it is “scaned” by the ultraviolet light incorporated, erasing the old information.
Then, the clean paper can be printed again.

I hope you like this new approach,

Ernesto García.
reprint.jpg

Submission by Clint Beharry, Katie Koch, & Colleen Miller (SVA MFA in Interaction Design, Class of 2011)

The “Reading”
We are not proposing a specific device, but a comprehensive ecosystem that creates a social network of shared reading. An open market will allow healthy growth and competition across hardware devices and accessories, and a diverse offering of sensual, modal and ritual experiences for a wide range of readers.

Including the sensual

  • Multiple delivery devices, many manufacturers, no particular “holy grail”
  • Full hardware market with accessories, personally customizable, each with their own kinesthetic input
  • Traditional book with electronic component - Wirelessly transmits previews, reviews, and a “purchase digital copy” option!
  • Kindle / E-readers
  • Future tablet devices with flexible, dynamically haptic, OLED-type pages
  • Accordion foldout, huge board for kids
  • TV for group-reading
  • Digital visual representations of heavy usage wear-and-tear with acidic paper aging and worn edges

Supporting the social side of reading

  • Our system creation: Amazon meets Facebook meets a Lending Library
  • Inline Notes throughout the reading in page margins created by self, friends, strangers, critics (by choice, pull-notification)
  • Reviews by self, friends, strangers, critics
  • Lend your copy to others (lose access to your book while it’s lent out)
  • Send preview or portions to interested parties
  • See friends’, strangers’, critics’ readings on their profile pages with reviews, notes, and timelines.

Considering the varied modes and rituals of reading

  • Different reading devices accessing a central system allows for reader’s needs and situation
  • Diary capabilities, GPS location tags for where material was read
  • Timelines showing crucial events throughout the book, and also an overall timeline of reader’s history of read books
  • Sound and ambient video recording in some hardware devices, allowing users to remember real-word situations and locations while reading books

Developing an ecosystem
System stays open with bookstore AND online presence for sales. Purchasing can still be a physical event, with stores and retail experiences.

  • In a retail store: books have a microchip that allows previewing/purchasing with or without physical book via your device or a central checkout connected to your account
  • Your purchase/borrow/swap is automatically added to the “online social shopping experience”
  • A web application stores your profile and timeline
  • Ability to share and connect with friends, family, colleagues
  • Read & write reviews, notes, see suggested recommendations, preview readings, and purchase stories
  • Document reading and experiences with timelines
  • Access and reference related video, audio and other media

Submission by Beatriz Vizcaino, Derek Chan, & Russell Maschmeyer (SVA MFA in Interaction Design, Class of 2011)

The Sensual Experience

One of the primary objectives we wished to address with our device was to maintain the material characteristics of paper books. Flexibility and durability are important facets of paper books that we wished to replicate, and although not all characteristics can be completely translated digitally, we sought to focus our efforts on the ones we deemed to create the most experiential and emotional attachment.

Our device is made of a flexible paper-like silicone. At it’s largest, it measures 11 x 17 inches, but the ability for it to be folded means it can shrink to the size of a typical paperback novel. The decision to leverage flexibility in this case was to humanize digital hardware, in the sense that this device should not be perceived as precious, and is completely at the mercy of its owner and however they wish to use it.

The device reads newspaper content perfectly at its full size but can be turned 90° clockwise to create a book-like experience similar to that of an average non-fiction reference book. The device can be folded to emulate the experience of reading a novel-sized book. At any point during the reading experience, users may unfold or fold the device to the size they are comfortable with in the context of their environment.

Like with paper books, the material used for the device is also highly durable, and can even show signs of wear and tear over time if not kept in optimal conditions. This however will not hinder the operation of the device and becomes a personal characteristic that is shared between owner and device.

The next key characteristic of reading paper books we wished to address is the act of turning pages. Because our device does not include actual paper pages, content is digitized on the device’s panels. Page turning is accomplished through a gestural interaction similar to that of turning physical pages. A swipe of the reader’s finger(s) over the top or bottom edge of the reading panes will cause the pages to turn. The act of page turning is further reinforced graphically as it occurs. Readers may turn pages in either direction and in any variation of speed.

The computer on the device can also make use of a reference/dictionary component that helps readers understand what they are reading on the fly if they choose to use it.

Reading and its Social Contexts

To many, reading is a social event and can be described as such through a variety of activities. One of the key advantages to storing reading content digitally is the ease of wide-spread content proliferation. However, like owning a book, a book owner can not and should not be able to just lend their book(s) to multiple people at the same time. We felt that rules needed to be established to maintain the book lending/borrowing paradigm. With our device, users may lend a book to their friends but in doing so, the content effectively leaves their device until the borrower returns their book to them by re-sending the content back to the original device. Using the device’s computer, however, the owner, may impart a set of parameters on the book they are lending. For example, they may set a time limit for which the book automatically returns to the owner when it expires. Another parameter would be whether the owner wishes to show their personal markings on the book or to hide them when the book is being borrowed.

Because of the flexible nature of the device, the experience of reading to children can also be enhanced by unfolding the device to larger sizes to show pictures or even to allow children to read with their parents in a size that is viewable by everyone. These are just some examples of the social considerations we’ve taken into account.

The Rituals of Reading

How we engaged this topic was thinking about how our device could hinder certain rituals of reading. We felt that our device did not negatively impact any particular ritual of reading.

For example, our device is adaptable to many environments and circumstances, such as reading on transit. Where stops are frequent, the device includes a bookmarking feature that can be enabled by the reader. A circling gesture of the page number engages this feature, and when the book is tucked away, the position of the book is saved for the next time they decide to pull out the device to read.

When reading before they go to sleep, the flexible nature of the device along with its ability to fold down to the size of a novel helps readers feel at comfort with their reading material.

The Reading Ecosystem

Institutions that carry physical books need to be re-evaluated in order to support our device. This, however, does not necessarily need to be a huge overhaul. For instance, libraries should continue to house physical paper books but also contain terminals where device-owning users can search for and download library materials to their device. Once downloaded, they may continue to check-out the book with their library card and proceed to take the books out. Once the due date has been reached, the books will automatically be removed from their devices, unless they chose to renew.

Another cross-industry component would be the inclusion of sound in the books that can be downloaded. The music industry has the opportunity to create music with their books that get downloaded with the reading material. While reading, users may choose to turn on the book’s music to help enhance their reading experience. This provides a huge market opportunity for the music industry that could transform how people read.


Submission by Stephanie Aaron, Kristin Grafe, Eric St. Onge (SVA MFA in Interaction Design, Class of 2011)

The PaperBack

We envision one future of digital reading to take the form of a device we’re calling the PaperBack.

The PaperBack is a dual sided, flexible, 11" x 17" touch screen display. Each side is built of 8 individual 5.5" x 4.25" panels seamlessly joined together to make easily foldable sizes along the panels’ edges. The device would have a thin layer of foldable electronics between each display to give the device some mass and weight so it doesn’t feel like you’re reading off of a flimsy piece of a paper. It should be comfortable wherever you take it to read.

To start, open the book and use the touchscreen to read a book from your library or buy one from the store. The PaperBack would connect wirelessly and download the books you share. You could also have the option of selling books you have finished to friends for store credit.

To read, unfold the device to the size you prefer. You could fold to its smallest size to read a trade paperback. Unfold once to view a novel at a more convenient size.

The left and right sides of the display would show a graphic indicating the number of pages remaining or completed. The graphic would resemble the depth of a book with many more pages to go.

Since the display is dual sided, the side you are not reading would show the book’s cover. Other people could see what book you’re reading and offer recommendations or ask questions.

To turn the page, you would flip the book over. The new side would show your new page, and the new back would update to show the cover. Flip the book in the other direction to turn the page in the opposite direction.

Even better, if you find someone who has their own PaperBack, you could press the open PaperBacks together to share the content temporarily between the devices.

To turn the device off, simply close the pages together and hold. The device would turn back on when you reopen it.

Advertisements, posters, and kiosks could also have built-in PaperBack connections, so you could press your PaperBack against your environment to explore something of interest that you see.

When you’re finished reading, you would be able to fully unfold the device and store it on your bookshelf to show the spines of books in your collection. You could touch the display to explore your library.

Submission by Richie Lau, Evinn Quinn, Michael Katayama (SVA MFA in Interaction Design, Class of 2011)

STAX “Bendable Book”

A STAX reader will allow you to navigate books and pages by bending the corner, in some degree mimicking the experience when one reads a regular book. It uses flexible OLED’s and touch screen technology.

Trying to keep the tactile experience of books while using the motion of gestures and page flipping. It uses a touch screen for interacting with information for example, highlighting, marking content and navigation.

It has additional pages so you can hold up to 3 books, which allows for cross-referencing and a portable storage drive.

You can interact with the library from the inside cover, and the back cover allows for social interactions by making it easy to collaborate, share and connect with other people. Features include page clippings, notes, shared book lists and common interests.

Its flexibility, portability and thinness allows you to read anywhere. The lighting of the book will change depending on your environment.

The Stax ecosystem allows you to create a community that connects writers and readers, through its online store.


Submission by Carmen Dukes, John Finley, Angela Huang (SVA MFA in Interaction Design, Class of 2011)

We are proposing a set of digital books that provide the tactile feedback and interaction of a physical book with gestures and functionality that augment the reading experience in a digital setting.

The Digital Book
Our digital book has multiple components to ensure a satisfying reading experience regardless of the reader’s goal.

Pages
Our digital books are composed of pages which maintain the kinetic reading experience. While the feel of the pages simulates a physical book, the pages includes varying levels of interactivity (described below) that enhances the reader’s connection with the content on a sensory level.

Stylus
All books contain a stylus, allowing a reader to create notes and interface with the book through menus and options. The stylus is customizable, allowing the reader to change the color of the writing very easily.

Search the readers digital library
A swipe of the front cover of the book, allows a reader to easily change the book’s title.

Menu Options
Every page gives users a variety of options to interact with their book. They can change the books internal appearance (page, text settings, etc), adjust stylus output, accessibility, share and save content.

The digital book can include a set of generic menu options that are always present no matter what type of book is being read as well as a specific set of options that may be related to book club interactions, learning, a reader’s social network, or other content specific interactions.

Include the sensual
Much of reading is all about the sensual experience. Our digital books provide an experience that mimics the physical, with pages, hard and soft covers, and an external representation of the book (book cover). Reader’s can display their different digital books proudly on their shelves, therefore maintaining their identity. We anticipate some types of books being utilized more than often (dictionary vs. cookbook vs. fiction book), so readers who prefer to display their books as objects/art/artifacts can have the option of owning multiple digital books instead of (or in addition to) one book that holds all of their library. (More information described in Modes)

Support the social side of reading
We realize that the act of reading happens before the book is opened and after the book is closed. Our book allows users to do many things with others who are engaged in the reading process

1. A centralized place
Our digital book is tied to a web service which ties together multiple users through a social network. From the website, users can find other book lovers, exchange ideas and comments on their readings, and manage the books they read.

2. Digital Book Clubs
With paper books, people can get together and share their thoughts around a work they all enjoy. We wanted to carry that through to the digital book we were developing as well. Users can join ‘digital book clubs’ where they join together in a more asynchronous fashion. At the end of each chapter, users can share and view discussions right in the book.

3. Book Tracking
When you finish a chapter in a given reading, the book updates the site with your status. through a central dashboard, you can view your progress in all of your books. When you add your friends to the site, you can compare progress as you discuss.

4. A Personal Notebook
When you write notes, record audio notes, and bookmark pages, your book knows. When you save these items in the book, they are backed up to the website. That way, your notes and purchases are preserved if your digital book is lost or stolen.

Consider the varied modes and rituals of reading
Readers are increasing their skill set and acquiring new knowledge, while others read for pleasure and entertainment. Our digital book contains a set of features to augment all of these tasks.

1. Note Taking
The reader can use their stylus to take notes in the margins of the book

2. Keyboard
The reader can also type notes into the book. With the tap of the stylus. The text would shift down or to one page and a virtual keyboard would appear allowing a user to type in notes and comments

3. Voice Recording
The reader can record audio notes on any page of the book and save and share.

4. Gestures
The reader can use their fingers to:
Highlight text
Delete notes
Bookmark Pages
Copy, save, and send text

5. Test comprehension
Text books could benefit greatly from a digital extension/version of the book. Our proposal includes the ability to incorporate interactive quizzes at the end of of chapters for users to take. The digital book would give feedback on the given answers by providing the correct answers and highlighting the areas in the book that correspond with the question and answer.

6. Adjustments to text
Based on the reading mode, through a menu, a user can change the font type, size, color, and weight. They can also adjust the appearance based on lighting conditions (ex. bedtime reading vs. outdoor reading).

7. Reading Aloud
Our digital book offers a text to speech option. A reader can choose to have the book read to them in a variety of voices (celebrity, author) or genres (scary, serious).

8. Bookmarking
While reading, the book maintains the readers position in real-time. In the case of interstitial reading - where reading often ends abruptly - when the reader closes the book,the pages that have been read are color coded indicating at-a-glance, read vs. non-read pages.


The Ecosystem of Reading
Recommendations
With a large enough user base, our system will be able to provide recommendations to users on many different levels. In paper books, the publisher will write information about the author and their related works. We want to take that one step further and bring outside books and readings right into the book. Beyond a biography of the author, we have expanded the role of the dust jacket and inside cover to include recommendations by your friends, other people in the network, and a searchable listing of other things written by that author.

Book Buying Process
Bookstores still exist in our ecosystem, a reader could browse a physical bookstore as they normally would. The purchase process, however would change. To buy a book, a reader could use their digital book to scan the physical book and instantly the book would download to their digital reader. Alternatively, if the reader did not have their digital book, the reader could take the physical book to the store counter and purchase the book by entering his user name/password/pin associated with the digital account. After a successful transaction, the book would download and the user would know that they have new content when the digital book glows.

Submission by Gene Lu, Chiawei Liu (SVA MFA in Interaction Design, Class of 2011)

Our product is an e-reader similar to the shape and size of the Kindle. The reading screen is located on the front of the device along with a complementary display unit on the back. Built into the top of the e-reader is an eye tracker. With our e-reader, we attempt to address the four principles in creating a rich, digital reading experience. Please note that the idea of an ecosystem is mentioned throughout the other three principles below.

SENSUAL
Type Resizing
Utilizing eye-tracking technology built into the e-reader, the device is able to detect how far the screen is held with respect to the reader’s eyes. When the screen is held closer to the face, the type gradually reduces in size. If held further away, the type size increases. This feature supports the interstitial mode of reading. With type resizing to maximize legibility, users will be able to read in stop-and-go situations, such as standing on a crowded train or sitting next to someone on a bus.

E-Reader & E-reader Skin
When loading a story onto the e-reader, the display unit on the backside of the device will display the content’s book cover. This feature creates a sense of identity for the reader by communicating to others what book they are reading.

As with most digital products, the e-reader comes with accessories, in this case, e-reader skins. There is a wide range of skins that simulates the texture of whatever your preference may be. Perhaps an old, wrinkly, book feel for that story on the Civil War you’ve been catching up on. Or how about a soft, sandy skin for the picture book about Egypt? These various skins help support the e-reader’s ecosystem. With a huge variety of skins to choose from, customers will form a bond with their products through customization and differentiation.

Turning Pages
Instead of tapping on a button to turn a page, your finger swipes the surface of the display. A visual representation of a page fold in the lower corner of the screen designates the area for the finger swipe. Unlike most systems that utilize swiping, this device has force feedback on the swipe. As you slide your finger from right to left to turn to the next page, a varying force would be fed back to your finger (refer to “Force of Gravity” vs Page Turn). This resistive force slowly increases until you go ¾ of the way through the swipe and then the resistance drops to zero. This simulates the same kinesthetic when turning the page of a book.

Vibrations
Our last sensual feature of the e-reader is the force feedback the device provides based on where your eyes are on the reading display. In order to create an engaging experience, especially for children, the e-reader would have varying levels of vibrations based on content, e.g. a book about lightning and thunder.

SOCIAL
Sharing Books
People can connect to other people’s e-readers by enabling their Bluetooth connectivity on their device. With this connection enabled, an e-reader can view other people’s shared libraries and download the books they are interested in. However, people (the Sharee) downloading content can only view the digital book once. When the digital book is closed and then reopened, the Sharee is unable to view the book again. The only option is for them to purchase the book from the online bookstore. This feature satisfies the need to share content at social events, such as book club meetings, without jeopardizing the profits of digital book publishers.

The idea of book sharing is incentivized by bookstores offering a small commission to the people that have books downloaded from their e-reader and then purchased at the online bookstore.

The online bookstore also offers customers their own personal online bookshelf where they can store their books and show others what they have been currently reading. A small commission by the bookstore also incentivizes this online sharing by readers.

Discussion
After finishing a book, the e-reader connects to social networking websites such as Twitter and Facebook and posts an update informing others of what you’ve just read. This opens up a few popular channels of communication for further discussion of books.

MODES
Moving
It is hard to read a book while we are moving (e.g. walking or standing on a bus). The e-reader uses “eye tracking” technology to let words on screen move in relation to eyes. This prevents motion sickness and allows for increased ease of reading especially when experiencing a bumpy commute to work.

In Bed
When people read in bed, they would use a soft skin for their e-reader so that they can rest their head on it in case they fall asleep.

Thanks everyone for checking out our submission!