WearLove: Affective Communication via Wearable Device with Gamification

In this paper, we present WearLove, a wrist-worn device and mobile application for enhancing affective communication between users. It enables two users to send a heart symbol to each other's wristband monitors by touching the sensor on the band. Given that the gamification causes the user motivation, we add the gamification elements to the app. The more they express their love to each other via the wristband, the bigger a tree will be grown in the app. By using WearLove, we would like to figure out it can actually enhance the affective communication between users. Add to this, we also investigate the gamification elements in the app can evoke the user motivation for affective communication. To address these questions, three group interviews were conducted during one hour for each couple. (N = 6, 3 couples) Results indicated that WearLove may evoke user motivation for affective communication. Key findings and limitations are going to be discussed in the paper.

[1]  Marilyn Tremaine.  CHI '01 Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems , 2001, CHI Extended Abstracts.

[2]  Robert Kowalski,et al.  cubble: a multi-device hybrid approach supporting communication in long-distance relationships , 2013, TEI '13.

[3]  Juho Hamari,et al.  Defining gamification: a service marketing perspective , 2012, MindTrek.

[4]  Desney S. Tan,et al.  CHI '11 Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems , 2008, CHI 2011.

[5]  Peta Wyeth,et al.  GameFlow: a model for evaluating player enjoyment in games , 2005, CIE.

[6]  Tovi Grossman,et al.  GamiCAD: a gamified tutorial system for first time autocad users , 2012, UIST.

[7]  Robin Jeffries,et al.  CHI '06 Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems , 2006, CHI 2006.

[8]  Kenton O'Hara,et al.  Gamification. using game-design elements in non-gaming contexts , 2011, CHI Extended Abstracts.

[9]  Hiroshi Ishii,et al.  LumiTouch: an emotional communication device , 2001, CHI Extended Abstracts.

[10]  Tao Dong,et al.  Discovery-based games for learning software , 2012, CHI.

[11]  Ted Selker,et al.  Lover's cups: drinking interfaces as new communication channels , 2006, CHI Extended Abstracts.

[12]  M. Csíkszentmihályi.  The flow experience and its significance for human psychology. , 1988 .

[13]  Juho Hamari,et al.  Does Gamification Work? -- A Literature Review of Empirical Studies on Gamification , 2014, 2014 47th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences.