The magic of visual interaction design

Abstract

For centuries, magic has served as a means to control, inspire and entertain people with feats that seem beyond the capabilities of the mere mortal. Even today, when our knowledge of science and technology has jaded many to such acts of prestidigitation, the art continues to have the ability to generate wonder, although it's often directed solely to figuring out how a trick is done. In this realm of illusion production, both ancient and modem magicians have perfected means of making the ordinary look extraordinary. The degree of their success can often be measured by the level of disappointment among spectators who learn how seemingly otherworldly feats can be accomplished with a fake thumb tip and a lot of showmanship.