Tangible bits: towards seamless interfaces between people, bits and atoms
Proceedings of the ACM SIGCHI Conference on Human factors in computing systems
Mediating awareness and communication through digital but physical surrogates
CHI '99 Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems
LumiTouch: an emotional communication device
CHI '01 Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems
ComTouch: design of a vibrotactile communication device
DIS '02 Proceedings of the 4th conference on Designing interactive systems: processes, practices, methods, and techniques
Digital Family Portrait Field Trial: Support for Aging in Place
Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
inTouch: a medium for haptic interpersonal communication
CHI EA '97 CHI '97 Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems
The bed: a medium for intimate communication
CHI EA '97 CHI '97 Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems
ComSlipper: an expressive design to support awareness and availability
CHI '06 Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems
Lover's cups: drinking interfaces as new communication channels
CHI '06 Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems
SyncDecor: appliances for sharing mutual awareness between lovers separated by distance
CHI '07 Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems
Up close and personal: social presence in mediated personal relationships
BCS-HCI '11 Proceedings of the 25th BCS Conference on Human-Computer Interaction
The furniture of ubiquitous computing
Proceedings of the 2013 ACM conference on Pervasive and ubiquitous computing adjunct publication
Similarity awareness: Using context sensing to support connectedness in intra-family communication
Journal of Ambient Intelligence and Smart Environments - Design and Deployment of Intelligent Environments
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Despite the fact that various means of communication such as mobile phones, instant messenger and e-mail are now widespread; many romantic couples separated by long distances worry about the health of their relationships. Likewise, these couples have a greater desire to feel a sense of connection and synchronicity with their partners than traditional inter-family bonds. In many prior research projects, unique devices were developed that required a level of interpretation which did not directly affect one's daily routine - and therefore were more casual in nature. However, this paper concentrates on the use of common, day-to-day items and modifying them to communicate everyday actions while maintaining a sustained and natural usage pattern for strongly paired romantic couples. For this purpose, we propose the "SyncDecor" system, which pairs traditional appliances and allow them to remotely synchronize and provide awareness or cognizance about their partners - thereby creating a virtual "living together" feeling. We present evidence, from a 3-month long field study, where traditional appliances provided a significantly more natural, varied and sustained usage patterns which ultimately enhanced communications between the couples.