The infiltration of computer technologies into everyday life has brought the problems of traditional interaction design to a head. As we begin to design products which adapt their behaviors, which infer what we are doing, and which try to assist us proactively, we need new ways of thinking about how to design these interactive products so that they are more helpful than they are annoying.

In this presentation, I outline implicit interactions as an emerging area of applied design research that investigates the design of implicit interactions, which occur without the behest or awareness of the user. Implicit interactions allow computers to be more proactive and less distracting through the use of the implicit signals inherent in physical interaction. I present a framework for implicit interactions, and a methodology for implicit interaction design; these are illustrated by projects which apply implicit interaction to the design of electronic whiteboards, automatic doors, and automotive navigation.