Attention in the digital age

Stimuli are all around us, trying to catch and hold our attention. Especially at a time when our phones are constantly vying for that attention. For her graduation project in Interaction Design at HKU, former intern Zoë Horwitz (also known as Zoowie Bowie) delved into the influence of digital distractions on our daily lives. In our prototype lab, she developed an installation that invites stillness and reflection.

The installation Missed Moments invites you to put your phone away. Once you do, a surface of sand attracts your attention. A soothing, tactile canvas that offers a moment of silence in a world full of digital stimuli. But make no mistake: beneath that apparent simplicity lurks a clever, interactive layer.

Hidden under the sand is a screen that responds to your touch. As soon as you draw a line with your finger, an animated trail appears under it. At the same time, a projector projects questions in the sand, such as: ‘How often do you daydream?’ If you draw a specific shape, say a rounded rectangle, a scene opens up within that frame: the view from a train, with the text ‘This could be a missed moment.’ Each path drawn reveals a new observation, a new fragment, a moment of recognition. When you are done, you rake the sand smooth again with a wooden rake, a ritual reminiscent of a Zen garden.

In Missed Moments, digital technology and tangible materials come together. Unlike the fleeting distraction of phones, such an interactive exhibit can really bring you back to the here and now. Zoë inspired us tremendously during her process. We watched her idea grow, her technique refine, and her story become increasingly powerful. You can find more of her work on haar website.