The Prototype Archive 1 Sony Scale (2006)
09.07.10
Photos by Makoto Fujii
One of the AXIS magazine’s most popular feature is “The Prototype.” We have introduced many kinds of prototypes and concept models by companies and designers. We think that we can find designers’ concept and viewpoints for the future.
Here we pick us Sony’s prototype “Scale” for the 1st installment.
Sony Scale (2006)
Scale is a research prototype that explores the relationship between real objects and their virtual digital representations. The project started from considering how people communicate visually across a network. The name “Scale” suggests the dimension and the mass (as measured by a scale) of an object.
When an object is placed on the area to the right, equipped with a digital scale, the camera installed on the top takes a picture automatically and records data such as the size of the object, its weight, the date, the time, and the name of the photographer. The object data is classified according to criteria such as the size of the picture, its color, and brightness, which is then displayed on the screen to the left. The goal is to go beyond conventional 2D representation.
For example, massive objects are rendered as if they’re sinking into the screen. The objects rate of deceleration, the amount of bounce that fluctuates while sorting, and the tonality of high and low sounds are all effected by the object’s size and mass.
By coordinating these displays and movements to act in correspondence with the physical world, it is possible not only to become visually aware of and to compare to the various physical properties of an object, but to also “feel” them in a more natural way.
You can see the movie of Scale at the Sony’s homepage.
