User:Lily and Park/sandbox

=Informative Art=



Informative art, which is also known as a kind of slow technology, is computer amplified works of art, aiming at boosting more concentration and reflection on surroundings for long periods of time. As a part of designed environment, informative art introduces information related with environment to people as well as offers visual aesthetics for enjoyment or performance. Informative art has been applied into the fabric of public spaces by means of the effects of information visualisation, novel information display strategies and art. This kind of art uses advanced new aesthetic IT-design and skills to vividly present information and achieve the agenda of mental rest, based on various mapping relations between information and the characteristics of artworks. Technical, methodological and theoretical researches on the design of informative art have promoted the development of this new art, contributing to practical applications of informative art in everyday activities. Informative art focuses on how traditional art can be amplified and applied into information displays systems. In the current, there are many pictures, posters, textiles etc. in public spaces. These designed artworks are not only simple objects but also part of the designed environment. The designed environment utilises the properties of informative art to reflect the information where they are located and present the distinction of the environment for people to distinguish various environments.

There are other exploring of the effects and applications of informative art, such as Spark and WaveWatch, which are examples of informative art display systems under the development of visualisation technology and skills .These information display systems use informative art to visualise activities or pictures to increase the engagement with more reflective environment. They also can be called as Ambient Information Systems because they dynamically reflect the information about surroundings, implying where informative art focuses. InfoGallery is also an example of informative art display in physical library spaces.

=Background= There are some reasons contributing to the rise of informative art, such as developed technology of information visualisation and ubiquitous computing. First, traditional information display system is limited to convey more information to public in real time. To acquire desired information to meet people’s needs of recognising dynamic environment, new approach of information display is created. One of the motivations of informative art is complementing a new layer of information to a current information context. Second, information is highly dependent on the environment and the moment. Informative art is a combination of art and environment in real time, facilitating more reflective information displays.

Information visualisation is referred as computer customised interactive graphic representations of information. Techniques of information visualisation are concerned about aesthetical values to some extent as it consists of the “art” part of informative art. Furthermore, information visualisation transforms numerical and nonnumerical data to interactive graphic information, exploring how layers of information can be complemented to an existing information composition. By means of computer-generated visualisation of information, informative art is concerned about fine design and arts of information display, interpreting new information to graphic patterns. In addition to the art value, information visualisation is beneficial to address complex relationships among statistics from digital perspectives.

Ubiquitous computing also accelerates the process of information technology as computer is accessible everywhere in the contemporary society, indicating another motivation of informative art.

=Amplified Artworks= Amplified artworks are based on traditional art objects with technological enhancement. It is mainly a kind of conceptual strengthening other than aesthetically strengthened expression. Amplified artworks in public present amplified reality as amplified artworks reflect and strength information about real life, indicating the characteristics of informative art.

=Example of practices=

Spark
Spark is a web application that visualises physical activities with the design of informative art. In the main screen of Spark, there are five forms of visualisation for users to choose. The five visualisations are Spiral, Rings, Bucket, Pollock and Column. The Spiral visualisation generates a circle which moves outwards in a spiral form from the middle of display areas. The Ring visualisation presents the moment of physical activity with the shape of rings. The Pollock visualisation is a continuous white line as a circle emerges every five minutes in the place of the line with a shape of paint spot.

WaveWatch
WaveWatch is an ambient information system of web traffic with the focus on aesthetics as well as information concentration. The WaveWatch system utilises high-quality computer graphics and applies wave metaphor to visualise web activities as diverse levels of wave activities. Abstract wave scenes represent peripheral information with aesthetically pleasing performance. WaveWatch display explores screen-bases visualisations to dynamically reflect the complex activities concerning the height and frequency of ocean waves. Low web traffic means calming waves, while increasing web traffic implies risky ocean waves. This wave model can be used to estimate wave extremes in real time by advanced graphical tools. The reliable estimation of ocean waves is the result of informative art as it methodologically conveys and collaborates information.

WebAware
WebAware refers as information system related with web site activity in public places. It is an application of spatial information on a basis of dynamic visualisation. The information of web site activity is useful and entertaining to certain people, such as web administrators, designers and anyone interested. Issues like the quantity of web site visitors and the most popular page in the web site are focused information about WebAware. It not only meets public interest concerning web sites but also dynamically reflects spatial information. WebAware system display the company's web site in an open office space in a map, enable all staff in the office to access to

ChatterBox
The installation of ChatterBox using computer projector in workplace generates more interactive and reflective environment for dynamically expressing and transforming information. ChatterBox can analyse the contents and maintain the information in a database, which can generate new information according to existing materials and relations of various information, when receiving e-mails. ChatterBox creates an enhanced information display with entertaining value. It is a practical application of informative art in everyday life.

InfoGallery
InfoGallery is a web-based infrastructure in physical library space, aesthetically expressing information mainly with informative art display. There is a server architecture, an editor application and diverse display clients in InfoGallery. For instance, RSS(really simple syndication) information can be exhibited in the style of informative art through InfoGallery.

=Evaluation= When evaluating information display, the prime criteria should be issues concerning readability and efficiency of information enhancements. When evaluating the art value, evaluations of informative art are complicated as it combines reflection with critical analyses. For example, ChatterBox is interesting from the perspective of art value and is limited in the usefulness and efficiency of information display. Informative art is designed for efficient information concentration as well as entertainments.