Ambient information design to amplify connections between new empty nest parents and their children

Abstract

Empty nest is a global social phenomenon that is constantly increasing during the recent decades. The loneliness and depression faced by parents and children lead to a decrease in life quality and other health problems especially for the families with international students. Remote family communication is crucial to reduce the symptoms and improve mental and physical health. Traditional verbal communication methods require synchronous interaction with a convenient time and a suitable environment. We aim to work on this issue from a perspective of immersive and transparent interaction through the ambient display. Based on a series of user research and iterations of concept development, our design outcome FAMILINK employs existing technologies and methods to offer a novel non-intrusive information communication experience. It constructs a cohesive system that generalizes collected data into ambient hologram display and projection and informs the user other family members’ real-time statuses in an ambient approach.