Presentation - Feb 2010

Early Concepts

Wearable Camera with Emotional Sensing Technology
This concept consists of two parts. A camera is worn around the neck and a watch is worn around the wrist. The watch takes measurements of the user's skin conductivity and their pulse. These readings are used to gauge the emotional state of the person wearing the device. The camera can be shared by different users throughout a night (right) or it could be hung up to capture an event from a stationary or raised vantage point.

From Concepts

Watch used to Control Wearable Camera
The watch in this concept measures the emotional state of the user. The watch can be used to program the camera to take pictures at different times....
1. When the user's heart rate and skin conductivity increase (they are stimulated)
2. At time intervals (ie every 5 minutes or every 10 seconds, etc)
3. At a specific time (when a button on the watch is pressed)

From Concepts

Using Wearable Camera
In this concept the camera itself can be programmed to take pictures and also measures the heart rate using sensors in the chain of the necklace. This eliminates the need for the device on the user's wrist.

From Concepts

Using BlackBerry along with Wearable Camera
Instead of using a secondary device such as a watch, the camera could be paired with a BlackBerry to program and control the camera. Another form is examined here; the camera is clipped to the shirt instead of being held by a string or chain. This also allows the heart rate and skin conductivity to be taken with the same device that the camera is housed in, eliminating the need for a second device.

From Concepts

Emotion Sensing Watch Concept
Sensors are located in the band of the watch. These sensors detect the pulse of the user and their skin conductivity. These two measurements are the best way of observing the emotional state of the user.

From Concepts

Location Tagging Stylus
In this concept, the user is able to leave location tagged messages for their friends. Using this stylus, a message or picture can be written anywhere. The message is tagged to the specific location where it is made. The recipient of the message can see it when looking through their BlackBerry camera. Messages can be for a specific person or can be public for all to view.

From Concepts

Location Tagging Finger Concept
This concept works on the same principle as the stylus (above) but takes a different form factor. This device fits on the end of the user's finger. It could be on a key-chain or attach directly to a BlackBerry.

From Concepts

Heads Up Display Control Device
This small device would be concealed in the user's pocket while they use their BlackBerry device via a heads up display. It uses an optical track pad to allow the user to scroll around the BlackBerry's operating system. It has buttons around the track pad similar to those found on the BlackBerry device.

From Concepts

Finger Control For Heads Up Display Concept
In this concept, the user rubs their fingers together to control an image, just the track ball allows you to scroll around a BlackBerry screen. The user would view an image of the screen on a heads up display allowing them to be aware of their surroundings while using their BlackBerry.

From Concepts

Concept Sketches

My goal is to introduce a new device that will help introduce RIM to Generation Y. I will do this by creating a product that will be useful in situations specific to them. It will target the growing need for social networking and communication between large groups of people. Currently the things Generation Y uses to communicate between large groups are service based; typically web applications such as facebook, which can be applied to smartphones. These applications have no location based service to accompany them at this point in time. I plan on designing a device for Generation Y that will incorporate his/her need for social interaction with friends, and give them the ability to leave messages for one other.

These explorative sketches look at different ways that this type of system could be applied to a device for generation Y.

Emotional Sensing and Camera Concepts
In these concepts, emotional outputs from the body such as heart rate and skin conductivity would be measured by the device. It would then react to the user's needs without the user having to "use" the device in the typical sense....
ie. If the user became excited (their heart rate increased) the camera would take a picture for them, allowing them to capture moments that are important to them.

From Concepts

Heads Up Display Concepts
These sketches explore the possibility of attaching a projection device to a pair of glasses that the user wears. The device allows the user to view their BlackBerry screen on the inner surface of their glasses. This concept allows the user to be fully present in their environment while also utilizing the communication functions of their BlackBerry.

From Concepts

Problem Scenarios

Possible Solutions

Opportunities and Proposed Solutions

Opportunity

- Generation Y are becoming mentally disconnected with their surroundings

- This causes their face to face interaction skills to deteriorate

- There are many examples of large group events where little or no communication takes place between people

- Organizing group events takes many messages or phone calls which can eat away at the user's cell phone plan

- It is hard to locate or contact friends when they are in a group setting, often with loud music

- People often communicate around a device such as a computer or cell phone, using the device to facilitate interactions

Measures of Success

- People will not miss out on social interactions and will be encouraged to interact with those around them

- Organizing a large group will be made more intuitive

- It will be easier to find friends in all types of environments, such as at parties, in transit and when it is inappropriate for them to respond in a text message or phone call

- Cell phone communication with friends will be made easier without the need for an expensive data plan

Proposed Solutions

- Wearable devices can make it easier to communicate with people without blocking out your surrounding environment

They can also monitor body systems and give emotional information to friends or to your device

- Different ways of mapping friends and possibly their emotional state can lead to communicating easier, without excluding you from your environment

- A public device that facilitates communication between strangers or with friends when in a group setting

General Project Description

The general goal of this project is to break down barriers that we as a society have created for ourselves through the use of our mobile devices. I will be looking into the behaviours of people as they set up group events and interact with one another in group settings. The result of my research will be a device that helps coordinate group events or will help facilitate interactions in group settings. I am also looking into sensory inputs that will give the device a sense of the emotional state of the user.

Technology has allowed Generation Y to communicate with each other in new ways. They keep in contact with many friends that they do not see on a regular basis. Internet sites like facebook and twitter allow people to keep track of their friends but many relationships are purely virtual with no face to face communication. These groups of friends that exist in cyberspace stay virtual because it takes a lot of effort to coordinate events between large groups of people. If communicating through text messages, it may take multiple messages (5-15) with each person to feel them out and convince them to take part in an event. It is also difficult to coordinate events that everyone will enjoy when dealing with a large group.

The goal of the device is to get people together in person with friends and other people that they may not know, but have a common interest with. The device could give real time feedback about how many people are at an event, what friends you have that are near or at the event, and give a reading of how excited or stimulated the people at the event are. It will attempt to simplify the process leading to a large group activity. Generation-Y is full of people who want to get more out of their time. I plan on exploring a solution that will eliminate the unnecessary tasks that go into planning an event and help maximize the amount of fun they have when they go out.

Currently the products on the market that that try to accommodate large group events are either cell phone applications or internet applications such as facebook. My product would incorporate groups from cell phones (ie BBM groups) and online groups (ie facebook groups or twitter followers). It would then add the aspect of real time positioning and feelings of the users to give information on current events that are taking place. Within generation-Y an outer circle of friends are commonly communicated with but hardly ever seen. This device would try to help the user get together with people outside their inner circle of friends more often. It would also help eliminate the fact that many relationships are strictly virtual, where people don’t ever see each other but keep in contact because they are interested in what these people are doing. For this device to be successful it will need to eliminate many of the small communications needed to coordinate events. It should also give a measure of how fun an event is or how people feel about the event as it is going on so that others can judge whether or not they want to join this event. There are environmental considerations that will need to be accounted for if I am going to propose a solution that will exist in a large group setting. Ambient noise can be a concern if the device needs to take in auditory inputs. Theft is an issue that will have to be considered due to the fact that the solution may be used in large, crowded group settings. The proposed solution could have an added element of functionality that is created when the devices are brought close to one another to signal that your friends are close by. The solution could come in a range of different forms from a wearable device to a public device, or even a device that stays in the user’s home. In any situation, the proposed solution would have communication with a mobile device, and they would work in cooperation.