The experience of dancing with remote friends can provide the opportunity to deepen intimacy in distance. However, existing remote dancing platforms have proven insufficient in conveying the presence of friends in our physical atmosphere. In this paper, we explore ‘ how can we design the presence of a remote friend’ during the dance. To achieve this objective we employed a visual design approach called “sharing the same ground”.Our experimental prototype enables two individuals to engage in dancing within their respective physical space, while simultaneously visualizing their footsteps movement to each other in real-time. Using motion sensors to capture foot position and rotation, we project calculated footsteps visuals on the floor to facilitate dancing. Through qualitative analysis, we concluded that the prototype establishes the strong presence of friends engaged in remote dancing.

Art has deep connections with both disability and HCI research. From disabled bodies becoming avatars of novel forms of expression, to artistic work being created as an act of resistance, art has been a powerful tool to subvert ableist narratives. Artistic practices have also helped to inspire, innovate and push the boundaries of HCI, giving rise to new technologies and interaction possibilities. Our paper presents the exploration of the experiences and practices of 17 artists who used wheelchairs for mobility. Through the thematic analysis of interviews, we conceptualize three themes: (1) Personal journeys through art and disability; (2) Social encounters through art, (3) Skills and technology in art making. From these themes, we reflect on how art can help HCI researchers to capture the complexity of the experiences of disability and assistive technology use and how collaboration with disabled artists could help to rethink the design of disruptive artistic technologies.

In this paper, we present AromaCue, an initial design for a scent-based toolkit to cope with stressful situations using scent conditioning. The AromaCue toolkit consists of two parts: a breath training device using multiple stimuli and a wearable scent-emitting device (with a stress ball as an activator). Scent can trigger emotional memories. In the initial design, we utilized the properties of various scents as retrieval cues for consciousness breathing. In a comparative experiment, eight participants showed a significant heart rate decrease several minutes after a stressor (the Stroop test) when a scent cue was present, but not without it. One week of user study revealed significant improvement on Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) scores. Therefore, AromaCue can help users to cope with stress.

We present a concept of AURA, an urban personal projection to initiate the communication. In this work, we focus on how to break the ice with strangers through technology in urban public space. The Aura, as an enliven spiritual pet, floats around user's feet. We introduce a simple interaction scenario, attracting a person who comes within personal distance of the user who carries the AURA. To break the ice between strangers, a projected butterfly as the Aura is moved toward a person who comes within 2m of the user, and then back and forth to attract that person. We believe that externalized interactive representation of the user in the form of a spiritual pet can ease and facilitate the communication, serve as a conversation starter, and make the interactions between people more fun.

In this paper, we introduce a design for an electronic toy that is variable in shape and flexibility by using a structural object called "Ninja Track," which is a belt-shaped object that consists of ABS parts hinged both longitudinally and transversely. When lying flat, Ninja Track is adequately flexible. When the user folds Ninja Track at the longitudinal hinges, it loses its flexibility and becomes a rigid stick. We have created two types of electronic toys as applications of this structure. During the toy prototyping process, we discovered five interactional considerations for Ninja Track. Whilst showing toys at public exhibitions over a period of two weeks, we discovered a few problems with Ninja Track, and we have implemented solutions to these problems.

Recommendation systems have become widespread, however these systems only determine information inputted from the customers through a browser, and cannot be used when actually moving around outside. This paper presents TTI Model, a model extracting individual's curiosity level in urban spaces on their spare time by collecting behavior data from sensors. It calculates person's real time curiosity level by analyzing behavior depending on the walking speed within the city, such as window shopping or just hanging around by themselves. This paper evaluates this model with a sensor device prototype, and elaborates possibilities when understanding individuals in detail, by extracting the curiosity predicted from current behaviors using sensors.

Myglobe is a user generated navigation service that enables users to share each cognitive map with one another. Cognitive map is a personalized map, shape of which is emphasized according to user's preference and activity in the city. It facilitates users to look back on their own city and have a new understanding by using an application in smart phones and physically interacting with a globe shaped device. In this paper, we present Myglobe service for users to achieve a new city experience with cognitive maps.

"furimifurazumi" is a lighting device that let users intuitively know about the sign of rain in architectural space by using ambient media, a light and sound. This device works with various expression of lighting and sound, which are generated by the precipitation data from internet and Live E! system[1]. Our system in connection with meteorological sensor node enables the user to feel the outside atmosphere in the room.

Photographic technology that appeared in the early 19th century has been integrated into many aspects of our lives with many technical innovations such as snapshots of 35 mm films, digital photography and snapshots, and online photo sharing service. As a result, today many people can enjoy expressiveness of photography compared to the fact that only limited people were allowed to use photography when it was emerged.

This paper describes the "xtel" development environment for "Ubiquitous Content". Ubiquitous contents are real space applications that are embedded in day-to-day life and intended for use by consumers. This is content that is experienced through interaction with people, objects and environments that exist in real space. Xtel comprises three tools: the "moxa" MCU board that connects to sensors and actuators and is capable of short-distance wireless communications; the "Talktic" programming/runtime environment for the MCU board that contains a JavaScript parser, compiler, VM and library; and the "Entity Collaborator" P2P network library that is capable of handling continuous information such as video and audio in addition to the discrete information from sensors. Its use both accelerates development and makes development itself easier. As sample applications, this paper also contains an overview of three rapid prototypes developed for use in demonstrations at Maker Faire 2008.

Abstract We present Emo System that extends e‐mail communication system in a workspace environment. In this system, the emotional information included in e‐mail message is extracted and shared in the public space, while reserving the private exchange of messages. As a result, people in the public space become aware of the ‘emotional’ information. This paper discusses how we extract and segment the information to share the emotional information. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

In this paper, we propose Amagatana (the name means "rainy sword" in Japanese), which is a mystical sword for enjoying the blithe feeling after the rain. Amagatana seems to be just a plastic umbrella. However, it makes a sound of swords clashing in response to the player's swing. Amagatana also gives us the consciousness "What is your reality is not everybody's reality".

We suggest a new communication entertainment content to create a nonverbal connecting in communication by using human physical information. The miXer we produce is a content of attraction type for two people by applying medical discovery such bio-feedback and entrainment phenomenon. In the miXer it senses a physical information and feed back them in the information like visualization, sound, and vibration we can recognize, so you can enjoy an unprecedented communication in this fantastic space.

This research focuses on movies as a new communication tool, and proposes a self expression movie generating system "atMOS". The purpose of this research is to encourage mobile movie communication. Therefore, this system adopts the concept of exchangeability, expressivity and reproducibility for mobile movie contents.In "atMOS", based on the sub-concept of "self packaging movie", users can make an original promotion movie of themselves which can be viewed on 3G cellular phones. Users can enjoy the original movie not only by themselves but also with other people by exchanging these movies as a communication tool, using the cellular phone.

This proposal discusses utilizing Mixed Reality (MR) systems as an interface for storytelling, using a picture book as a metaphor. "Little Red" implements methods of re-creating literary work in 3D using MR techniques and a head-mounted display (HMD).

Abstract Artists do not always pursue photographic realism. The image abstraction and deformation of three‐dimensional scenes are methods to communicate ideas. Images are the visual interpretation of real life or imaginary scenes. This paper describes the idea of an infinite reflection model in which synthetic objects to be rendered are surrounded by closed reflective surfaces. The closed mirror surfaces create the ‘feedback’ effect which deforms objects inside the reflective space. Lens distortion effects are achieved by surrounding infinitely reflective curved surfaces. This technique provides a new visual tool for artists and graphic designers.