在過往，已有不少設計研究提出體現能動性方法，諸如泛靈論或角色隱喻等，於本創作中，我們試圖採用現象學方法，探究能動性頻譜中的低限可能：植物性。因此我們製作並部署了植物性印表機，它能夠緩慢回應於空間中的自然與電子氣候，並從參與者討論中延伸物件的地方性、互動中的植物性等抽象概念，這些實徵數據將更有助於我們實踐物件導向的推測哲學。
物件的能動性頻譜
The Spectrum of Artifact Agency
Figure 1
多數的“智慧物件”經常會被賦予種動物或類似人的能動性，而其所採用的方法不外乎是萬物有靈的譬喻或人工智慧，讓物件在互動過程中有動物或人的既視感。
Figure 2
許多與植物有關的互動設計，多將植物本體安置許多感測器與運動元件，進而允許植物本身能夠表現如同人的慾望、情緒、需求。The Slefie Plant 即為提高植物本身能動性的案例，讓其能夠自拍照片並上傳到社群平台。
Figure 3
此研究真實想探索的目標，是找出植物本身的能動性隱喻，並將物件提升到接近植物能動性的層次，使其在互動過程中，獲得近似與植物相處的覺知品質。
植物性印表機的互動體現
Interactive Plantness through Botanical Printer
Botanical Printer 主要接收兩種輸入來源，第一為自然氣候中 CO2 濃度，第二為電子氣候中 Wifi 訊號強度的高低，這兩種輸入來源將作為植物性印表機的養分。在外觀上其近似於生活中的花瓶，在頂端安置有一個進氣口來感測 CO2 濃度，在瓶身中央有五顆 LED 來表現兩種養分累積的情況。LED 下方有一縫隙，內藏熱感應列表機，並會印出對應於養分累積情況的不同內容。此設計物六個小時會改變一次燈號、並於一天中隨機印出兩張內容。
當 CO2 濃度長時間偏高，LED 燈亮的數量會逐漸上升，其列印的內容會變成使用者於社群媒體中曾經發過的照片或貼文。相反的，當物件所處環境 CO2 濃度長時間偏低，LED 燈亮的數量會逐漸下降，並列印偏向科普、甚至科幻體裁的文字敘述。此外，當物件長時間處於高強度 WIFI 訊號環境，燈號顏色將逐漸由綠轉黃，此時列印的濃度將逐漸變濃而模糊，相反如果物件長時間處於低強度 WIFI 訊號環境，燈號顏色將逐漸由綠轉白，此時列印的濃度將逐漸變淡而消失。使用者與此設計物一同生活必須不斷調整其所在位置，逐漸感受這兩種氣候對設計物的影響。
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In the past, a certain number of researchers have put forward the method of agency, such as applying the animism or characteristics of metaphor, etc. In this study, phenomenological approach on exploring the “plantness” is used to accompanied with lower agency in the spectrum of artifact agency. We built and deployed Botanical Printer, which lives with us slowly responding to the natural and electronic climates.We present rich results including conceptual, situated, and interactive plantness. Empirical data allow us to “do” philosophy further in terms of object-oriented speculation.
Many plant-related interaction designs equip sensors and actuators in the potted plants to allow these plants express their desires, emotions, and needs as human beings. Through raising the agency of a plant, for example, the Selfie Plant demonstrates its need for social interaction by uploading selfie photos as human.
We chose the invisible CO2 intensity in the natural climate and Wi-Fi signal strength in the electronic climate as two factors to represent plantness and implemented Botanical Printer with electronic materials and tools. The main nutrients of the artifact come from CO2 and Wi-Fi in the environment. Light changing and printing behavior are based on the accumulated changes of these two factors. The appearance of the artifact is similar to a vase with an air intake aperture on the top to detect the CO2 intensity. Embedded in the middle of the artifact, there are 5 LEDs that can display accumulation status of the two factors. Below the LEDs, there is a paper exit aperture that prints the corresponding contents determined by the two factors through an embedded thermal printer. The artifact updates a light change every six hours and prints one to two sheets randomly in a day.
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許元耀, 《植物性印表機 Botanical Printer》,
The research was accepted for the DIS 2018 Pictorials track
互動裝置, 2018
指導 梁容輝
共同論述 蔡文傑, 李婉貞