Theme issue of Personal and Ubiquitous Computing:
  Tangible interfaces in perspective

Co-edited by Lars Erik Holmquist, Albrecht Schmidt, and Brygg Ullmer
Physical interfaces to digital information have been the subject of much research in the last decade. Many novel approaches have been introduced during this time, such as graspable interfaces, tangible interfaces, and embodied interaction. By moving the interaction from the virtuality of the screen into the physicality of the real world the design space is extended which can allow new and richer forms of interaction. But as yet we are likely only at the start of understanding the implications of establishing a direct physical link between virtual information and human users. With this special issue, we put this area in perspective, while simultaneously presenting some of the most recent findings in the area.

Scheduled for paper and electronic publication (via the ACM Digital Library) in September 2004

Introduction
Tangible Interfaces in Perspective
Lars Erik Holmquist, Albrecht Schmidt and Brygg Ullmer

Papers

Perspective papers:

Tangible Products: Redressing the Balance Between Appearance and Action
Tom Djajadiningrat, Stephan Wensveen, Joep Frens and Kees Overbeeke

Supporting Configurability in a Tangible Computing Environment
Thomas Binder, Giorgio De Michelis, Michael Gervautz, Giulio Iacucci, Kresimir Matkovic, Thomas Psik and Ina Wagner

From Microworlds to Tangible Programming: Explorations in Physical Language Design
Tim McNerney

Framework & theory papers:

On Tangible User Interfaces, Humans and Spatiality
Ehud Sharlin, Benjamin Watson, Yoshifumi Kitamura, Fumio Kishino and Yuichi Itoh

A Taxonomy for and Analysis of Tangible Interfaces
Kenneth P. Fishkin

The TAC Paradigm: Specifying Tangible User Interfaces
Orit Shaer, Nancy Leland, Eduardo H. Calvillo-Gamez and Robert J.K. Jacob

Design sketches

Minimalism in Ubiquitous Interface Design
Christopher R. Wren and Carson J. Reynolds

3D Story Cube: An Interactive TUI for Storytelling with 3D Graphics and Audio
Zhiying Zhou, Pan Jiun Horng, Adrian David Cheok

eMoto -- Emotionally Engaging Interaction
Petra Fagerberg, Anna Ståhl and Kristina Höök

Tagaboo: a collaborative children's game based upon wearable RFID technology
Miriam Konkel, Vivian Leung, Brygg Ullmer, and Catherine Hu

ISH and the search for resonant tangible interaction
Caroline Hummels and Aadjan van der Helm