Hertzian Space

A term coined by design academics Anthony Dunne and Fiona Raby, Hertzian Space refers to the hidden electromagnetic environment generated by the increasing number of wireless devices.

Hertzian space is a term used to describe a holistic view of the electronic device and its cultural interactions. Anthony Dunne and Fiona Raby described this "electro-climate," inhabited by humans and electronic machines, as the interface between electromagnetic waves and human experiences. In a sense, Hertzian space is a holistic view of the electronic device and its cultural interactions. It has been defined by Anthony Dunne as the architecture of the physical interactivity between a device and a person. Everything that requires electricity gives off an electro-magnetic field that extends infinitely into space. Visible light is part of Hertzian space, as well as radio, medical X-rays, television signals and UV tanning lamps. While we only see the discrete object, there is in fact an entire wave-field emanating from the object. Dunne and Raby believe that increased awareness of Hertzian space will assist our design practices. They think that we are only beginning to understand the effects and consequences of technological advances, and that "it is an environment that must be fully understood if it is to be made habitable". By thinking about technologies in terms of Hertzian Space, we gain a more holistic understanding of technology that goes beyond the merely visible technological object and encompasses the practices, economics, and ideologies that become encoded into technological artifacts.