I just wanted to share the "stuff" we designed with my working group at the CAIF workshop. Along with regine, chris, sara, fabien, peggy and kevin we did a pretty good job. The evaluation of the project was conducted through a sonometer that evaluated the noise level due to people knocking on the table, and we ranked #2 :) The goal of the workshop was to envision new artifacts that may have a role in the future EPFL learning center. Our group was focused on 3rd places (café. corridors, entrance... social space)

We worked on the concept of "vending machines" that my be turned into "venting machines". The point is to take advantage of and existing habit (the fact that people goes to vending machine) to offer new perspectives:

Recharge thanks to a "PULL MACHINE" to improve your brainpower: through food (coffee, nuts, guarana), music (mp3, ringtones) or "power naps" in a "specific sleeping facility"
Release your stress with a "PUSH MACHINE" that you can hit-shake-kick-punch-scream-tickle and also shout in it. After doing that, you get a pill (a placebo :) ). At the end of the day, the energy put in the machine is released in a huge fountain or water stream (like Geneva's jet d'eau).
Support social exchange with a "PULL-PUSH MACHINE" which is somehow an interactive noticeboard

The presentation of our project is here (ppt, 12Mb). Thanks Chris for the drawings!