The lack of objects has had an icy effect on us. Human relationships, too, have become more transactional, sharply punctuated, thin and curt.

My eureka moment came when I realized that I could express information not as movement in water or pinwheel blades, but as subtly changing colors.

Mirrors influence our sense of self—and self-consciousness.

an I/O Bulb (I/O for input/output) that can project information on anything: paper, walls, tables, ceilings, and so on, creating what we refer to as digital “

What amplified abilities and superpowers do real people crave today? Noise-cancellation technology to drown out the din of the world so we can concentrate better. The ability to detect free Wi-Fi zones and their bandwidth. A mechanism to turn off the annoying TV at an airport or jam the cell phone signal of a yappy fellow traveler. In a cacophonous

Suppose, for example, that you had an enchanted wall in your kitchen that could display, through lines of colored light, the trends and patterns in your loved ones’ moods?

each of the main characters is linked to a unique melodic phrase, each played by a different, easily recognizable instrument. A clarinet signifies the cat, the wolf is a French horn, the bassoon announces the grandfather.

You won’t know when and if other people are accessing and referring to the same information that you are,

I want the computer-human interface to be an empowering and positive experience—to minimize the interruption, annoyance, and distraction of our so-called smartphones and glass-faced tablets.