Speakers: Phoebe Sengers, Geri Gay, Kirsten Boehner, Joseph Kaye, Carol Terrizzi, Information Science, Cornell University

Date: Wednesday, March 31, 2004 4:15-5:15p

Location: Cornell Information Science, 301 College Avenue, Seminar Room

Abstract -

Joint work with Bill Gaver (RCA), Michael Mateas (Georgia Tech), Kristina Hook (Swedish Institute of Computer Science), and Intel's People & Practices Group.

Ubiquitous computing systems and sensors move computational power and communication capacity into every aspect of our environments. To date, most research work has revolved around input and output to these systems: how information can be extracted, codified and distributed by these devices. Yet quality of life in an age of ubiquitous computing depends not only on the hard logic of devices and programs, but also on nondiscrete, ambiguous, and perhaps nonformalizable aspects of experiences engendered through them such as moods, feelings of human connection, spirituality, and reflection. We call this connection between digital devices and ambiguous human emotions, social relationships, and spirituality affective presence. In this talk, we describe the coalition of projects we are developing for affective presence, and the design strategies, evaluation techniques, and a theory of human meaning-making we are developing to support affective presence of ubiquitous devices.

Supporting affective presence is tricky because it requires us to cross the digital/analog barrier that divides digital devices and the formal models that underly them from the analog and nonformal ways in which people actively create human meanings around digital devices in their daily lives. To do so, we are enriching HCI practice with techniques from the humanities and the arts to understand the active role users play in creating meaningful experiences around technologies, especially drawing on critical design, digital art, social science, and literary and media theory. We are particularly interested in interpretation and interaction with complex, interactive systems, which may include AI components that are themselves interpreting human behavior. Based on this understanding, we are developing technologies to support 'fuzzy' aspects of experience such as moods, not by creating and manipulating cleaned-up digital representations of them, but by finding ways to trigger such complex experiences directly in users.

We are exploring these technologies and techniques by building and testing systems which enrich and help users reflect on their experiences in public spaces, at work, and at home. These systems support patrons in sharing their normally isolated experiences of museum visits, communicate a sense of the ambient mood of an office space, share a sense of emotional climate between friends at work, explore the integration of spirituality and mindfulness with technology-mediated work, create and manipulate tableaus which invite contemplation and reflection, and support intimacy in long-distance relationships. While doing so, we are developing and testing evaluation techniques for affective presence, as well as a comprehensive theory of design for user interpretation.

For more information please contact Phoebe Sengers at sengers@cs.Cornell.edu