Thinktank (images above), once again a project shown at the ITP winter show, is an investigation into the use of common objects and the their social use. Here particularily a disposable coffee cup and how it can be used to “log and reproduce tacit/hidden gestures that we make”.

Being a container, we found the form of the cup naturally lend itself to the idea of “collecting” things. It became important and interesting to merge the form with interface.

Also, a coffee cup is a tactile object commonly found in rooms where THINK TANK is interested in places where these fleeting or more appropriately variable thoughts occur – often subconsciously.

What we hope to accomplish by logging these tapping gestures, is an expressive representation of thoughts, more organic than written or typed notes. The aesthetic of this project makes use of that little annoying physical tap, that everyone does at some time or another, and captures that moment for playback to the user, and possibly to another cup over a small wireless network.

The device works as follows:

The tap on the outside of the cup, is logged and stored in sequence, and then recreated from the inside of the cup. If there is another similar cup in the vicinity the taps are exchanged between the cups and played back. Its like two people chatting up during a meeting break.

Not too sure why the name but the site documenting the work does state that the title is a work in progress.