Balance, cogito and dott:Exploring media modalities for everyday-life reflection

Reflection in and on everyday life can provide selfinsight, increase gratitude and have a positive effect on well-being. To integrate reflection in everyday life, media technologies can provide support. In this paper, we explore how both media creation & use in different modalities can support reflection. We present the ongoing work of designing and building Balance, Cogito, and Dott, focusing on media in audible, textual and visual form. We discuss our research-Through-design process and address the differences between modalities in terms of interaction, tangibility, and the integration in everyday life

Method of controlling an apparatus

The invention relates to an apparatus comprising user operable control means for controlling the apparatus, detection means for detecting an object and determining an identity of said object, and associating means for associating control options with said identity, the control means being operable to apply said control options in response to the detection means detecting and identifying said object

The geometry of phase mixing

Partially phase-mixed structures in galaxies occupy a complex surface of dimension D in six-dimensional phase space. The appearance of such structures to observers is determined by their projection into a subspace whose dimensionality K is determined by the number of observables (e.g. sky position, distance, radial velocity, etc.). We discuss the expected dimensionality of phase-space structures and suggest that the most prominent features in surveys with K=D or K>D will be stable singularities (catastrophes). The simplest of these are the shells seen in the outer parts of elliptical galaxies.Comment: 14 pages, Latex, 4 figures. Submitted to MNRA

Enriching everyday lived experiences in dementia care

Research in HCI is increasingly investigating the role of technology in supporting meaningful and social activities to enhance the lived experiences of people with dementia. However, to further enrich the daily experiences in care, more insight is needed into how technology can directly promote social participation and pleasurable experiences in everyday care situations. This paper discusses the deployment of VITA and SAM: two research products that address the social and emotional needs of residents in day-to-day dementia care. We report how both products offered aesthetic and sensory enrichment, created new experiences in the everyday, and were integrated into the care environment. Furthermore, we identify implications for design to provide: 1) aesthetics in care, 2) authentic experiences, 3) reinforcing everyday life, and 4) community-driven use in practice. We contribute to existing research by demonstrating how technology for dementia care can transcend instrumental use and culminate in warm-felt everyday experiences