CoRoot: A Collaborative Planting System to Strengthen Intergenerational Relationships

Abstract

The grandparent-grandchild relationship plays an essential and irreplaceable role in life. Strong intergenerational relationships benefit both grandparents and grandchildren. However, social conditions and geographical isolation make it difficult for young people to develop close relationships with their grandparents. In this paper, we explore the collaborative planting system, CoRoot, which is designed to facilitate intergenerational relationships. CoRoot allows young people and their grandparents to water each other's vegetables at a distance and to harvest ripe vegetables through collaborative watering. This paper presents the system design of CoRoot, the interactive mode of the system, and a user study of its usability. We found that collaborative planting can create a link between generations. Our design is expected to provide opportunities for intergenerational communication and promote the emotional bond between grandparents and young people.