We discuss the design, development, and testing of animated work environment (AWE), a novel, programmable, AWE supporting everyday human activities at work, at home, or at school in an increasingly digital society. A physical example of the emerging genre of "architectural robotics," AWE features a programmable, reconfigurable "wall," three horizontal, mobile work-surfaces, and embedded information technologies. AWE is the result of an iterative design process involving surveys, task analyses, virtual and physical prototyping, and usability testing accomplished by a transdisciplinary team of engineers, architects, sociologists, and human factors psychologists. Usability testing has demonstrated AWE's potential to enhance working life: AWE adapts to variations in complex activities involving users working in one physical place with physical and digital tools and artifacts.
['Henrique Houayek', 'Keith Evan Green', 'Leo Gugerty', 'Ian D. Walker', 'James C. Witte']
AWE: an animated work environment for working with physical and digital tools and artifacts