An idea around using up ‘dead time’ on commuter trains through having a social carriage included on the train. Facilitated by Channel4 using online networks as a convening badge of some description in order to enable those who want to be active in their communities to help others who they are connected to via the geography of the train line, and in doing so to use up some of the tedious time on the train for the public good. A reputation management system could add to the legitimacy of those involved in the ‘connection’.
Something previously looked at on my own (Alice Casey’s) blog here
Perhaps the most ‘unchartered’ of all…this is a very cute and promising idea…
It excites me in terms of ‘new possibilities’ but admittedly sets me off thinking…eeek technologies!
The mobile element presents some challenges in terms of designing a service that works on all phones (or as many as possible). Are we thinking wireless enabled/bluetooth (within a limited space)/WAP/Text/G3…? So the technology needs some thought…
On the plus side – the mobile element also makes it future thinking and possible proof…
Most importantly, the core proposition of empowering commuters to use their down time more effectively is richly facinating. What would happen if commuters were enabled to be more ‘generous’ with their thoughts? Ho might they they stimulate different kinds of discussion and social interaction – when in lull mode…How might they change things…
Qu. Does it need framing? e.g. commuter polling? Or is it more like twitter – simple and flexible..? I just don’t know…
…but I’m still really interested…
David – do you have a vision of how this might work ‘for real’…?
-claire welsby-
Illumina Digital
You might be interested in Ideas in Transit wiki which gives details of 110+ user innovations coming to the transport sector based around low cost computing and communication tools. Some of these are very likely to affect how we travel and how we understand space in the future.
We blogged about the recent public sector hack day you organised with the Guardian.