Kissenger: design of a kiss transmission device

In this paper, we present Kissenger (Kiss Messenger), an interactive device that provides a physical interface for transmitting a kiss between two remotely connected people. Each device is paired to another and can sense and transmit the amount of force that a user applies to a pair of lips which is recreated on the other device using motors. Kissenger was designed to augment already existing remote communication technologies such as video chat. The goal of this work is to promote intimacy between humans in long distance relationships. After presenting the background and motivation for the need of such a device, we describe the design process that consisted of three iteration stages, each with its own focus and evaluation. We then present a preliminary user study performed with seven couples that compare Kissenger to current video chat technology.

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