Mobile devices are generally used in public, where the user is surrounded by others not involved in the interaction. These devices often cause unnecessary disruption and distraction both for co-located people and the users themselves. Nevertheless, mobile devices do fulfill an important function, informing of important events and urgent communications, so they can't always be turned off in social settings. Interaction with mobile and wearable devices needs to be subtle, discreet, and unobtrusive; “intimate interfaces” are discreet interfaces that allow interaction with mobile devices through subtle gestures and peripheral cues in order to minimize disruption and gain social acceptance. Two novel examples of subtle intimate interfaces are available: an electromyogram (EMG) based, wearable input/output device that recognizes subtle, motionless gestures and provides haptic output; and a wearable peripheral display embedded in eyeglasses that delivers subtle, discreet, and unobtrusive visual cues.
This project is currently retired.
Project Resources
- Glasses Intimate Interface [ view ]
Publications
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eye-q: Eyeglass Peripheral Display for Subtle Intimate Notifications
Enrico Costanza, S. A. Inverso, Elan Pavlov, Rebecca Allen and Pattie Maes (2006).
In the Proceedings of MobileHCI 2006, September 2006, Espoo, Finland. -
Subtle, Intimate Interfaces for Mobile Human Computer Interaction
Enrico Costanza (2005).
Submitted to the Program of Media Arts and Sciences School of Architecture and Planning, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Science in Media Arts and Sciences at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. September 2005.