Designing for multi-user interaction in the home environment: Implementing social translucence

© 2016 ACM. Interfaces of interactive systems for domestic use are usually designed for individual interactions although these interactions influence multiple users. In order to prevent conflicts and unforeseen influences on others we propose to leverage the human ability to take each other into consideration in the interaction. A promising approach for this is found in the social translucence framework, which was originally described by Erickson & Kellogg. In this paper, we investigate how to design multi-user interfaces for domestic interactive systems through two design cases where we focus on the implementation of social translucence constructs (visibility, awareness, and accountability) in the interaction. We use the resulting designs to extract design considerations: interfaces should not prescribe behavior, need to offer sufficient interaction alternatives, and previous settings need to be retrievable. We also identify four steps that can be integrated in any design process to help designers in creating interfaces that support multi-user interaction through social translucence

A holistic design perspective on media capturing and reliving

Copyright © 2016 ACM. People capture far more media than they are able to relive. In this paper we identify the discrepancy between media capturing and media reliving from a design perspective. We propose a holistic perspective, that invites designers of media experiences to considering all three interdependent aspects of the media process: media capturing interaction, specific media, and media reliving interaction. By adopting this view, we aim to ensure that the media that is captured will be both necessary and appropriate for the intended reliving experience. We illustrate our perspective with three design concepts. Finally, in the discussion we present several topics related to media capturing and reliving

From PhotoWork to PhotoUse: exploring personal digital photo activities

© 2017 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. People accumulate large collections of digital photos, which they use for individual, social, and utilitarian purposes. In order to provide suitable technologies for enjoying our expanding photo collections, it is essential to understand how and to what purpose these collections are used. Contextual interviews with 12 participants in their homes explored the use of digital photos, incorporating new photo activities that are offered by new technologies. Based on the qualitative analysis of the collected data, we give an overview of current photo activities, which we term PhotoUse. We introduce a model of PhotoUse, which emphasises the purpose of photo activities rather than the tools to support them. We argue for the use of our model to design tools to support the user’s individual and social goals pertaining to PhotoUse

Do we ruin the moment? Exploring the design of novel capturing technologies

Copyright © 2015 ACM. By capturing our experiences we often strive to better remember them in the future. However, the act of media capturing also influences these same experiences in the present, an area which is underexplored. This paper describes a study with the aim to inform the design of novel media capturing strategies. Adopting an approach of defamiliarization based on intervention and reflection, we strive to gain insights in the influences of future capturing technologies on the experience of a day out. We conducted an exploratory study in which 28 students went on a day out and used a variety of capturing strategies. Individual and group reflections on the experience during this day identified several important aspects that media capturing influences: engagement, perception & attention and social activity. The paper concludes with implications for design and proposes three potential future directions for media capturing, that instead of disturbing the moment enhance the experience

Re-emergence of tularemia in Germany: Presence of <it>Francisella tularensis </it>in different rodent species in endemic areas

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Tularemia re-emerged in Germany starting in 2004 (with 39 human cases from 2004 to 2007) after over 40 years of only sporadic human infections. The reasons for this rise in case numbers are unknown as is the possible reservoir of the etiologic agent <it>Francisella (F.) tularensis</it>. No systematic study on the reservoir situation of <it>F. tularensis </it>has been published for Germany so far.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We investigated three areas six to ten months after the initial tularemia outbreaks for the presence of <it>F. tularensis </it>among small mammals, ticks/fleas and water. The investigations consisted of animal live-trapping, serologic testing, screening by real-time-PCR and cultivation.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 386 small mammals were trapped. <it>F. tularensis </it>was detected in five different rodent species with carrier rates of 2.04, 6.94 and 10.87% per trapping area. None of the ticks or fleas (n = 432) tested positive for <it>F. tularensis</it>. We were able to demonstrate <it>F. tularensis-</it>specific DNA in one of 28 water samples taken in one of the outbreak areas.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The findings of our study stress the need for long-term surveillance of natural foci in order to get a better understanding of the reasons for the temporal and spatial patterns of tularemia in Germany.</p