MA 2008 / Presense / Final project
'Subtle, intimate communication for couples in long distance relationships.'
'Presense' was my group's final project during our MA studies at the London College of Communication. It lasted 6 weeks and unlike previous projects on the course we did not receive any brief. Instead students formed groups based on common interests in the field of interactive media. This process was initiated at a workshop during our course-trip to Berlin. After having completed the research module, I was interested to explore how people interact with novel interfaces different than with traditional computers. More and more computers are embedded in our environment and everyday objects we use, but how to design these new interactions?
- Human-computer interaction, product design, tangible user interfaces, physical computing,
user-centered design, communication -
Eventually I found two other classmates* who shared similar interests with me. Brainstorming sessions then helped us to focus on what would be realistically achievable with our limited time and budget.
"The aim of presense is to highlight the importance of non-verbal communication in couples separated by distance and the failure of existing digital communication devices to allow us to communicate playfully and intimately in this way."
The Concept
Couples in long-distance relationships often seek to share thoughts and feelings but are constrained by existing communication technologies. We addressed this issue by designing an interactive bracelet to communicate a feeling of presence. The concept is based on a touch-surface and a display that
allows its users to exchange subtle messages. To do so, users touch one or several of the marked areas on the top of their bracelet. Each of these four areas represents one colour, which is then displayed on their partner’s bracelet. Thus the display located on the bottom offers multiple colour combinations that allow for different interpretations. Upon discovering a colour combination on their display users can then decide to carry on the interaction by touching their bracelet.
Proof of concept
Due to time and budget constraints, we exhibited small prototype boxes at the degree show. These were equipped with Bluetooth modems, arduino boards, potentiometer sensors and LEDs.
The development process
We focused on an iterative design process throughout with constant feedback from research, interviews & tests being integrated into the design of the concept.
Feel free to contact me to receive our presentation posters with detailed information on the concept, technology, user interviews etc. > projectpresense.co.uk
> Daniel Braithwaite
> Frederik Delmotte