Humanizing Networked Data
(ITP Internship – 2 credits & Microsoft Project Stipend)
**** available to SECOND YEAR ITPERS ONLY *****
Users relate to the objects in the world around them & to their devices as if they were people
– with personalities and social intelligence. This group is focused on designing & building
applications by humanizing data.
Short readings and conversations will provide an initial context for this topic. Students will get
design, technical and privacy feedback on their designs & prototypes as well as raspberry pi
units equipped with a server and API and cross platform UI framework.
MSR seeks to fund a selection of ITP student experiments and prototypes that explore
humanizing networked data. We are seeking project proposals for applications using this
technology in personal, civic, public, or semi-public spaces.
Challenge
• What new kinds of products and services can you imagine and build when data is
understood through dynamic emotion state.
• Domains: personal, private, public, municipal, semi-public
What Students Get
• Access to server/API that performs emotion state computation
• Samples of individual and group data streams translated into personality & emotion states
• Several raspberry pi units to get started (for v1) for local sensors/inputs and as a local server
• NYC Mayor’s office is re-launching their open data initiative Sept 2013 with feeds and
APIs; through partnerships there may be potential additional data sets available.
• Demo of an app that demonstrates one use case
• Critical and technical feedback on designs and prototypes
• 2 Credits at ITP and a project stipend
Goals
• Product design & applications developed using server/API
• Feedback & iteration on server/API for MSR
Details
The research group will meet once a week during the Fall semester to brainstorm/critique ideas,
present design and prototype progress and discuss assigned readings and activities. Microsoft
Research will provide a reading list based on-going research led by Kati London (FUSE Labs).
All selected individuals are required to attend all meetings and actively participate throughout
the project.
Final Deliverables
The final deliverables will be product designs & working prototypes that demonstrate new kinds
of interactive products and services when data is imbued with emotion state. Students will be
expected to actively participate in project meetings and respond to assigned readings. Final
products must be fully functional and presented with learnings and outcomes.
Timeframe
Call for Proposals August 23, 2013
Proposal deadline September 16, 2013
Project duration 3 months
Project kickoff week of September 23, 2013
Final presentations December 2013/January 2014
There will be weekly meetings
Proposal requirements (1-2 pages)
• Group and individual proposals are permitted. Project scope and output for group project
should reflect contribution levels of multiple contributors.
• Research proposal that outlines key questions and anchors exploration in a current
technology and/or system.
• Detailed description of the project being proposed and technologies being used.
• Portfolio and resume
• Recommendation from a current faculty member.
Email proposals to Kati London katil@microsoft.com with the subject line “Humanizing
Networked Data”
People
Guest: Kate Crawford, Principal Researcher, MSR New England, MIT Center for Civic Media
