Tangible Anchoring explores potential practices for news reporting and analysis afforded by the convergence of tabletop computing forms, broadcast media, and user-generated content via mobile, interactive television, and online technologies. Our system applies these technologies in a novel combination to support new forms of dialogue for broadcast television, with a focus on polling, and the techniques prototyped are also applicable for webcasts, meetings, and art installations. The system enables tabletop computing users (e.g. television anchors or moderators) to receive and mix for redistribution both quantitative and qualitative data, i.e. viewpoints, from participants in remote locations or face-to-face settings. Our design scenario for the television studio assumes multiple camera angles, two or more discussants, multiple displays, and issues-based polls using mobile phones. Our current prototype features viewer viewpoints presented on a tangible tabletop broadcast anchor desk. I...
Susan J. Robinson, Sam Mendenhall, Vedrana Novosel