Exploring Long-Term Mediated Relations with a Shape-Changing Thing: A Field Study of coMorphing Stool

Title of the Paper

Exploring Long-Term Mediated Relationships with Morphing Objects: A Field Study of the coMorphing Stool

Paper Information

• Subject Area: Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Morphing Interfaces, Technological Mediation, Materiality and Interaction Design
• Keywords: Morphing Interfaces, Technological Mediation, Materiality of Interaction Design, Design Research, Multistability, Postphenomenology

Research Background and Problem

• Problems and Challenges:
  1. Most studies on morphing objects in HCI are conducted in laboratory settings, lacking in-field and long-term research.
  2. How morphing objects alter human-object relationships in daily environments and how these relationships evolve over time remain underexplored.
  3. There is insufficient understanding of how "technological mediation" is embodied in design, especially in the context of long-term use.
• Significance: Morphing objects offer new perspectives and potential for interaction design in daily life, which could have profound implications for design practices and user experiences. Such studies also advance theoretical and practical knowledge of dynamic objects within the HCI field.
• Research Motivation: This study aims to explore how shape-changing objects, exemplified by the coMorphing Stool, mediate human-object relationships in long-term living environments. The research employs postphenomenological theory (technological mediation, multistability, etc.) as an analytical framework, focusing on interpretive, alterity, and background relations.

Solution

• Proposed Methods and Solutions:

  1. Design and Implementation of the coMorphing Stool: This object adjusts its shape in response to changes in ambient light. Its design emphasizes dynamic physical expression and material interactivity.
  2. Nine-Month Long-Term Field Study: Five coMorphing Stools were deployed in the homes of five participants, with data collected through interviews, diary entries, and other methods to capture long-term interaction experiences.
  3. Theoretical Framework: The study applies postphenomenological theories of technological mediation (e.g., multistability, transparency, field of awareness) to analyze the mediated relationships formed by the coMorphing Stool.

• Innovations:

  1. This study is the first to introduce morphing objects into long-term field environments, generating high-quality real-world experiential data.
  2. It investigates morphing devices through the lens of the materiality of interaction, exploring how dynamic material forms can enhance human-computer interaction.
  3. It extends the intersection of postphenomenological theory and design in the context of technological mediation.

• Implementation Steps:

  1. Design and Form: The coMorphing Stool is covered with white elastic fabric and uses photoresistors and linear actuators to create a dynamic shape-changing mechanism.
  2. Manufacturing and Deployment: Five coMorphing Stools were produced and delivered to participants' homes, emphasizing portability, rechargeability, and durability.
  3. Data Collection and Analysis: User experiences over nine months were recorded through interviews and observations. Data analysis employed constructivist grounded theory to code and categorize the technological mediation relationships.

Research Outcomes

• Key Findings:

  1. Users gradually transitioned from initial curiosity to diverse and personalized interpretations and uses of the coMorphing Stool.
  2. The morphing device was utilized as a timer, pet, and reminder tool, eventually becoming an integral part of household life.
  3. Empirical insights were provided on how morphing objects support long-term interpretive, alterity, and background relations.

• Comparison with Existing Solutions: Compared to previous short-term, lab-based studies, this research generated in-depth experiential data on the long-term use of morphing objects in everyday environments.

• Experimental and Evaluation Results:

  1. The dynamic changes of the coMorphing Stool successfully captured users' attention and encouraged daily reflection during long-term use.
  2. Users created vivid, dynamic interaction imagery from its sounds and shape changes, often anthropomorphizing it as a pet or living entity.
  3. Users gradually integrated it into their daily lives as part of the background, demonstrating the multistability and transparency of technological mediation.

• Limitations and Future Directions:

  1. Limitations:
     • The study's participants were primarily individual users with design backgrounds, lacking diverse perspectives from other user groups or families.
     • Although the study spanned nine months, it remains insufficient for observing long-term (e.g., multi-year) relationship changes.
  2. Future Directions:
     • Invite users from diverse backgrounds (e.g., non-design professionals or group members) for similar in-depth studies.
     • Explore how morphing objects can play a greater role in workspaces and other public environments.
     • Enhance the autonomy and interactivity of morphing devices through artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Conclusion

Through a nine-month field study of the coMorphing Stool, this research explores how morphing objects establish complex mediated relationships with users, enriching the application of postphenomenological theory in the study of morphing objects and generating reflective insights into HCI and materiality-focused design.