Enlight Augmented E-Reader for Physical Books by Sam Wander, Leroy Tellez and Lucy Knops for Smart Object at SVA with Carla Diana
How might we find a balance between the benefits of eBooks and the experience of reading printed books?
People love the tactility of printed books but have grown to love the features of eReaders.
Enlight is a smart object that changes the way paper books are read. It is an augmented reading system developed by designers Leroy Tellez, Sam Wander and Lucy Knops.
In the last few years, eBook sales have slowed, but hardcover sales have risen [Source: Forbes]. Paper books aren’t disappearing any time soon. As James Surowiecki of the New Yorker predicts, “co-existence is more likely than conquest”. In a world where eBooks and printed media continue to co-exist we might miss some of the features eBook technology has made familiar. With the insight that people love the tactility of printed books but have gown to love the features of eReaders, Tellez, Wander and Knops asked themselves how they might find a balance between the benefits of eBooks and the beloved experience of reading paper books.
The team set out to address this challenge with three goals: to extend the life of printed books, to enrich the reading experience, and to enhance research capabilities. Their solution is Enlight, a smart desk lamp that enhances the reading experience for researchers, students and book lovers. It brings features previously limited to eBooks to all books, however old they may be. These features include: definitions, highlights that spark contextual encyclopedia definitions and other data, image scanning, and social highlights from other users. Enlight uses projection mapping to display its interface across the pages of the book. Book titles are highlights are stored to the cloud and organized within the Enlight app. Currently, Enlight exists in the form of a desk lamp and is geared towards the academic research reader. The team sees Enlight developing into more mobile forms in the future, such as a transportable bulb that can be screwed into any common light fixture.