Feel Connected with Social Actors in Public Spaces

Public spaces changed in the last couple of years: abundant use of smart phones and other digitally connecting devices draw peoples' attention away from physical neighbors to virtual peer groups. So, will masses of isolated people be the desired future? We think that current technology involving new display technology and, therein, new interaction possibilities hint at a different future vision. Social connectedness and bonding are important aspects of public interaction that are often overlooked, but can be initiated and supported by technology. This paper reports on research investigating how a publicly displayed application can improve social connectedness by acting in a socially accepted way. Blobulous is a novel interactive installation that interacts with participants through projected avatars, which react to the participants’ movement and body signals. A functional prototype was implemented and evaluated.