2011 Ljungblad, S., Nylander, S., Nørgaard, M. (2011) Beyond Speculative Ethics in HRI? Ethical Considerations and the Relation to Empirical Data In Proceedings of HRI‘11, March 7-9, 2011, Lausanne, Switzerland
Abstract: We discuss the difference between understanding robot ethics as something that is grounded in philosophical ideas about a potential future design, and understanding robot ethics as something that is grounded in empirical data. We argue, that understanding “robots” as a relatively homogenous group of designs for which we can formulate general ethics may lead to a foresight of future robot designs that includes ideas and concerns that are not feasible or realistic. Our aim is to exemplify a complementing perspective, by shedding light on two different robotic designs. We discuss their relation to specific use practices and user experiences, and provide some early ethical reflections and design concerns.
Grufberg, K. and Holmquist, L.E. (2011) Designer Experience through Magical Bits Presented at Workshop on Designer Experience: Exploring Ways to Design in Experience at CHI 2011, Vancouver, Canada
Abstract: This paper describes a method for designers to brainstorm around, and to experience, an end product before it is even conceptualized. Magical Bits are simple physical models representing the main property of the technology and the main function of the future end product. Knowing the end product’s main function, and using these models as if they were working products, can help to put the experience in focus. By stepping away from the computer, technical limitations and “single solution thinking”, the aim of this method is to let a designer develop through experiencing the users’ perceptions and emotions.
Gayoso Fernández, S. (2011) GDD as a communication medium. Design of the structure and communication MSc thesis, Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden
Abstract: Major gaming companies in Sweden are becoming reluctant to integrate the Game Design Document (GDD) into their new development methodologies. We suggest that this is due to the time it takes to address the GDD’s shortcomings, in a fast-paced gaming industry. We aim to solve some of these shortcomings ith the design of a new GDD medium. The first step is a structure specially designed to support the GDD and enhance the communication between different designers and developers involved in game development. In order to improve the structure of the GDD, we formulated a set of requirements based on a review of published criticisms, post-mortems reports, and recent technological developments. An iterative design process was conducted based on these requirements and resulted in a tailored design structure for the GDD. Finally, the validity of this design was tested with a user study. This thesis outlines the results of these studies.
Ferreira, P. and Höök, K. (2011) Bodily Orientations around Mobiles: Lessons learnt in Vanuatu In proceedings of CHI 2011: 29th ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, Vancouver, Canada, May 2011, ACM Press
Abstract: Since we started carrying mobiles phones, they have altered the ways in which we orient our bodies in the world. Many of those changes are invisible to us – they have become habits, deeply engrained in our society. To make us more aware of our bodily ways of living with mobiles and open the design space for novel ways of designing mobiles and their interactions, we decided to study one of the last groups of users on earth who had not been exposed to mobiles: the people of Vanuatu. As they had so recently started using mobiles, their use was still in flux: the fragility of the mobile was unusual to them as was the need to move in order to find coverage. They were still getting used to carrying their mobiles and keeping them safe. Their encounters with mobile use exposed the need to consider somaesthetics practices when designing mobiles as they profoundly affect our bodily ways of being in the world.
Cramer. H., Büttner, S. (2011) Things that Tweet, Check-In and are Befriended. Two Explorations on Robotics & Social Media In Proceedings of HRI‘11, March 7-9, 2011, Lausanne, Switzerland
Abstract: This late breaking report describes two explorations of effects of using social media in human-robot interaction. The first is an exploration of how 'autonomous creatures' can use information shared via social awareness streams by implementing a Nabaztag to use information from its 'friends' on location-sharing service foursquare. The second is an informal analysis of tweets sent to an existing robot-associated twitter account as a case. We show parallels to prior research and discuss questions that these simple explorations pose for the future of robots and social media.
Cramer, H., Rost, M., Bentley, F., and Shamma, D.A. (2011) 2nd Workshop on Research in the Large: App Stores, Wide distribution channels & Big Data in Research Ubicomp 2011 Extended Abstracts
Abstract: With the proliferation of app stores and the advancement of mobile devices, research that might have only been tested with a dozen participants in the past can now be released to millions. This offers huge opportunities, but also requires adaptations of existing methods in dealing with large deployments and making sense of large data sets. This workshop provides a forum for researchers to exchange experiences and strategies for wide distribution of applications as well as gathering and analyzing the largescale data sets the result from these deployments.
Cramer, H., Rost, M., and Holmquist, L.E. (2011) Services as Materials: Using Mashups for Research In Proceedings of the Workshop on Research in the Large 2 at UbiComp 2011
Abstract: Using existing services as development and research materials can greatly reduce development burdens. However, using mashups and existing services has consequences that go beyond the technical realm. We present our ongoing experience with developing and promoting a mobile mash-up implemented in the mobile web browser: Spotisquare. Spotisquare is a mash-up of the location-based service foursquare and music streaming service Spotify. We discuss advantages and tradeoffs of using existing services and the mobile mash-up process, including interaction model choices, as well as validity and representational issues.
Cramer, H., Rost, M., and Holmquist L. E. (2011) Performing a Check-in: Emerging Practices, Norms and ‘Conflicts’ in Location-Sharing Using Foursquare In proceedings of MobileHCI’11, Stockholm, Sweden
Abstract: Location-sharing services have a long history in research, but have only recently become available for consumers. Most popular commercial location-sharing services differ from previous research efforts in important ways: they use manual ‘check-ins’ to pair user location with semantically named venues rather than tracking; venues are visible to all users; location is shared with a potentially very large audience; and they employ incentives. By analysis of 20 indepth interviews with foursquare users and 47 survey responses, we gained insight into emerging social practices surrounding location-sharing. We see a shift from privacy issues and data deluge, to more performative considerations in sharing one’s location. We discuss performance aspects enabled by check-ins to public venues, and show emergent, but sometimes conflicting norms (not) to check-in.
Cramer, H., Rost, M., and Bentley, F. (2011) An introduction to Research in the Large Introduction Article to Special Issue on ‘Research in the Large’ of the International Journal of Mobile Human-Computer Interaction
Abstract: Distribution of mobile applications has been greatly simplified by mobile app stores and markets. Both lone developers and large research and development teams can now relatively easily reach wide audiences. In addition, people’s mobile phones can now run advanced applications and are equipped with sensors that used to be available only in custom research hardware. This provides researchers with a huge opportunity to gather research data from a large public. Evaluation and research methods have to be adapted to this new context. However, an overview of successful strategies and ways to overcome the methodological challenges inherent to wide deployment in a research context is not yet available. A workshop was organized on this topic and this special issue to help address these topics. This introduction provides an overview of strategies and opportunities in ‘research in the large’, while providing an introduction to challenges in ethics and validity as well
Cramer, H., Ahmet, Z., Rost, M., and Holmquist, L. E. (2011) Gamification and location-sharing: some emerging social conflicts Presented at Workshop on Gamification: Using Game Design Elements in Non-Gaming Contexts at CHI 2011, Vancouver, Canada
Abstract: Location-sharing services such as foursquare are a prominent example of commercial apps that use gamification to increase user engagement. These gamification elements however have to coexist with a plethora of usage motivations. We here present selected observations on emerging conflicts between gamification elements and other usage motivations for location-sharing. We argue gamification needs to take into account the social context in which services operate and that conflicts within this context can both be detrimental and add to playfulness.
Chalmers, M., McMillan, D., Morrison, A., Cramer, H., Rost, M., Mackay, W. (2011) Workshop on Ethics, Logs and Videotape: Ethics in Large Scale User Trials and User Generated Content CHI 2012 Extended Abstracts
Abstract: As new technologies are appropriated by researchers, the community must come to terms with the evolving ethical responsibilities we have towards participants. This workshop brings together researchers to discuss the ethical issues of running large-scale user trials, and to provide guidance for future research. Trials of the scale of 10s or 100s of thousands of participants offer great potential benefits in terms of attracting users from vastly different geographical and social contexts, but raise significant ethical challenges. The inability to ensure or confirm user understanding of the information needed to provide informed consent and the problems involved in making users understand the implications of information being collected all beg the question: how can researchers ethically take advantage of the opportunities these new technologies afford?
Büttner, S., Cai, T., Cramer, H., Rost, M. and Holmquist, L.E. (2011) Using Computer Vision Technologies to Make the Virtual Visible.. Mobile AR: Design Issues & Opportunities Workshop at MobileHCI’11
Abstract: Augmented reality (AR) applications typically overlay the camera view as a backdrop for information presentation, however, AR applications could also benefit from using the camera as a sensor to a greater extent. Beyond using visual data for markerless tracking, AR applications could recognize objects and provide users with information based on these objects. We present two applications that use the camera as a sensor: Pic-in and SubwayArt. The first allows users to check-in on location-sharing service foursquare by taking a picture of the venue they are at. The second provides users with information about artworks in the Stockholm subway system by combining localization and computer vision techniques.
Brown, B., S. Reeves and S. Sherwood. (2011) Into the wild: Challenges and opportunities for field trial methods.. In proceedings of CHI 2011: 29th ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, Vancouver, Canada, May 2011, ACM Press
Abstract: Field trials of experimental systems ‘in the wild’ have developed into a standard method within HCI - testing new systems with groups of users in relatively unconstrained settings outside of the laboratory. In this paper we discuss methodological challenges in running user trials. Using a ‘trial of trials’ we examined the practices of investigators and participants - documenting ‘demand characteristics’, where users adjust their behaviour to fit the expectations of those running the trial, the interdependence of how trials are run and the result they produce, and how trial results can be dependent on the insights of a subset of trial participants. We develop three strategies that researchers can use to leverage these challenges to run better trials.
Grufberg, K., and Holmquist, L.E. (2011) Magical Bits: Designing Through Experiencing the Future End Product. In proceedings of DESIRE 2011, Eindhoven, The Netherlands, October 2011 (Best Paper Award)
Abstract: This paper describes a method for designers to brainstorm around, and to experience, an end product before it is even conceptualized. Magical Bits are simple physical models representing the main property of a technology or a main function of a future end product. Knowing the end product’s main function, and using these models as if they were working products, can help to put the experience in focus. By stepping away from the computer, technical limitations and “single solution thinking”, the aim of this method is to let a designer develop through experiencing the users’ perceptions and emotions, which should have a central role in the beginning of a design process.
Halpern, M., Tholander, J., Evjen, M., Davis, S., Ehlrich, A., Schustak, K., Baumer, E., Gay, G. (2011) MoBoogie. Creative Expression Through Whole Body Musical Interaction CHI'11 May 7-11, Vancouver, BC. (nominated for best paper)
Abstract: allows users to manipulate and arrange music through movement. MoBoogie is designed to foster experiences in creative expression for children and potentially adults. The application responds to users’ movements by changing variables in a continuous stream of music loops. Results from this study suggest that the creative expressions arose in the joint space of movement and music, and did not primarily have to be in one form or the other. This allowed users with limited experience in dance and music making to be creative in such forms of expression.
Höök, K. (2011) Move that Body! Involving users emotionally, bodily and socially IASDR (International Association of Societies of Design Research) - 4th World Conference on Design Research, Delft, Holland, 2011
Abstract: Our actual corporeal bodies are key in how we live in the world, in creating for experiences. Our bodies are not instruments or objects through which we communicate information. Communication is embodied – it involves our whole bodies, our deeply human ways of being in the world. There are many different kinds of bodily experiences we can envision designing for. In design of interactive systems, this is still a largely untapped area. Bodily movements may, for example, give rise to emotional experiences, by moving you get moved, and emotional processes will affect your bodily movements. In this talk, I will show a range of systems we have built where we try to involve users bodily, emotionally and socially in sustained interaction loops through movement. Doing design research in this area may feel like a daunting task as the qualities we strive to capture are highly elusive, subjective, context- and application-specific, and relates to values such as aesthetics, fun, meaning-making or being emotionally close to others. To get at the felt experience, we have had to innovate novel evaluation methods, such as the Sensual Evaluation Instrument, and novel ways of articulating “bodily ways of knowing”. But the most important output from our research work is, in my view, the formulation of strong concepts that can inspire design practitioners. I propose a strong concept we have named Affective Loops to capture some of our design knowledge. In the talk, I aim to discuss how we have tried to validate that Affective Loops as a strong concept able to generate more than one application.
Lankoski, P., Waern, A., Thorhauge, A-M, Verhagen, H. (2011) Introduction to special issue: Experiencing games: Games, play and players Journal of gaming and virtual worlds 3(3)
Abstract: In August 2010, the first Nordic DiGRA conference was held in Stockholm. The theme of the conference was player experiences and player studies in digital games; a theme very much in line with the Scandinavian tradition of user-centred design. The need for a conference in the field of game research was obvious due to the sheer amount of academics in Scandinavia working in the field of digital games. The conference attracted participants from all over Scandinavia. DiGRA is an international association of scholars within the field of game research. The first international DiGRA conference was organized in 2003 and attracted a broad range of scholars from all over the world. In 2010, DiGRA introduced the regional conference Nordic DiGRA. Introducing a Nordic branch calls out for some reflection regarding the specific characteristics of Nordic game research. Did the conference programme indeed reflect a particular Nordic approach to game research and, if so, what kinds of subject matters or methodologies are characteristic of this approach? These are questions we ask, and try to answer, in this introduction.
Laaksolahti, J., Tholander, J., Lundén, M., Solsona Belenguer, J., Karlsson, A., Jaensson, T. (2011) The LEGA: A Device for Leaving and Finding Tactile Traces In Proceedings of ACM Tangible, Embedded, and Embodied Interaction 2011 (TEI'11), January 23-26, Funchal, Portugal
Abstract: This paper describes experiences from development and deployment of the Lega, a hand held device for physical sharing of experiences during an art exhibition. Touching and moving the device in different ways creates a tactile trace that can be experienced by others through their own device. The system was successfully deployed at an art exhibition for two months where user studies were performed. Here we present some general observations regarding the systems performance and discuss issues that we encountered.
Juhlin, Oskar (2011) Social Media on the Road: Mobile Technologies and Future Traffic Research IEEE Multimedia
Abstract: In the future, everyday life in traffic will be intricately meshed with city life. Today, motorways, city streets, toll roads, country roads, etc. are places where we spend a considerable amount of time, and where a large number of everyday encounters between people occur. Any road user’s journey coincides with several, sometimes hundreds or even thousands of other people’s journeys. But these encounters are brief and the interaction is slight. Mobile technologies and emergent social media provide us with new possibilities to support drivers and passengers beyond just helping them to reach their destination. We suggest that new technologies and applications could enhance social interaction in traffic and make life on the road more interesting and meaningful
Juhlin, O., Holm, M., Höök K., and Waern A. (2011) Mobile Life VINN Excellence Centre – A model for strategic innovation of next generation mobile services In proceedings of Enterprising Knowledge New forms of innovation partnerships – the business perspective 16-17 June 2011 British Embassy Berlin
Abstract: Mobile Life serves as a neutral arena for industry partners to meet, discuss, and identify core issues, and then collectively carry out practical and experimental research on these issues – in the domain projects as well as through the Centre's innovation system.
Juhlin, O., and Zhang, Y. (2011) Unpacking Social Interaction that Make us Adore – On the Aesthetics of Mobile Phones as Fashion Items In Proceedings of ACM Mobile HCI 2011, August 30th to September 2nd, Stockholm Sweden
Abstract: We report on a study of fashionable people‟s expressions of opinions on mobile phones in online fashion media, such as blogs and magazines. First, the study contributes to our understanding of the role of pragmatic philosophy, which is now dominating HCI both as a guide for design and as a guide when looking at social practices, in outlining the role of aesthetics in experience design. Fashion practices di-verge from this theory, since here aesthetic appearances can be visual, ambiguous and incomplete although it still pro-vides a lot of meanings for people. We argue that our find-ings should influence the discussion in HCI to consider a less theoretically oriented aesthetic approach, where instead empirical studies get at the forefront. Second, the study provides valuable insight on how we should design mobile experiences to attract more attention from people interested in fashion. Mobile phones, and their services, can for ex-ample be designed to relate to the visual appearance of the dressed outfit, or ensemble of a person.
Juhlin, O. Reponen, E. Bentley, F. Kirk, D., Adler, M. (2011) Video interaction - Making broadcasting a successful social media Extended Abstracts in proceedings of CHI 2011: 29th ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, Vancouver, Canada, May 2011, ACM Press
Abstract: Video has slowly been gaining popularity as a social media. We are now witnessing a step where capture and live broadcasts is released from the constraints of the desktop computer, which further accentuate issues such as video literacy, collaboration, hybridity, utility and privacy, that needs to be addressed in order to make video useful for large user groups.
Juhlin, O. (2011) Towards an empirical program of drivers’ ethnomethods of sharing the means for transport In proceedings of 110th Annual Meeting November 16-20, 2011 Montreal, QC, Canada
Abstract: The sociological literature often portrays social relations in traffic as severely constrained. The driver’s possibilities to interact with their fellow road users are bounded by the vehicle and the speed of the movement. This form of culture is then interpreted as support for various theoretical approaches, be they modernization, bourgeois ideology, or consumption theory. However, such statements can also be seen as offhand or superficial comments since they are quick characterizations available to most of us through a glance at traffic, or just by thinking about our shared experiences of traveling in various vehicles. They are superficial also because there is no detailed analysis of the ways in which people do interact given the constraints. At the same time the topic is worthy more attention. Although the interaction might be conceived of as meager it is still worthy of investigation and analysis. The way people orient themselves to each other in their brief and restricted encounters is important for both the flow of traffic and the experience of it. Therefore, understanding traffic as constrained social interaction should be a starting point for detailed empirical investigation and analysis, and not the end-point where a general theory fits with social life. Here the ethnomethodological approach, which suggests that we take an interest in drivers’ own ethnographic methodical investigation of traffic interaction as an ongoing everyday activity, is promising. This implies studying the details of the interaction by which people orient themselves in relation to each other, e.g. when people initiate mobile phone conversations while driving or when motorcyclists use an Internet message board to organize a joint trip. It is through analyzing such lay accounts of interaction and “society” that we get an understanding of situated mobilities.
Magnusson, C., Waern, A., Rassmus-Gröhn, K., Bjernryd, Å., Bernhardsson, H., Jakobsson, A., Salo, J., Wallon, M., Hedvall, P. O. (2011) Navigating the world and learning to like it - mobility training through a pervasive game Proceedings of Mobile HCI, August 2011, Stockholm, Sweden
Abstract: This paper introduces the idea that location based pervasive games can be used to make mobility training for visually impaired children more fun. The user centred development process which has been carried out in collaboration with both visually impaired children and rehabilitation staff is described and we present a novel game concept which combines locative play, sound traces and a physical catch movement. We report and discuss results of user tests and summarize our experience in a set of tentative development and design guidelines for this type of game.
Johansson, C., Ahmet, Z., Jonsson, M., Tholander, J., Aleo, F., Sumon, S. (2011) Weather Gods and Fruit Kids – Embodying abstract concepts using tactile feedback and Whole Body Interaction In proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Computer Supported Collaborative Learning, Hong Kong, China, July 2011
Abstract: In this paper we present findings based on the design and study of a game like activity that allows for physical and bodily interaction around abstract concepts like energy and energy consumption in a collaborative learning setting. The game, called Weather Gods and Fruit Kids, uses motion sensing technologies in combination with tactile and audio feedback to create an embodied interactive setting without computer screens. We analyze and discuss the properties of the interactive setting as well as the interactions with and around the system using characteristics such as multiple modalities of response, large space interaction and aspects of focus and attention. The work suggests that alternative pedagogical activities can be created providing new entries to theoretical concepts using an embodied interaction approach. In particular it may support kinesthetic learners in their preference to learn by being physically engaged.
Johansson, C. and Tholander, J. (2011) EcoFriends – the non-guilt feeling mobile system for inspiration and engagement Presented at Workshop on Sustainable Interaction Design in Professional Domains at CHI 2011, Vancouver, Canada
Abstract: Many people have a strong will to do good and positive environmental choices, while they struggle to make this fit the needs of daily life. Our starting point is that technology that aims to help people be more environmentally friendly must also be designed in harmony with the way modern people live their lives. One prerequisite to achieve lasting attitude changes is that we are touched in the most basic level - where all our senses, bodily habits and norms are put into a social context and thus can form a whole. Only when the good, environmentally friendly habits also appeals to us aesthetically, physically and socially, can we fully embrace and maintain them.
Jamil, I., Perry, M., O'Hara, K. Karnik, A. and Subramanian, S. (2011) The Effects of Interaction Techniques on Talk Patterns in Collaborative Peer Learning around Interactive Tables In proceedings of CHI 2011: 29th ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, Vancouver, Canada, May 2011, ACM Press
Abstract: This paper presents the findings of a user study investigating conversational patterns across three conditions of table-based interaction (direct touch interactive table, pantograph interactive table and non-digital table) for different types of educational activities. Findings demonstrate that communication style is significantly affected by interaction techniques. The direct touch technique stimulated conversations based around the topic and pedagogical method. The pantograph technique promoted playfulness and had a higher number of directive utterances between participants, with fewer task-based, group-oriented utterances. The non-digital table promoted reflective forms of task-orientated utterance, encouraged group communication and fostered more equitable participation between members. The findings provide insights into the design of interactive tables to support particular forms of social interaction.
Jacobsson, M. and Cramer, H. (2011) Universal Robots as ‘Solutions’ to Wicked Problems: Debunking a Robotic Myth In late breaking abstract of HRI'11, Lausanne, Switzerland
Abstract: NA
Ahmet, Z. and Väänänen-Vainio Mattila, K. (2011) Face to face makes a difference: Recommendation Practices of Users of Mobile Services In Proceedings of the Workshop on Research in the Large 2 at UbiComp 2011
Abstract: The mobile app stores and markets provide companies, independent developers and researchers alike with possibilities to distribute innovative designs for mobile devices on a global scale. However, reaching a large numbers of users does not in itself ensure a large number of users adopting the mobile application or service. Large-scale adoption depends on additional factors such as novelty in service design, ease of use, enjoyable interaction, built-in mechanisms for further distribution of the mobile service as well as the practice of word-of-mouth recommendations. In this position paper we present the background and preliminary findings from a study aimed at investigating the motivations and practices by which users recommend mobile apps and services among their acquaintances. We discuss our perspective on distribution of mobile applications and services on a large scale and end this paper by suggesting questions for discussion and future research.
Cramer, H., Rost, M., Bentley, F., Shamma, D.A. Research in the Large 2: App Stores, Wide Distribution Channels & Big Data in Research, UbiComp’11, Beijing, China.
(2011) Research in the Large 2: App Stores, Wide Distribution Channels & Big Data in Research , UbiComp’11, Beijing, China
Abstract: NA
Tholander, J., and Johansson, C. (2011) Some themes in bodily interaction Presented at Workshop on Embodied Interaction: Theory and Practice in HCI at CHI 2011, Vancouver, Canada
Abstract: We identify and reflect on a number of themes that we argue has been underexplored in embodied interaction research. This work is based on findings from own design work and studies of artifacts for bodily forms of interaction in leisure oriented contexts, together with related theoretical and empirical literature. Three themes are discussed: the temporality of bodily experiences, the difference in scale of bodily interaction, and the social construction of bodily experiences.
Wang, T. and Brown, B. (2011) Ethnography of the telephone: Changing uses of communication technology in village life In Proceedings of ACM Mobile HCI 2011, August 30th to September 2nd, Stockholm Sweden
Abstract: While mobile HCI has encompassed a range of devices and systems, telephone calls on cellphones remain the most prevalent contemporary form of mobile technology use. In this paper we document ethnographic work studying a remote Mexican village’s use of cellphones alongside conventional phones, satellite phones and the Internet. While few homes in the village we studied have running water, many children have iPods and the Internet cafe in the closest town is heavily used to access YouTube, Wikipedia, and MSN messenger. Alongside cost, the Internet fits into the communication patterns and daily routines in a way that cellphones do not. We document the variety of communication strategies that balance cost, availability and complexity. Instead of finding that new technologies replace old, we find that different technologies co-exist, with fixed phones co-existing with instant message, cellphones and shared community phones. The paper concludes by discussing how we can study mobile technology and design for settings defined by cost and infrastructure availability.
Helmes, J., Taylor, A. S., Cao, X., Höök, K., Schmitt, P., Villar, N. (2011) Rudiments 1, 2 & 3: Design Speculations on Autonomy In Proceedings of Tangible and Embedded Interaction (TEI), January 2011, Portgual, ACM Press
Abstract: This work describes the design process and installation of three speculative, rudimentary machines, or rudiments. Through careful iterations in their design, the rudiments are intended to provoke curiosity and discussion around the possibility of autonomy in interactive systems. The design of the rudiments is described in detail, alongside the design decisions that were made to suggest a machine autonomy and to provoke discussion. Some preliminary reflections from installing the rudiments in two separate households are also reported. Widely divergent opinions of the rudiments from the two households are used to discuss a number of themes for thinking about autonomy and interactive systems design. Overall, the presented work adopts a perspective strongly oriented towards guiding future research, but, importantly, aims to do so by opening up and exposing the design possibilities rather than constraining them.
Waern, A. (2011) Pixel crush doesn't begin to explain it! Playground magazine. Issue no 1, Feberuary 2011
Abstract: In Dragon Age, game characters can be made to fall in love. As it turns out, so do the players.
Weilenmann, A and Juhlin, O. (2011) Time to Revisit Mobility in Mobile HCI? In Proceedings of Mobile HCI 2011, August 30 -September 2nd, Stockholm
Abstract: In this panel, we discuss the relevance of the concept of mobility in current mobile Human-Computer Interaction esearch. Is the term still useful to understand and design for interaction with computers, or has the concept of mobility run dry and void of meaning?
Weilenmann, A. and Juhlin O. (2011) Understanding People and Animals: On Ordinary Human-Canine Interaction and the Use of a Positioning System in the Wild In proceedings of CHI 2011: 29th ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, Vancouver, Canada, May 2011, ACM Press (CHI Honorable mention)
Abstract: Animals are increasingly integrated in interactive contexts depending on digital technologies. The current and future use of such technologies is a relevant topic for HCI research. However, the field is struggling with the inherent problem of ‘interaction’ in understanding interaction with animals. We argue for a way forward based on critical anthropomorphism informed by ethnomethodology, with a focus on manifest interaction. Drawing upon a field study of hunters’ use of a GPS dog tracking-device, we discuss how interaction between dogs and humans is affected when new technology is introduced. The GPS data is situated and interpreted by the dog handler, and supports the hunter’s work of dealing with the dogs’ intentions. This opens up for new forms of interactions with the dog. When studying and designing for interaction between humans and animals we should move beyond merely looking at dyadic relationships, and also consider the social organization of the interaction.
Zhang, Y., Juhlin O., Kashanipour M. (2011) Outfit-centric Accessory Design in Mobile Innovation International Workshop on Aesthetic Intelligence at AmI 2011 Amsterdam Nov, 16
Abstract: Mobile phone design and use is a good case for studying aesthetics in human computer interaction, since this technology provides intimate consumer interaction. Still, the ways in which such technology could attract to fashion oriented people, has been under developed. The industry is making efforts to approach this group by treating phones as accessories. However, to design a mobile phone as an accessory does not just mean to make a phone “beautiful” in a static way, but should allow for matching its appearance with users‟ outfits in a dynamic and interactive way. In this paper we present the concept of outfit-centric accessory and explore a possible way of realizing it in design practice. We present a demo of designing a „match‟ application and discuss the advantages and problems of the app. This study provides valuable insight on how we should design mobile experiences to enhance aesthetics close to our body
Zhang, Y., and Juhlin, O. (2011) Fashion as System or Action Net in ‘Fashion in All Things’: The Case of Colour in the Design of Mobile Phones In proceedings of 3rd Global Conference fashion: Exploring Critical Issues, Thursday 22nd September – Sunday 25th September 2011 Mansfield College, Oxford, United Kingdom
Abstract: Contemporary fashion has permeated into all things in life, but little has analyzed in detail. We present a study using mobile phone, one of the most intimate gadgets to people, as a way to approach ‘fashion in all things’. We study the representation of mobile phones in fashion blogs to unpack the fusion of mobile technology to fashion system. Fashion blogs increasingly assume the role of ‘gate-keepers’ within the fashion system, by which is meant Kawamura’s sense of the institutional and cultural arrangements that cause particular cultural objects to accrue values in specific waysi. This supports that fashion blogs have powers of legitimization. The selected corpus includes 109 entries from fashion blogs randomly searched through Google and the blog search-engine Technorati. Based on the materials, the paper pursues the following inter-related points: 1) visual appearances of mobile phones; 2) circumstantial appearances, such as fashion shows, celebrities etc.; 3) designers or fashion brand phones as a significant way of ‘fashionising’ phones. From the empirical study, we conclude that on the one hand, mobile phones do fit into the fashion system. Drawing on the semiotic theory derived from Barthes, the representation of mobile phones in fashion blogs carries two perspectives as heii suggested: the visual look and the circumstantial appearance. The blogs put fashion into mobile phone and legitimate it as a desirable fashion artefact belonging to the user. On the other hand, as mobile phones embrace shifting aesthetics and longer temporality, mobile phones exist in a social practice different from Parisian fashion system based on dress fashion. In this way, we can also contribute to the theorization of the concept of fashion per se which is historically contingent.
Moret Gabarro, R. and Waern, A. (2011) Performative Gestures for Mobile Augmented reality interaction Work-in-Progress Workshop at TEI 2011, Madeira, Portugal
Abstract: Mobile Augmented Reality would benefit from a well-defined repertoire of interactions. In this paper, we present the implementation and study of a candidate repertoire, in which users make gestures with the phone to manipulate virtual objects located in the world. The repertoire is characterized by two factors: it is implementable on small devices, and it is recognizable by by-standers, increasing the opportunities for social acceptance and skill transfer between users. We arrive at the suggestion through a three-step process: a gesture-collecting pre-study, repertoire design and implementation, and a final study of the recognizability, learnability and technical performance of the implemented manipulation repertoire.
Lankoski, P., Waern, A., Thorhauge, A-M, Verhagen, H. (2011) Introduction to special issue: Experiencing games: Games, play and players Journal of gaming and virtual worlds 3(3)
Abstract: NA
Büttner, S., Ahmet, Z., Cramer, H. Awareness of QR codes in Stockholm, Sweden, SICS Technical Report T2011:12, ISSN 1100-3154. (2011) Awareness of QR codes in Stockholm, Sweden , SICS Technical Report T2011:12, ISSN 1100-3154
Abstract: NA
Sundström, P., Vaara, E., Solsona Belenguer, J., Wirström, N., Lundén, M., Laaksolahti, J., Waern, A., and Höök, K. (2011) Experiential Artifacts as a Design Method for Somaesthetic Service Development At the Role of Design in UbiComp Research and Practice workshop at UbiComp’11, Sep 17-21, Beijing, China
Abstract: How can deep understandings of material properties, limitations and possibilities be used concretely as a resource in the design of embodied experiences? How can material explorations spur and potentially direct, inspire, open up for new technologies and innovations? How can we identify, develop, and polish desirable core mechanics for embodied experiences and what kind of mobile services can be built with these experiences? In this position paper we describe our idea of experiential artifacts, and how we think these can help us open up the design space of the next generation of physically engaging mobile technologies.
Sundström, P., Taylor, A., Grufberg, K., Wirström, N., Solsona Belenguer, J., and Lundén, M. (2011) Inspirational Bits - Towards a shared understading of the digital material CHI'11, May 7-11, Vancouver, BC
Abstract: In any design process, a medium’s properties need to be considered. This is nothing new in design. Still we find that in HCI and interactive systems design the properties of a technology are often glossed over. That is, technologies are black-boxed without much thought given to how their distinctive properties open up design possibilities. In this paper we describe what we call inspirational bits as a way to become more familiar with the design material in HCI, the digital material. We describe inspirational bits as quick and dirty but fully working systems in both hardware and software built with the aim of exposing one or several of the dynamic properties of a digital material. We also show how they provide a means of sharing design knowledge across the members of a multi-disciplined design team.
Márquez Segura, E., Johansson, C., Moen, J. & Waern, A. (2011) Bodies, boogies, bugs & buddies: Shall we play? Presented at Work-in-Progress Workshop at TEI 2011, Madeira, Portugal
Abstract: Movement based interaction is a growing field especially within games, such as the Nintendo Wii and Kinect for Xbox 360. However, designing for movement-based interaction is a challenging task in mobile settings. Our approach is to use context design for designing such games and in this paper we present the experiences from a workshop targeting the design of social full-body dance games. The workshop explores how movement based games can be supported by social interaction and external influences (in particular music and beats) in addition to the sensing and feedback capabilities of a limited device, to create a complete and engaging experience. Although basing our design on an existing device, our focus is on the context of its use rather than its functionalities, to encourage an engaging behavior. Findings from this first workshop form the basis for a design exercise where we suggest
Nylander, S. and Rudström, Å. (2011) Questions, inspiration, feedback, and contributions: How entrepreneurs network online In proceedings of Communities and Technologies 2011, Brisbane, Australia
Abstract: This work investigates how entrepreneurs use social networking sites for business. Through surveys, online discussions and interviews, we have looked at activities, motives for participating on networking sites for business, motives for contributing, and differences between online and offline networking. Our results show that networking, facts finding, and marketing are very common activities while sharing of experience is quite rare. Entrepreneurs connect with new people online rather than reifying offline networks. A novel use of social media is that of small businesses using Facebook as a web hotel. We believe that an important explanation to our results is that social media are still informal and not yet incorporated in traditional work routines.
Paldanius M., Kärkkäinen T. Väänänen-Vainio-Mattila K., Juhlin O., Häkkilä, J. (2011) Communication Technology for Human-Dog Interaction: Exploration of Dog Owners’ Experiences and Expectations In proceedings of CHI 2011: 29th ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, Vancouver, Canada, May 2011, ACM Press
Abstract: Whereas communication technology to connect people has long been an integral part of our everyday lives, it has only recently expanded to offer applications for dogs and dog-owners. In this paper, we present two explorative studies to understand the experiences and expectations of dog owners for communication technology to support their interaction with dogs. These studies look at two different user groups, hunters and pet owners, charting the lessons learnt from the current technology and exploring the aspects that should be taken into account when designing future applications and services. Our findings reveal that usability problems are still the dominant issue with current applications. We also suggest key design implications which can be utilized in the development of future human-dog interaction systems.
Gomes, P. F., Márquez Segura, E., Cramer, H., Paiva, T., Paiva, A., Holmquist, L.E. (2011) ViPleo and PhyPleo: Artificial pet with two embodiments In proceedings ACE’11, Lisbon, Portugal
Abstract: In our current work we have designed and implemented an artificial pet with two embodiments. In both embodiments behavior is driven by needs that are used to maintain coherence and motivate user interaction. These needs are transferred between embodiments, with only one embodiment being active at a time. We performed an evaluation with 10- year old children participants. The retrieved data indicated that many children understood the concept of an articial pet with two bodies, even without being given clues. Nevertheless, children did perceive differences between the two embodiments, which contributed for many stating that they interacted with two pets. Among other aspects, the physical version was perceived as less obedient due to problems concerning action recognition. Although caused by technical issues, this result raises the question if virtual embodiments should simulate action recognition problems that their physical counterparts have.
Rost, M., Cramer, H., and Holmquist, L. E. (2011) Mobile exploration of geotagged photographs In Personal and Ubiquitous Computing. Doi: 10.1007/s00779-011-0433-x
Abstract: Columbus is a mobile application that lets users explore their surroundings through geotagged photographs, presented to them at the location they were taken. By moving around the physical world, the user unlocks photographs and gets to see and experience them in unison with their location. During two consecutive field trials, we investigated how the application was used and experienced and how photographs and locations are explored together. We found that previous experience with the surroundings people was exploring affected how they experienced the localized content. We report on the system’s design and implementation, the trials as well as resulting insights that can be used by other developers of locative media applications.
Stenros, J., Holopainen, J., Waern, A., Ollila, E. and Montola, M. (2011) Narrative Friction in Alternate Reality Games: Design Insights from Conspiracy For Good Proc. DIGRA 2011, Hilversum, the Netherlands, September
Abstract: Alternate Reality Games (ARG) tend to have story-driven game structures. Hence, it is useful to investigate how player activities interact with the often pre-scripted storyline in this genre. In this article, we report on a study of a particular ARG production, Conspiracy For Good (CFG), which was at the same time emphasising the role of strong storytelling, and active on-site participation by players. We uncover multiple levels of friction between the story content and the mode of play of live participants, but also between live and online participation. Based on the observations from the production, we present design recommendations for future productions with similar goals.
Ståhl, A., Höök, K., Kosmack Vaara, E. (2011) Reflecting on the Design Process of Affective Health IASDR2011 - 4th World Conference on Design Research, November 1 - 3, Delft
Abstract: We describe the design process behind a bio-sensor-based wellness-system, named Affective Health, aimed to help users to get into biofeedback loops as well as find patterns in their bodily reactions over time. By discussing details of the design process, we provide a reflected account of the particular design we arrived at. Three design qualities are used to both generate and evaluate the different design sketches. They are, in short, (1) the design must feel familiar to users, mirroring their experience of themselves, (2) creating designs that leave space for users’ own interpretation of their body data, and (3) that the modalities used in the design does not contradict one-another, but instead harmonize, helping users to make sense of the representation. The final user encounter of the Affective Health system shows that those design qualities were indeed both useful and important to users’ experience of the interaction.
Sundström, P., Taylor A., and O'Hara K. (2011) Sketching in Software and Hardware: Bluetooth as a Design Material MobileHCI'11, Aug 30-Sep 2, Stockholm, Sweden
Abstract: In any design process, a medium’s properties need to be considered. This is generally well established, yet still within interactive systems design, the properties of a technological medium are often glossed over. That is, technologies are often black-boxed without much thought given to how their distinctive material properties open up the design space. In this paper, we experiment with a technology to see what might be gained from intentionally and systematically investigating its properties. Specifically, we look upon Bluetooth from the perspective of being a design material and examine how its properties from that perspective can be used to shape design thinking. Using four example cases or “sketches”, we show that Bluetooth’s properties, often seen as constraints, can provide useful building blocks for designing interactive systems.
Kosmack Vaara Elsa, Ståhl Anna, Höök Kristina, Mercurio Johanna (2011) Tracing Behaviour Video article, 2011, "Tracing Behaviour", ACM Computers in Entertainment, to appear.