Prototype One of the Physical Away Message, or PAM, was our first attempt to capture "available" or "occupied" meaning in a simple, universal, and natural object.  It works like this: The user wears the PAM1 like a necklace when he/she is at ITP or anywhere else the system is adopted.  A slider, or tightener, is on the necklace which the user can move up and down to activate one of three states: available (green), neutral (no light), and occupied (red).  Besides changing between the three availability modes, the slider also tightens the necklace; loose when available, tight when occupied.  This way, a "closing up" feelings is achieved, or a loose, free feeling.

We wanted the necklace to be as small as possible, so we chose to encase the entire assembly in latex tubing with a battery handing at the end.  The necessary connection between the two halves of the necklace was made via brass bearings that touched when the slider came over them.  Red and green LEDs were used to signify "available" and "occupied," along with a more literally styled battery holder.  This prototype introduced to us the problem of solid connections; both in the battery compartment and ball switches.  The look and feel of this prototype also did not come out like we wanted, so we resolved ourselves to try again.