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
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125 miles Average distance between partners
LDR is a label that is applied to the relationship by the participants
guldner
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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
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universities
8
% employed in separate city
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does % partner not attend university
4
% joined military service
merolla
1/3 of university students are in a long distance relationship guldner
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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
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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. 31
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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40
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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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. 50
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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?” 52
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. 53
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.
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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. 63
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. 64
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. 65
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
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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
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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. 77
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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