Beyond visual data

Can we ever see too much data?

Yes, actually. In certain situations, visual overload can paralyze decision-making. Adding one more screen, one more monitor, one more chart, table, ticker or graph becomes counterproductive.

Since 2022, WashU’s Sensory and Ambient Interfaces Lab (SAIL) has been exploring new, nonvisual ways to transmit real-time performance feedback within compromised environments.

“We define a compromised environment as any physical situation where a screen either doesn’t exist, is dangerous, or is distracting from the primary task at hand,” said lab founder Jonathan Hanahan, an associate professor in the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts.

In this video, Hanahan, who also directs WashU’s new Master of Design for Human-Computer Interaction and Emerging Technology, discusses SAIL, its pilot collaboration with WashU Rowing, and the broader potentials of haptic technology.

Can cues relating to the sense of touch — such as pulses and vibrations, typically delivered through a wearable device — be tailored to communicate complex information?

“A lot of my work is about asking questions around that intersection of physical and digital experiences,” Hanahan said. “As they become increasingly intertwined, what does that mean? How do they work together?

“What do we understand about the relationship between the two things?”