Minimal Intimate Objects COMM/INFO 440/640: Advanced Human Computer Interaction Minimal Intimate Objects: Low-bandwidth communication for couples in long-distance relationships Joseph 'Jofish' Kaye, Mariah Levitt, Jeffrey Nevins, Jessica Golden and Vanessa Schmidt

Minimal Intimate Objects COMM/INFO 440/640: Advanced Human Computer Interaction HCI and Intimacy Intimacy as a ‘slippery’ subject– hard to define –“a feeling of closeness” –“feeling physically, emotionally and mentally connected” Current methods of communication are high- bandwidth (telephone, IM, ) –Rated “somewhat effective” at maintaining intimacy in a long-distance relationship Past research created elegant but ad-hoc designs for communicating intimacy

Minimal Intimate Objects COMM/INFO 440/640: Advanced Human Computer Interaction Minimal Intimate Objects Is it possible to communicate something as complicated as intimacy over a one-bit communication device?

Minimal Intimate Objects COMM/INFO 440/640: Advanced Human Computer Interaction Prototypes MinIO (Minimal Intimate Object): Computer built inside an Altoids mints container with a button and a large red LED (light). Connected to partner via Internet When button is pushed, partner’s light glows bright red, then fades over time

Minimal Intimate Objects COMM/INFO 440/640: Advanced Human Computer Interaction Prototypes VIO (Virtual Intimate Object): Software device represented as a small red circle in the taskbar of Window’s screen When circle is clicked, partner’s circle glows bright red, then fades over time

Minimal Intimate Objects COMM/INFO 440/640: Advanced Human Computer Interaction Focus: VIO In this talk, and in the paper, we are focusing on the use of the VIO. All results and statistics are for couples using the VIO, not the MinIO. This is due to a combination of technical problems with the MinIOs (getting network connections) and participant dropout.

Minimal Intimate Objects COMM/INFO 440/640: Advanced Human Computer Interaction Methodology: Participants Participants –10 couples in existing long-distance relationships (n=20) 5 couples assigned to VIO (n=10) 5 couples assigned to MinIO (n=10)

Minimal Intimate Objects COMM/INFO 440/640: Advanced Human Computer Interaction Methodology: Procedure Procedure –Initial screening for technology –Pre-test questionnaire –Daily Logbook for 7 days –Post-test questionnaire –Server logs of every use of IO

Minimal Intimate Objects COMM/INFO 440/640: Advanced Human Computer Interaction Server Data When a VIO is in use, it checks in with the server every ten seconds, which is logged. The server logs every time a button is pressed. From this we can answer questions like “How many times a day did the local partner in couple 5 press the button? The remote partner?”

Minimal Intimate Objects COMM/INFO 440/640: Advanced Human Computer Interaction Methodology: Logbook Some question the same every day: –I think I pressed the button ___ times –I think my partner pressed the button ___ times –Likert scales: Questions about relationship; questions about VIO –Explain one of your answers to the Likert scale questions Some questions new every day: –I would name my VIO… –Draw a picture of your ideal IO –Tell us a better way to do this study

Minimal Intimate Objects COMM/INFO 440/640: Advanced Human Computer Interaction Results 1.Participants used it: 14 to 168 times a day (average 53, SD 65) 2.75% reported VIO made them feel closer to their partner during the study. 3.88% stated it became a regular part of their daily routine. 4.63% felt it was an optional, fun activity. 5.Many participants found it was an unobtrusive way to communicate while at work.

Minimal Intimate Objects COMM/INFO 440/640: Advanced Human Computer Interaction Couples generally used their VIO more than they thought they did CoupleSelf reportActual hitsOff by… V % V % V % V % V % AVG % STDEV %

Minimal Intimate Objects COMM/INFO 440/640: Advanced Human Computer Interaction Responses “When she's online and I'm not distracted by something else, I enjoy seeing VIO red. I feel closer to her.” “…Sometimes you just don’t have time to talk and its nice to have something to know you’re still in your lover’s thoughts, especially in long-distance relationships.” “When I see my VIO light up it makes me happy cause I know [my boyfriend] is thinking about me.”

Minimal Intimate Objects COMM/INFO 440/640: Advanced Human Computer Interaction Not everyone’s happy… Clicking can feel like an obligation (only 37.5%) –“It seemed more like an obligation because I would get yelled at by my partner if I didn't press it some days.” –This confirms our hypothesis that couples using the VIO functions as a two-person gift economy: when giving a gift, there is an expectation of return. 67% reported it “fell short of their initial expectations”

Minimal Intimate Objects COMM/INFO 440/640: Advanced Human Computer Interaction …but some are. Three of the five couples in this study have continued to use their VIOs now that the study is over.

Minimal Intimate Objects COMM/INFO 440/640: Advanced Human Computer Interaction Theory: Interpersonal, not media richness Our subjects use their VIO despite the presence and choice of richer media, like , instant messaging and telephone. This agrees with Walther’s (1996) theory of communication, and agrees with his debunking of media richness theory. (This is well known in CMC, not in HCI.)

Minimal Intimate Objects COMM/INFO 440/640: Advanced Human Computer Interaction Minimal Intimate Objects Is it possible to communicate something as complicated as intimacy over a one-bit communication device? Yes.

Minimal Intimate Objects COMM/INFO 440/640: Advanced Human Computer Interaction Future work Longer testing period Physical vs. virtual intimate objects Changes to VIO –Decrease perceived response time –Let users pick own schedule for color change –Let users add sounds –Let users define own colors Open source minimal intimate objects –Hardware design, VIO, server