Physical weather displays show uncertain changes with mist and light
NephoCodex: Exploring Bounded Material Agency in Weather Data Physicalization
Human-Computer Interaction
Summary
Weather is always changing and uncertain, and trying to show this using physical materials can be tricky because the materials don’t always behave exactly as computers predict. The authors created NephoCodex, a system that uses mist, airflow, light, and transparent displays to physically represent different weather patterns and their uncertainties. Their system respects the natural variability of materials by allowing some randomness while still keeping things generally controlled. In testing, people felt more immersed and physically engaged when using NephoCodex, though it was unclear if this helped them understand the weather data better.
What this means in practice
- •For interactive exhibit designers: Create immersive weather exhibits that physically express uncertain weather states using controlled mist and light for richer visitor experiences.
- •For environmental data communicators: Use hybrid physical and digital displays to convey weather uncertainties in public spaces, enhancing embodied understanding without guaranteeing full data clarity.
Authors
Yuxuan Weng, Yunge Wen
Abstract
Weather is a complex, continuously changing system in which uncertainty is intrinsic. Physicalizing this uncertainty introduces further variation because computational outputs cannot fully determine material behavior. We distinguish computational uncertainty from material variability and introduce bounded material agency: computation constrains material realization without fixing its exact appearance. We present NephoCodex, a data physicalization system informed by a formative study that constructs five artistic weather states and predicts probability distributions over them. Probability-weighted mappings translate these distributions into material control proposals, while entropy-based regulation, local sensing, and safety constraints bound their execution through mist, airflow, light, and transparent displays. A within-participant study found increased spatial presence and physical demand, while perceived data comprehensibility remained inconclusive after correction. These findings contribute to hybrid data physicalization by showing how variable material expression can be paired with stable digital annotations and how embodied experience can be evaluated separately from data comprehension.