I presented a short talk at the Ubicomp 2005 workshop on situated computing today. Here's the abstract:
The assumption that the goal of ubicomp is to make technology disappear stems from a Modernist ideal of purely utilitarian design that creates social invisibility. In fact, everyday design is anything from invisible, as can be seen in how furniture and cars are designed and from the hotrod and casemod cultures that modify everyday technological objects. Ubicomp design can learn to understand the design of situated technology from industrial design and from the study of technology modification cultures.
The original position paper is here. And here are the slides (220K PDF).
