Data Physicalisation is a unique field that combines data representation with physical form. It’s an innovative way to visualise and understand data, moving beyond traditional charts and graphs. Physical objects, ranging from simple shapes to complex structures, are used to represent data points, offering a tactile and immersive experience. This approach allows for a more intuitive understanding of data, as it engages multiple senses, including touch and sight.
The site offers a comprehensive list of data physicalisation examples, categorised by years, starting from before 1861 to the present. Each year features numerous instances of data physicalisation, showcasing a wide variety of applications. From Florence Nightingale’s polar area diagram in 1858 to modern 3D printed graphs, the range is vast and fascinating.
The examples also include interactive installations, such as the ‘Murmur Study’ which translates Twitter posts into printed receipts, and ‘Dear Data,’ a project where two women exchanged hand-drawn data postcards for a year. There are also instances of data physicalisation used in education, like ‘Data Toys,’ which are physical toys that represent data sets.
In summary, data physicalisation is a field that brings data to life, transforming it into tangible, interactive objects. This method offers a new, multisensory way to understand and interact with data, with applications ranging from art to education.
Go to source article: http://dataphys.org/list/