Return of the Man-Machine Interface: Fighting Disen-man-chisement with HCI

This paper presents the design and evaluation of “the man-machine interface” a punchable interface designed to explore and criticize the values inherent in modern systems that favour one type of user (linguistically and technically gifted) and alienate another (physically gifted). In the study, participants used the device to express their opinions and then engaged in a group discussion about the implications of strength-based interactions. We conclude by drawing parallels between our own work and that of evolutionary biologists whose recent findings indicate the shape of the human hand is likely to have been partly evolved for the purpose of punching.