research-article

Plastic: a metaphor for integrated technologies

Authors:

Tye Rattenbury,

Dawn Nafus, and

Ken AndersonAuthors Info & Claims

UbiComp '08: Proceedings of the 10th international conference on Ubiquitous computing

September 2008

Pages 232 - 241

https://doi.org/10.1145/1409635.1409667

Published: 21 September 2008 Publication History

Abstract

Ubiquitous computing research has recently focused on 'busyness' in American households. While these projects have generated important insights into coordination and communication, we think they overlook the more spontaneous and opportunistic activities that surround and support the scheduled ones. Using data from our mixed-methods study of notebook and ultra-mobile PC use, we argue for a different perspective based on a metaphor of 'plastic'. 'Plastic' captures the way technologies, specifically computers, have integrated into the heterogeneous rhythms of daily life. Plastic technologies harmonize with and support daily life by filling opportunistic gaps, shrinking and expanding until interrupted, not demanding conscious coordination, supporting multitasking, and by deferring to external contingencies.

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Cited By

Zheng JGao G(2024)Fragmented Moments, Balanced Choices: How Do People Make Use of Their Waiting Time?Proceedings of the CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems10.1145/3613904.3642608(1-14)Online publication date: 11-May-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3613904.3642608
Pooley AMay AMitchell V(2023)Furthering the Development of Virtual Agents and Communication Robot Devices through the Consideration of the Temporal HomeMultimodal Technologies and Interaction10.3390/mti71101047:11(104)Online publication date: 13-Nov-2023
https://doi.org/10.3390/mti7110104
Ciccone V(2023)Transparency, openness and privacy among software professionals: discourses and practices surrounding use of the digital calendarJournal of Computer-Mediated Communication10.1093/jcmc/zmad01528:4Online publication date: 29-Jun-2023
https://doi.org/10.1093/jcmc/zmad015
Show More Cited By

Index Terms

Plastic: a metaphor for integrated technologies
1. Applied computing
  1. Computers in other domains
    1. Personal computers and PC applications
2. Social and professional topics
  1. Computing / technology policy

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cover image ACM Other conferences

UbiComp '08: Proceedings of the 10th international conference on Ubiquitous computing

September 2008

404 pages

ISBN:9781605581361

DOI:10.1145/1409635

General Chairs:
Hee Yong Youn
Sungkyunkwan University, Korea
,
We-Duke Cho
Ajou University, Korea
,
Program Chairs:
Joe McCarthy,
James Scott,
Woontack Woo

Copyright © 2008 ACM.

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Publication History

Published: 21 September 2008

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UbiComp08

UbiComp08: The 10th International Conference on Ubiquitous Computing

September 21 - 24, 2008

Seoul, Korea

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Overall Acceptance Rate 764 of 2,912 submissions, 26%

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Cited By

Zheng JGao G(2024)Fragmented Moments, Balanced Choices: How Do People Make Use of Their Waiting Time?Proceedings of the CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems10.1145/3613904.3642608(1-14)Online publication date: 11-May-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3613904.3642608
Pooley AMay AMitchell V(2023)Furthering the Development of Virtual Agents and Communication Robot Devices through the Consideration of the Temporal HomeMultimodal Technologies and Interaction10.3390/mti71101047:11(104)Online publication date: 13-Nov-2023
https://doi.org/10.3390/mti7110104
Ciccone V(2023)Transparency, openness and privacy among software professionals: discourses and practices surrounding use of the digital calendarJournal of Computer-Mediated Communication10.1093/jcmc/zmad01528:4Online publication date: 29-Jun-2023
https://doi.org/10.1093/jcmc/zmad015
Qin XClemmensen TXin H(2023)How Motivation, Nomophobic Design and Environmental Demands Predict Students’ Media Multitasking when Participating in Online Courses During COVID-19: An Empirical Study with a HCI Time and Temporality LensInteracting with Computers10.1093/iwc/iwad00235:5(707-724)Online publication date: 28-Feb-2023
https://doi.org/10.1093/iwc/iwad002
Ciobanu PJuhlin O(2022)Me, the Hill and My Browser – Investigating the Role of Time in Posthuman InteractionNordic Human-Computer Interaction Conference10.1145/3546155.3546651(1-12)Online publication date: 8-Oct-2022
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3546155.3546651
Heitmayer M(2021)“It's Like Being Gone For A Second”Proceedings of the 23rd International Conference on Mobile Human-Computer Interaction10.1145/3447526.3472026(1-17)Online publication date: 27-Sep-2021
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3447526.3472026
Karaoğlu SSubaşı Ö(2021)Time and Aging: Designing for Time in RetirementExtended Abstracts of the 2021 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems10.1145/3411763.3451761(1-5)Online publication date: 8-May-2021
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Rahm-Skågeby JRahm L(2021)HCI and deep time: toward deep time design thinkingHuman–Computer Interaction10.1080/07370024.2021.190232837:1(15-28)Online publication date: 20-Apr-2021
https://doi.org/10.1080/07370024.2021.1902328
Yildiz MCoşkun ABernhaupt RMueller FVerweij DAndres JMcGrenere JCockburn AAvellino IGoguey ABjørn PZhao SSamson BKocielnik R(2020)Time Perceptions as a Material for Designing New Representations of TimeExtended Abstracts of the 2020 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems10.1145/3334480.3382950(1-7)Online publication date: 25-Apr-2020
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Ahmed NTasnim ZJones JBrewster SFitzpatrick GCox AKostakos V(2019)Digital Silence and Liberating StoriesExtended Abstracts of the 2019 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems10.1145/3290607.3310418(1-10)Online publication date: 2-May-2019
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