As technology becomes increasingly intrusive in the modern era of Ubiquitous Computing the need to prioritise a user’s cognitive load will become a critical aspect of human-centred design. The theory of Calm technology provides a framework for designing devices which use the periphery of our attention.
In the 1990s, researchers Mark Weiser and John Seely Brown at Xerox PARC anticipated that computers would become a dominant force in domestic environments. Today, our devices constantly compete for our attention in a modern experience they described as the era of Ubiquitous Computing.
‘Locatedness’ is one of the central themes of Calm Technology. This project brings this idea into the context of an intimate or familial relationship.
Relationships with our loved ones have become reliant on the use of smartphones. This exemplifies the proliferation of ubiquitous computing in the domestic environment.
How might we communicate without the use of these over-stimulating devices?
‘Me and You’ is a system in which two identical devices communicate wirelessly. A pair of users can indicate to one another their home or away status with a simple interaction - a touch anywhere on the surface of the object. This touch is reflected in the object’s twin by triggering a lamp within the house’s familiar form.
The experience creates a subconscious awareness of one another, and a sense of presence that is unachievable with the complexities of our smartphones. The project acts as a vehicle for the uniquely calming effects of our loved ones, bringing them into the home even when apart.
