Professor Judith Donath
readings
essays and sketches
In thinking about social visualizations, the face can be both
input and output. As input, the face is a source of social information - it
provides cues about personality, attention, emotions, and intentions
(or, at least, people interpret it this way - what information the
face reveals about inner state remains a controversial issue). As
output, the face can be a medium for indicating these qualities - or
any others one might choose to map onto it.
- Oscar Wilde's novel The Picture of Dorian
Gray, is based on the notion that as people age, their face
reflects the type of life they have lived. In this story, Dorian
Gray possesses a portrait that ages instead - Dorian remains ever
youthful, while the portrait, which he keeps hidden away, displays his
cruelty and excess. Sketch an interface for a system in which user's
history was etched in faces. Useful scenarios to ground your work
might be reputation systems such as ebay or conversation systems such
as slashdot. What information would you depict with this face? How
would it "age"?
- What is the difference between the "emotion view" of the face and
the "evolution view"? What are the implications of each standpoint
for the use of the face as input? As output?
This assignment is due Tuesday. Please submit your work online. If you have any problems with doing so, send email to Fernanda Viegas fviegas@media.mit.edu