Skimming through the papers from UbiComp 2007, I came across this paper named "Yours, Mine and Ours? Sharing and Use of Technology in Domestic Environments" by A.J. Bernheim Brush and Kori M. Inkpen from Microsoft Research, Redmond, USA and Dalhousie University, Canada. Their paper is based on user studies of 15 families (50 people in total) and their sharing and usage of technology.
At the beginning of the paper they identified two different models of domestic technology devices- appliance model, and profile model. The former allows sharing of the device with other family memebers, while the latter model is more personal that requires user authentication.
They surveyed families with varying number of technological devices in their homes to see how the sharing models mentioned above were used on various devices. They also studied if the location of the device determined how it is shared.
The survey showed that most shared devices had multiple profiles. Members had different profiles not for privacy reasons, but for personalization. The same thing holds true for personal devices. For example, portable music players are not shared because one person' s playlist might not work for another.
Based on the survey, they determined that a device with a mixed profile would be ideal for families. This way families will have to buy just one device, but it would also provide user specific functionality.
This paper is very relevant to my project because it reassures that privacy is not an issue within the families. It also outlines the features a domestic technical device must have for optimum functionality.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Thursday, June 26, 2008
A Better Picture of My Project
After four really short weeks, I have a better idea as to where my project is going.
Keeping in touch has become very easy in today's tech savvy world. Twitter, facebook, and other social networking sites provide a quick and easy way to stay connected. But, the people being left behind are the not-so-tech-savvy people, who do not use internet on a daily basis(if not every minute.) My project is to bridge this gap between the always online children and the not-so-tech-savvy parents.
For this, I plan to use a Chumby. Chumby is an ambient device that looks like a regular alarm clock, but, it connects to the internet to diplay all kinds of information like weather, news, photos and much more. This can be used to display the status updates from the internet for the parents to know about their children. A Chumby application that gives information about the children at-a-glance will helped parents stay connected.
On the other side, a facebook application linked to the Chumby will help the children get messages from their parents. Chumby has squeeze and tilt sensors. So an application that may be "pokes" on facebook when the Chumby is squeezed or sends a message when tilted would serve this purpose.
Thats what the idea is right now. Lets see how it goes :)
Keeping in touch has become very easy in today's tech savvy world. Twitter, facebook, and other social networking sites provide a quick and easy way to stay connected. But, the people being left behind are the not-so-tech-savvy people, who do not use internet on a daily basis(if not every minute.) My project is to bridge this gap between the always online children and the not-so-tech-savvy parents.
For this, I plan to use a Chumby. Chumby is an ambient device that looks like a regular alarm clock, but, it connects to the internet to diplay all kinds of information like weather, news, photos and much more. This can be used to display the status updates from the internet for the parents to know about their children. A Chumby application that gives information about the children at-a-glance will helped parents stay connected.
On the other side, a facebook application linked to the Chumby will help the children get messages from their parents. Chumby has squeeze and tilt sensors. So an application that may be "pokes" on facebook when the Chumby is squeezed or sends a message when tilted would serve this purpose.
Thats what the idea is right now. Lets see how it goes :)
User Manual for the Website
Website
What does this website do?
The map on the website shows your location based on your twitter status. You can register addresses and give them names, like work, home etc, and when one of these names appear in your twitter status, your location is updated to this map. Hope this convinces you to register here.
How to Register and Set Up your Account?
Step 1: Get a twitter account, if you don't already have one. Its free, its easy. Sign up at Twitter.com. If you already have a twitter account, make it PUBLIC!
Step 2: Click on the "register" button on the grouphome page and register yourself.
Step 3: Go to the Login page either by clicking "Login" on the homepage or after registration. Enter your username and password and your Twitter username.
Step 4: To register a location just have l:location name = location address; in your tweet. So, if you have a tweet like this- "I am at l:work= dallas,tx;" , "work" will be registered. So the next time you have the word "work" in your tweet (For example- I am at work), your location will automatically be updated on the map. Alternatively, if you do not want to register a location, but want to update your location on the map just include- l:address; in your twitter status.
Twittering Made Easy
An easy way to send tweets is through Twhirl (for Windows) Moodblast (for Linux) or Twitter Fox (my favorite). They are all application that enable you to send Tweets without having to log on to Twitter every time.
You can even send Tweets from you phone. Just register your phone number on Twitter.com and it will walk you through the following steps.
Tweet Away!
Please leave your feedback here or send me an e-mail
What does this website do?
The map on the website shows your location based on your twitter status. You can register addresses and give them names, like work, home etc, and when one of these names appear in your twitter status, your location is updated to this map. Hope this convinces you to register here.
How to Register and Set Up your Account?
Step 1: Get a twitter account, if you don't already have one. Its free, its easy. Sign up at Twitter.com. If you already have a twitter account, make it PUBLIC!
Step 2: Click on the "register" button on the grouphome page and register yourself.
Step 3: Go to the Login page either by clicking "Login" on the homepage or after registration. Enter your username and password and your Twitter username.
Step 4: To register a location just have l:location name = location address; in your tweet. So, if you have a tweet like this- "I am at l:work= dallas,tx;" , "work" will be registered. So the next time you have the word "work" in your tweet (For example- I am at work), your location will automatically be updated on the map. Alternatively, if you do not want to register a location, but want to update your location on the map just include- l:address; in your twitter status.
Twittering Made Easy
An easy way to send tweets is through Twhirl (for Windows) Moodblast (for Linux) or Twitter Fox (my favorite). They are all application that enable you to send Tweets without having to log on to Twitter every time.
You can even send Tweets from you phone. Just register your phone number on Twitter.com and it will walk you through the following steps.
Tweet Away!
Please leave your feedback here or send me an e-mail
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Article on Chumby in the Forbes a few months ago
This article captures all the features of Chumby though the author thinks it is a "goofy" device which will contribute to information overload. Well, I disagree, but still like the way this article highlights all its features and talks about other ambient devices available in the market.
http://www.forbes.com/home/technology/forbes/2008/0324/064.html
http://www.forbes.com/home/technology/forbes/2008/0324/064.html
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Website with mutliple users
This is the website for the whole group:
http://crypt.ucd.ie/poornima/odysseus/grouphome.php
On this website, you can see what everyone is odysseus is upto and where they are. It works similar to the previous website, only, now it allows multiple users to register their twitter username, work and home addresses. It displays your twitter statuses . It also shows your location. If you have the word "work" in you twitter status, the google map will show your location at the work address you registered. Hope that makes sense :)
You can register at http://crypt.ucd.ie/poornima/odysseus/register.php. You can update your twitter username and addresses at any time here: http://crypt.ucd.ie/odysseus/login.php.
While you are at it, I also request you to follow Odysseus2008 on twitter. It is a group account and if you send direct messages to this account, everyone in the group will get the message. We are going to use this account to set up something like this: https://eniac.hopto.org/soiaware/twitter_display/
Thanks guys!
http://crypt.ucd.ie/poornima/odysseus/grouphome.php
On this website, you can see what everyone is odysseus is upto and where they are. It works similar to the previous website, only, now it allows multiple users to register their twitter username, work and home addresses. It displays your twitter statuses . It also shows your location. If you have the word "work" in you twitter status, the google map will show your location at the work address you registered. Hope that makes sense :)
You can register at http://crypt.ucd.ie/poornima/odysseus/register.php. You can update your twitter username and addresses at any time here: http://crypt.ucd.ie/odysseus/login.php.
While you are at it, I also request you to follow Odysseus2008 on twitter. It is a group account and if you send direct messages to this account, everyone in the group will get the message. We are going to use this account to set up something like this: https://eniac.hopto.org/soiaware/twitter_display/
Thanks guys!
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Website Update
Two additions to the website- both that make Nabaztag talk:
1) You can send you name and message and hit send and the Nabaztag will say your message out loud.
2) You can send your twitter username and it will say your latest tweet aloud.
-This form doesn't validate the twitter username yet...so makesure your twitter username is correct...also, please make sure your twitter profile is NOT PRIVATE.....have fun sending messages :)
1) You can send you name and message and hit send and the Nabaztag will say your message out loud.
2) You can send your twitter username and it will say your latest tweet aloud.
-This form doesn't validate the twitter username yet...so makesure your twitter username is correct...also, please make sure your twitter profile is NOT PRIVATE.....have fun sending messages :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)