Electronic Furniture for the Curious Home: Assessing Ludic Designs  in the Field INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HUMAN–COMPUTER INTERACTION, 22(1), 123–156Copyright © 2007, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.

The term Ludic comes from Huizings’s (1950) homo ludens, or people as playful creatures. From this perspective characterised not just by thinking or achievements but by playfulness.Discussion is based on the paper about three electronic furniture prototype designs to encourage ludic engagement in the home.      

Paper discussed about 3 designs they conducted which are , Drift Table, Historical Table Cloth, and Key Table.

Drift Table is it shows slowly scrolling aerial photography controlled by the weight of the objects on its surface.

Historical Table Cloth which creates slowly growing ‘Halos’ around left on it

The Key Table measures the force with which people put things on it and titls a picture frame to indicate their mood.

The concept of ludic engagement covers a wide range of exploratory, self motivated activities. We play not to achieve a goal but rather because the process it self inheritently rewarding. This does not mean that play is unproductive; on the contrary play can be valuable in helping people to explore new relations, to reflect about activities and values and bring awareness new goals and perspectives.