Cool interaction with calm technologies: experimenting with ice as a multitouch surface

In this paper we describe our interactive ice-wall installation, which is a multi-touch surface built from ice. Our demo seeks to stretch the boundaries of current ubiquitous computing systems by trying out a new material, which embeds itself to the environment -- here, outdoors in a snowy winter. In addition to the function of the interactive installation, where we show that ice as a material can be used for such purposes, we seek to offer an inspirational aspect to the design of ubiquitous computing systems. We also present the feedback collected from 33 surveyed and 10 interviewed users who interacted with the system.