To Frame or Not to Frame: The Role and Design of Frameless Displays in Ubiquitous Applications

Abstract. A frameless display is a display with no perceptible boundaries; it appears to be embodied in the physical world. Frameless displays are created by projecting visual elements on a black background into a physical environ-ment. By considering visual arts and design theory together with our own ex-perience building about a dozen applications, we argue the importance of this technique in creating ubiquitous computer applications that are truly contextu-alized in the physical world. Nine different examples using frameless displays are described, providing the background for a systematization of frameless dis-plays pros and cons, together with a basic set of usage guidelines. The paper also discusses the differences and constraints on user interaction with visual elements in a frameless display.