Abstract
Complex spatial forms like topography can be challenging to understand, much less intentionally shape, given the heavy cognitive load of visualizing and manipulating 3D form. Spatiotemporal processes like the flow of water over a landscape are even more challenging to understand and intentionally direct as they are dependent upon their context and require the simulation of forces like gravity and momentum. This cognitive work can be offloaded onto computers through 3D geospatial modeling, analysis, and simulation. Interacting with computers, however, can also be challenging, often requiring training and highly abstract thinking. Tangible computing – an emerging paradigm of human-computer interaction in which data is physically manifested so that users can feel it and directly manipulate it – aims to offload this added cognitive work onto the body. We have designed Tangible Landscape, a tangible interface powered by an open source geographic information system (GRASS GIS), so that users can naturally shape topography and interact with simulated processes with their hands in order to make observations, generate and test hypotheses, and make inferences about scientific phenomena in a rapid, iterative process. Conceptually Tangible Landscape couples a malleable physical model with a digital model of a landscape through a continuous cycle of 3D scanning, geospatial modeling, and projection. We ran a flow modeling experiment to test whether tangible interfaces like this can effectively enhance spatial performance by offloading cognitive processes onto computers and our bodies. We used hydrological simulations and statistics to quantitatively assess spatial performance. We found that Tangible Landscape enhanced 3D spatial performance and helped users understand water flow.
Highlights
Understanding physical processesPhysical processes like the flow and dispersion of water are challenging to understand because they unfold in time and space, are controlled by their context, and are driven by forces like gravity and momentum
The models sculpted with Tangible Landscape more accurately replicated the flow of water over the study landscape
The digitally sculpted models tended to have more diffuse water flow and more water pooling in depressions, whereas the tangibly sculpted models tended to have more concentrated flow in stream channels and less pooling in depressions
Summary
Physical processes like the flow and dispersion of water are challenging to understand because they unfold in time and space, are controlled by their context, and are driven by forces like gravity and momentum. The flow of water across a landscape is controlled by the morphological shape and gradient of the topography. It is challenging to understand how water will flow across a landscape because one must understand how the shape and gradient of the terrain control the flow and dispersion of water locally, and how water will flow between shapes and gradients – how the morphology is topologically connected. Understanding a physical process requires thinking at and across multiple spatial scales simultaneously. This cognitive work can be offloaded onto computers through 3D geospatial modeling, analysis, and simulation. Interacting with computers, can be challenging, requiring training and highly abstract thinking that adds a new cognitive burden
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