A Human-Powered Public Display that Nudges Social Biking via Motion Gesturing
Binh Vinh Duc Nguyen, Andrew Vande Moere
TL;DR
The paper tackles fostering communal engagement around energy-generating biking in public spaces by replacing conventional pixel displays with a kinetic, air-purifying sculpture. It introduces WeWattTree, a human-powered installation where riders drive fans to generate wind that animates air-filtering leaves, with a motion-gesture grammar comprising Recruitment, Motivational, and Social gestures to steer attention, cadence, and collaboration. The approach couples physical experimentation with computational simulation for material exploration and kinesthetic design, and it discusses the trade-offs of communicating multiple functions through form. Results suggest the potential for social performances and environmental impact through coordinated pedalling, while acknowledging challenges in conveying multi-functionality, with planned in-the-wild studies to assess gesture effectiveness.
Abstract
The WeWatt bike serves as an energy station that enables passers-by to charge their mobile devices through physical activity. However, despite multiple people using it simultaneously, the bike is typically used individually. To address this limitation, we developed the WeWattTree, an installation utilising human-powered energy to filter environmental air. Through the orchestration of subtle motion gestures, our goal is to entice passers-by to participate and encourage them to socially interact, synchronising their pace. In this work-in-progress, we provide insights into the prototyping process, combining physical experimentation and computational simulation, and delve into the underlying concepts of our grammar of motion gestures. We highlight how a single design effectively merged multiple functionalities, how the role of material characteristics shaped the interaction design, and discuss the potential for social performances as captivating public displays.