Hybrid Stories

Storytelling, the art of creating and communicating narrative structures, makes up a large part of our culture and societal identity, whether we are aware of it or not. It shapes our minds, our social and emotional intelligence. This is especially the case for children which, in the world of “let’s pretend that” they live in, get to experience and simulate real-life challenges and prepare for their adult life in a safe but exciting way. However, stories are evolving, as is our society as well: digital devices and multimedia content are becoming more and more prevalent in our everyday lives. How are then new technologies impacting the way we tell stories? Are older, traditional media such as books dead? What forms of communication and experiences could we create by trying to intersect the two?

These questions led to an investigation of different types of ways in which storytelling can be enhanced and guided me towards the creation of Hybrid Stories, an interactive system trying to bridge the gap between all-analog and all-digital forms of storytelling and play.
Its elements, a series of children’s books and toy puppets embedded with electronic tags and actuators, are able to comunicate and activate each other, adding a new layer to the storytelling experience. Through the combination of contemporary digital technologies with social interactions, this project aims at promoting free play and at creating the possibility for new, collaborative forms of storytelling.