Digital objectality. Exploring computational materials through design practice

Abstract

This Master's thesis investigates what creative possibilities emerge when we treat digital devices as material objects instead of invisible windows to content. Through experimental prototypes, the project explores how computational processes and device sensors can function as design materials for creating embodied reading experiences. The experiments function as material swatches – like paper samples in print design – deliberately engaging with device materiality: orientation sensors become spatial materials responding to rotation; cameras transform into gestural interfaces requiring physical performance; microphones create vocal reading experiences; network connectivity generates social dependencies across multiple devices; and haptic feedback adds tactile dimensions to digital typography. Rather than pursuing frictionless experiences, this material-conscious approach reveals how smartphones – devices most of us carry and interact with daily – contain rich vocabularies for creating encounters that acknowledge our devices as physical objects with their own creative possibilities. The research demonstrates specific methods for designing with digital materiality, showing how we might relate differently to our everyday digital objects.