My talk was a state-of-the-nation view of location technologies and their intersection with the web, including augmented reality and indoor proximity possibilities. It was interesting to visit some of the Iranian exhibits beforehand to observe a 17th century astrolabe, which must have been one of the earliest location-finding instruments (based on star navigation).
This is why museums are so important. One can absorb different cultural, artistic and scientific perspectives and enter into other streams of thought and design discourses beyond the immediate realms of one's own experiences, especially mobile. This kind of intersection is important in order to foster alternative design perspectives that can lead to radical innovation. As a former silicon chip designer, I'll never forget that one of the key breakthroughs in molecular beam epitaxy (i.e. defining circuits on silicon) came from an engineer whose passion was oil painting. The art of layering and scraping oils led him to new insights for silicon deposition.
Mike Ellis invited me to talk at the museum, himself an inspiring provocateur of new ideas in mobile. He is a museum computer geek, having led the Science Museum's online project. It is no surprise that someone who spends much of their time in contact with a vast wealth of exhibits will have a different take on life, including mobile life. How else would one coin new terms in their presentations, such as "Everyware?"
Mike set up a QR code project for us all to try during the event, using QR codes printed on our name badges and the One-Tag website. I won't explain it here, but rather send you to Mike's blog post about the event, which is well worth a read if you're at all curious about how to use QR codes at your next event.
What I will mention is how my three kids (ages 7, 10, 12) came home from the event and produced their own QR code treasure hunt around the home without any encouragement or intervention from myself. It is a proof point that many of these 'exotic' technologies really are child's play for Digital Natives.
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