Moti Smartwatch Thesis Design Report

moti

Emotional cues for long-distance couples BFA Thesis Process Report, 05-12-14 Brian Kennedy 1

Thank you to our platform leaders, Dr. Deana McDonagh & Prof. Joyce Thomas. I would also like to thank Mr. Victor Ong of Hewlett-Packard for his guidance on this project.

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Contents Initial research

4

User Feedback

44-53

Types of relationships

6

Mood & color

54

Relationships & intimacy

8

Sketching round 2

56

Target users

10

Introducing Moti

58

Types of communication

12

Mobile app development

60

Survey insights

14

App on-boarding

62

Time zones

16

Settings & notifications

64

Interviews

18-21

Hardware & interface

66-69

Need state & design directions

22

Contextual renders

70

Market research

24

Charging Moti

72

Initial sketches

26-33

Technical information

74

Concept selection

34

Physical model

76

Design criteria

36

Reflection

78

Prototyping

38-43

References

81 3

“A long-distance relationship (LDR) is an intimate relationship that takes place with considerable distance between two people.� W ikipedia

4

125 miles Average distance between partners

LDR is a label that is applied to the relationship by the participants

guldner

5

Types of LDR relationships

Immediate Family

Across Generations

Adult Relationships

Parents Children Siblings Husband Wife

Grandparents Grandchildren Aunts/Uncles Nieces/Nephews Cousins

Friends Boyfriend Girlfriend Peers

Many people don’t consider their family when describing their long distance relationships.

By default, LDR implies romantic relations. guldner 6

LDR perceptions

Stereotypes

Reality

- It’s difficult to be in a long-distance relationship - Hear from everyone that they don’t work - Easier to blame the distance when they fail - Everything would have been fine, if we lived closer

- Nearly 75% or pre-marital couples had been involved in an LDR - About 25% are currently involved - Over six months, 35 % of the GCR and 42% of LDRs broke up - Note that rates are statistically equal

Whether or not a relationship will succeed depends on the couple and their respective expectations of the relationship. guldner 7

What makes a healthy relationship?

Some factors considered essential to relationship success:

In-person Interaction

Shared Experiences

Geographic Proximity

Living Together

Because long-distance relationships do not meet these societal requirements, they must approach relationship maintenance differently. stafford

8

Intimacy is created between Self-Disclosure - Positivity - Openness - Assurances - Social Network two partners by sharing - Sharing Tasks - Conflict Management - Advice - Focus on Self emotions & activities merolla

Joint Activities - Mediated Communication - Avoidance - Humor Support - Share Rituals - Religion - Small Talk - Showing Affection Sharing Self-Disclosure - Positivity - Openness -Sharing Assurances - Social Network Emotions Activities - Sharing Tasks - Conflict Management - Advice - Focus on Self Joint Activities - Mediated Communication - Avoidance - Humor Support - Share Rituals - Religion - Small Talk - Showing Affection Self-Disclosure - Positivity - Openness Assurances - Social Network - Sharing Tasks - Conflict Management - Advice - Focus on Self Joint Activities - Mediated Communication - Avoidance - Humor Support - Share Rituals - Religion - Small Talk - Showing Affection Self-Disclosure - Positivity - Openness - Assurances - Social Network 9

Why choose long-distance?

Partners are unable to see each other, face-to-face, on a frequent basis due to geographical separation jiang

Education

Career

Military

Incarceration

Divorce

Coming-of-Age stafford

Out of 402 undergrad students‌

78

% attended different

10

universities

8

% employed in separate city

8

does % partner not attend university

4

% joined military service

merolla

1/3 of university students are in a long distance relationship guldner

11

Types of mediated contact Synchronous Face-to-Face Phone Calls Video Chat

Semi-Synchronous IM Instant Messaging Phone Applications

Asynchronous E-mail Text Messaging Social Networking

jiang

12

Communication type, frequency, & duration over 7 days >1.5hr 1.25hr

Duration

1hr

IM

45m 30m 15m <15m 0m

2

4

6

8

10

Frequency Contact with less non-verbal cues is initiated more often

jiang

13

Survey insights

Survey results of 100 respondents

Average Age of Respondents

Male : Female Ratio

79%

80

22.68% male

70 60 50 40 30 20

14%

10

7%

0

<18 14

18-29 30-39

77.32% female

Frequency of communication Morning Afternoon Evening

Constantly

25% 15% 60%

54% 15

60% 16

of respondents said they dealt with a difference in time zones

If he has to work the whole afternoon, we aren’t able to talk.

By the time he comes home from work, I’m already in bed.

We would both get frustrated and it put a strain on the time we were actually talking to each other.

Communication can only be via SMS on Monday - Friday, due to conflicting work schedules.

Any issues tend to fester until weekend skype dates, due to inability to properly discuss via text.

[Time differences] limit communication times, but lines up some key moment of free time.

For me it can be difficult that he isn’t available to me for questions/input on real life situations until late in the day. I don’t like having to wait.

Sometimes we just miss speaking to each other because the other went to bed just as the other woke up.

Sleeping and waking times, being busy and not being able to talk, hard to communicate through crappy Skype calls and connections sometimes, money for phone calls and plane flights 17

Interviews

Scott

Long-Distance Relationship

Girlfriend will sometimes track his location when he is traveling to see her. Makes you feel safer GPS helps them be aware of each other’s location when they need Dislikes bad quality web-cams Would be open to using technology for sexual interactions 18

Emily

Long-Distance Relationship

Tricia

Committed Long-Distance Relationship

Boyfriend visited her school to better understand her context

Doesn’t want to receive sensitive information over email

Misses hugs. Easy to communicate feelings and emotions through a hug

Is usually doing something else while talking on the phone

Lack of physical contact is FRUSTRATING

Long-distance made them realize that they were serious about maintaining the relationship

Emotional connection is hard over SMS

Doesn’t like to feel like she is the one initiating all the calls

Jake

Kelly

Sophia

Felt trapped in a cycle, “Once we get through this, we’ll be happy”

Would consider an LDR, but only with someone that she had been dating for several years

When getting married to an international, it is extremely important to have family support

Phone is more mobile than computer for video calls. Can control camera.

Important to talk things out immediately when having arguments

Trust is the most important thing.

Cannot trust a partner who cheats

”Really have to want to commit to the relationship”

Schedules video calls with her family through WeChat

When living apart, it isn’t bad to be apart except for when you start missing major life events

Long-Distance Relationship

LDR will always seem uncomfortable but she has adapted to making them work Phone is better for domestic communication. Skype/Video is better for international relationship ”LDR is not a happy experience, but an arrangement out of necessity”

SIngle

Marital Long-Distance Relationship

19

Interviews

Nina

Long-Distance Relationship

Struggles with differences in how men and women handle relationships Has watch set in her house to her SO’s time zone Physical vs. Emotional in an open relationship Free time doesn’t always line up, must make sacrifices for each other 20

Victor

Long-Distance Relationship

Living in two cultures at once Invests sexual energy elsewhere like exercise and work Girlfriend will be upset if he misses a pre-arranged date

Alexis

Marital Long-Distance Relationship

Would play games like Chess over Skype, once took a bath on Valentine’s Day Would sometimes make the same dinner over a video call

Lack of non-verbal communication

Skype is great but doesn’t feel as involved.

Likely to contact each other spontaneously

Physical contact doesn’t seem critical with web, photos, email, Skype

Austin Single

Brad

Long-Distance Relationship

Linda

Close Proximity Relationship

Difficult to go without physical contact and lack of sex

Texting seems impersonal, easier to start arguments over text

Does not like video chat, takes time and effort to sit down for video call

Would miss face to face communication

Different forms of communication allows for different levels of intimacy

Cannot always accurately convey emotions over the phone, but still prefers it over video

Video chat is not sufficient

Thinking about what-if scenarios will drive you crazy

If he was to do long-distance, it would have to be a very serious relationship

Healthy sex life is important, but over the Internet the interaction somehow feels fake.

Video chat is often stationary Seems easier to start fights over the phone 21

Identifying need-state

Cannot Touch

Cannot Convey Emotions

Affection Workarounds

Intimate Body Contact

Lack money for visits Finding jobs in separate cities

Domestic Students

Invest Sexual Energy Elsewhere

Infrequent home visits

Physical Needs

Family responsibilities May not move home after school

International Students

Sexual Contact

Target Group

LDR Partners

Video Calls

Difficult to See Partner

Emotional Needs

Can’t Always Decipher Mood

Constant Presence

Lack of Presence “Active” Interactions Unnecessary

Comm.

Experience

Voice Calls

Not Just About Hearing

Frustration Nudity Not Ideal

Poor Experience Due to Call Quality Lack of Body Language

“Fake” Intimacy Online

Cheating

Trust Lack of Emotional Indicators

Jealousy

Messaging Conflict Management

Easy to Start Fights Environment

Relationship Security

Scheduling Upset If Partner Misses Call

Extreme Time Zone Differences

22

Communication must come from both sides Privacy Concerns Fixed Location “Good Enough”

Need to see facial expressions

Design directions

Time & scheduling

Communicating emotion

Lack of presence (Feeling connected)

23

Exploration of wearable devices

24

Perception Mapping

Meaningful

Intimacy through technology

Target Solution In-convenient

Practical

There is opportunity for a practical, device that can help build intimacy over distance.

Gimmicky

25

Initial ideation sketches

1 26

Having an â&#x20AC;&#x153;always-onâ&#x20AC;? window to your partner could avoid scheduling issues & reduce the effort required to constantly log on. I quickly eliminated this one however due to technological & privacy limitations

2

This wearable camera & phone application would create a system where partners could request different types of data from the other, if they were curious about what their significant other was doing at that moment. Scrapped due to similarities to Google Glass.

27

3 28

The sexual component is an important part of any relationship. Looking at haptic technologies & phone applications could prove to create a compelling experience for two partners looking to connect on a intimate level.

4

Although constant GPS tracking would be overkill for most couples, the idea of knowing when a partner is traveling or safe at home without the privacy invasion made for a promising concept. This idea was passed, as it required little interaction after initial setup.

29

5 30

Trying to create meaningful interactions that would help the goals of the relationship over the long term was difficult to make compelling & engaging. Some of the ideas here include saving for future visits, growing a plant together, & a cute message delivery system.

6

Creating an interactive device that would focus on the moments that two partners meet after any period of time was the goal here. It could have developed into a game or a type of time capsule that would collect memories and moments throughout the relationship.

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7 32

A key component of the research pointed towards better communicating emotions between partners. This playful design is similar to the concept of Mr. Potato head in that you physically create emoticons that are then sent to their partner digitally.

8

After looking at emotion, I began exploring the possibility of using light to communicate partner proximity and then later simply using color to indicate partnerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mood.

33

Concept Selection With wearables as the forefront of technology, how can we use them to change the way that we communicate with one another?

Wearable bracelet that allows for communication of mood and feeling through light & color.

34

Emotion is a prime opportunity, since communicating emotion through mediums like text has proved challenging.

35

Design Criteria Primary Criteria: 1. To improve non-verbal communication Allow for partners to let each other know of their status without reaching for their mobile device

-Usable in a variety of settings

-Be able to provide a more abstract form of emotional support 2. Instill a feeling of closeness by building intimacy.

-By knowing how the other person is feeling, partners can meet each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needs better

-Help partners understand their relationship dynamic by identifying mode patterns

Secondary Criteria:

1. Draw little attention when being used, subtle sign of affection 2. Be a cost effective method of connecting with an LDR partner 3. Be customizable to meet needs of a range of relationships & cultures

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Mood & Personality

Playful

Unobtrusive

Elegant

Bright

Organic37

Model interactions & prototyping

38

1) Tactile button strap

2) Touch strap

Dedicated hardware buttons on the strap. Allows user to feel different cues without looking. May be prone to accidental input.

Touch input would eliminate some accidental input. Could have physical notches that allow the user to track their location on the strap without looking.

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3) Gestural pad

4) Cue buttons

Users could set custom directional gestures to signify emotional cues.

However, would require a touchscreen-esque interface.

Six dedicated hardware buttons would make a fashion statement in addition to clearly indicating the mood being sent.

5) Circular dial

6) Square half dial

Dial is smooth and most similar to existing watches.

Users would rotate the dial to the color they wish to send to their partner.

More similar to rotary telephones, the square dial only partial turns. The face changes color as the user turns, indicating the emotion being sent.

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7) Squeeze action lrg

8) Squeeze action sml

Squeeze action seemed like a more human connection with a piece of technology, but still in line with watch functionality.

The squeeze action also could be made into a smaller form to minimize the visual impact of the watch.

9) Single button

10) State switch

To keep things simple, the single button would allow users to cycle through different emotional cues, simply by pressing.

To keep things simple, the single button would allow users to cycle through different emotional cues, simply by pressing.

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44

User feedback - Amanda Top Picks 1. Squeeze action 2. Touch strap 3. Circular dial

“I could have definitely used something like this in my long distance relationship”

Different areas have different touch interactions (i.e. squeeze action) Circular dial seems most like a watch. Multiple spinning inputs?

Would always want to spin & fidget with the display Buttons/panels on the strap could light up to identify status, activation, deactivation The touch panel could have notches to indicate where you are along the slider -Look into braille tech Doesn’t believe its necessary to have more than emotion and time.

45

“Secretly send multiple private messages as long as you have fingers available. A type of touching language.”

User feedback - Xingyu Top Picks 1. State switch 2. Circular dial 3. Squeeze Action

It’s like a hint of emotion It’s like a status check, non-verbal He likes the state switch Easy for a person to use, maybe to communicate with?

Interesting to have a dedicated state for you, one for your partner

Physical switch represents two digital space bubbles Simple information. Similar to braille.

Ideas could be combined – state switch and squeeze action 46

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User feedback - Katie & Tyler Top Picks - Katie 1. Single button 2. State switch 3. Circular Dial

Top Picks - Tyler 1. State switch 2. Single button 3. Touch Strap

“Constant communication builds trust. Technology today allows LDRs to be possible and often better than normal relationships.”

Dial and button could go together, dial for mood, button to send Confirm that you are sending an emotion Gestural is good, also like the switch As easily accessible as current watches Easy to also use like a regular watch Don’t want it to be seen as a toy Colorful band on the arm might attract too much attention Don’t want to the mood to detract from the watch capability 49

User feedback - Kevin “About the color….

The definition of color will change between cultures.”

Top Picks 1. State switch 2. Squeeze action 3. Touch strap

Interface surrounding the traditional clock function seems like the most important part.

Being able to signify between two different moods will be nice.

Red could mean happy instead of angry. Green could be cold instead of relaxed.

Different vibrations for different emotions?

Too many colors could be hard to remember. Important not to overload.

Might only remember the first 3 or 4.

Not really expecting complicated functions through this platform.

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User feedback - Ambrose Top Picks 1. Touch strip 2. State switch 3. Single button

“You don’t want people to assume that it is just a mood ring.”

If there is feedback it needs to be subtle Doesn’t have to be on the face, it can be very subtle Tapping is easier than pressing/pinching Picking 3 colors for emotions could be much smoother and easier Sad, Angry, Happy Thinks that the notification should stay until I change it again.

Also, when you are angry, there is definitely a point when you realize, okay, I’m no longer upset Could also prompt the user for a change. “Are you still feeling upset?”

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Feedback analysis State switch Single button Squeeze action large Touch Strap Circular dial Tactile strap buttons Dedicated cue buttons Squeeze action small Square Half Dial

1 2 3 -

1 3 2 -

2 1 3 3 -

1 2 3 -

1 2 3 -

2 3 1 -

7 6 9 9 8 0 0 0 0

1.4 2 2.25 2.25 2.6 0 0 0 0

After compiling the data based on the multiple rankings given by the testing participants, the features of the top prototypes were taken and fused, taking into account the comments from user testing.

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Defining the defaults: Mood & Color

Mood and color are an important part of the Moti experience.

The design tries to include basic colors that can be used for a wide variety of expression.

Since colors meanings can vary between couples and cultures, color options are fully customizable from the Moti App. Through the flexibility of the platform, colors can become more than emotion as well, and can be used as status indicators, like “Good morning,” or “I’m busy.”

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Neutral

Longing

Irritated

Sad

Enthusiastic

Calm 55

Time display & interaction Dual time displays

Single time display & squeeze action

Single time display & button press 56

Style & form

57

Introducing Moti...

58

59

Mobile Application Development

Goals for the phone application: Create a simple clean interface that would look good on multiple platforms.

The application is not meant to be the primary interface for the watch.

60

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Signing up to use Moti

Getting set up with the application is easy. Input the two users names & phone numbers, then each of their time zones to get started. No other personal information is collected.

62

To connect the watch to the smartphone, turn on bluetooth & search for devices. Once the watch is connected, the image on the screen and you the ring on the watch should glow green.

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App Settings

The settings page is the main interface for the Moti application. Here the user can edit color preferences, update timezone information, and change preferences regarding state duration.

The application is meant to be simple, but could also be expanded to show data visualization.

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App Notifications

The notifications let the user know if their is an issue with their smartwatch that might hinder the overall functionality, such as battery life or connection issues. Also, they helped to simplify the watch face and let the user focus on the interaction at hand.

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Hardware Interface Moti watch face doubles as the main hardware button.

The color ring is a capacitative touch wheel.

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How it works: Sending cues The main function of Moti is to be able to quickly and easily send emotional cues to your SO. In addition to the steps shown below, Moti will also quickly flash the color youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve chosen to send on your watch face, so you can be confident that you sent the right cue.

Home State

Shows your time, partnerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mood cues

Single tap display

Select mood cues to send

Multi-directional gesture

Mood cue sent, return to Home

67

How it works: Partner state Moti has two information display states: 1) Your timezone and your partner’s emotion.

2) Your partner’s timezone and the emotion you’ve sent them

Home State

10 sec

Shows your time, partner’s mood cues

68

Press & hold display

Partner’s time & shows sent cues

State length is user-determined

Partner State ends, return to Home

How it works: Neutral mode Moti features a built-in neutral mode that users can activate when they are distracted.

Notifications blinking in your face can be annoying and abrasive.

Home State

30 min

Shows your time, partnerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mood cues

Double tap display

Neutral state disables updates

State length is user-determined

Neutral state ends, return to Home

69

Japan Tokyo Time (UTC +9) 70

United States Central Time (UTC -5) 71

Charging Moti

Moti uses wireless charging to receive power.

72

The Qi standard is currently the most widely implemented wireless charging standard. The charging base comes with the watch and the user may place their watch on it nightly or as needed. Although this requires that the user can only charge their watch at home, the impact is minimal as the battery life is expected to last 4-6 days.

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Manufacturing tear down

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Creating mood through color

Moti uses an array of RGB leds to create its lighting effects. The lights have potential for more colors than Moti currently offers.

More colors and effects could be added in future updates or releases.

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Physical model process

1)

2)

3)

4)

1) Purchased watch bands from watch repair shop.

2) 3D printed watch bodies using a Makerbot 2. It was necessary to print three bodies. The slots for the watch bands were too small on the first.

3) Used several coats of primer on the base of the body.

4) Taped off the non-metallic portion of the watch body.

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5)

6)

7)

8)

5) Paint colors donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t perfectly match the CAD model. If time allowed, a better paint match could have been found.

6) The attached watch bands. The ends of the bands were too thick and had to be trimmed with an exacto knife.

7) I had the acrylic stands donated from Macyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. I created new natural wood bases in lei of the original plastic stands.

8) For the final model I stenciled on the numbers using some cutouts that I had made from the vinyl plotter.

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Reflection This was definitely a learning process. Throughout the project I have tried to incorporate a variety of my design strengths into a single product. I believe my research portion of the project was a solid start, however the design process was lacking in several ways. First off, I needed to be sketching more. I was getting hung up on ideas in my head and wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t visualizing them early enough so I could see how they might improve over time.

My schedule got cramped as well. I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t able to fit in enough user testing and complete the iterations that I had planned in my original sketches. For me, iteration and feedback is a loop that needs to be completed several times before product completion.

For Moti, I believe that the video footage is a necessary component to understanding how the product works within the context of a relationship. Although the footage that I captured does do it to a point, this is also a weak link in my overall design communication.

I will need to reflect further on this work, and start to make changes in the near future.

Brian Kennedy 78

Thank You

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References Guldner, G. (2004) Long Distance Relationships: The Complete Guide. Corona, CA: JF Milne Publications Jiang, L.C., and J.T. Hancock. "Absence Makes the Communication Grow Fonder: Geographic Separation, Interpersonal Media, and Intimacy in Dating Relationships." Journal of Communication. 63. (2012): 556-577.

Print.

Nuestaedter, C. and Greenburg, S. (2011) Intimacy in Long-Distance Relationships over Video Chat.

Research Report 2011-1014, Dept. of Computer Science, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 1N4, August.

Merolla, A.J. "Connecting here and there: A model of long-distance relationship maintenance." Personal Relationships. 19. 775-795 (2012): n. page. Print.

Stafford, L. (2005) Maintaining Long-Distance and Cross-Residential Relationships. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

“Long-Distance Relationship.” Wikipedia. Wikipedia, 28 Nov 2013. Web. 12 Dec 2013. <http://en.wikipedia. org/wiki/Long-distance_relationship>.

Whorwell, Peter, Julie Morris, Nicholas Tarrier, and Helen Carruthers. “The Manchester Color Wheel: development of a novel way of identifying color choice and its validation in healthy, anxious and depressed individuals.” BMC Medical Research Methodology 10

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