From a TUI standpoint, this is quite different from what we’ve seen in class. It’s the first TUI that is a more full-body experience, and the first TUI that doesn’t require the user’s hands. It is also the first public installation of a TUI that we’ve looked at. And yet, I’m quite certain that corresponds to TUI principals we’ve discussed. For example, the stairs require an innate knowledge of naive physics and your physical body (stepping = pressure = sound played) as well as a knowledge of your environment (how to interact with stairs, for example). It draws upon a social knowledge, as users can play songs together.

And, it really looks like fun. People are drawn to the interface and really want to use it, as opposed to riding the escalator. It’s actually pulled off quite successfully, overall.