DSS represented at CHI 2019 in Glasgow

During the CHI Conference 2019 in Glasgow, Scotland, Digital Society School track will be represented with works from the Fall2018 semester. The late-breaking papers about our projects ‘Smarter Campus‘, ‘Intention Mirror’ and ‘Smart Growkit’ written by Dan Xu, Mick Jongeling and Ilaria Zonda under the supervision of Gijs Huisman are accepted and will be shown in the first round of posters.  To give you an impression of the topics of the paper, we share the abstracts.

Growkit: Using Technology to Support People Growing Food at Home

The rapid growth of urban populations creates challenges for food production. One solution that is potentially more sustainable than current methods is localized production, in particular food production by individuals at home. Growing food at home is possible, but it is a process that requires motivation, knowledge and skills. Here, we present the design of a sensor platform aimed at helping individuals in urban environments grow food at home by informing them about the needs of their plants and, based on urban farming practices, by connecting them with a network of growers to share knowledge and produce.

Opportunities of Quantified Self for resocialisation of (ex-)convicts

Resocialisation is a guided process by which ex-convicts are introduced back into society. An issue that arises in this process is that ex-convicts are behind on technological developments when they return to society. Here, we present work on how quantified self technology, as an alternative to the present-day ankle monitor, can be a helpful tool to obtain overview and insight in their progress. In particular, we present a prototype that physically monitors stress levels as an indicator of behavioural patterns. Results from research with former convicts shows how giving ownership over tracking data can help the user group understand their societal status and become more sovereign during their resocialisation process. Finally, we reflect on ethical questions regarding data gathering, Quantified Other and privacy for ex-convicts

Learning from Public Toilet Doors: Designing a Participatory Feedback Platform for a Connected Campus

Writing on walls in public spaces has been a way for people to communicate and express themselves. In this paper, we present the design of a participatory feedback gathering system inspired by this practice. By engaging the campus community in sharing their feedback on the use of spaces and facilities, we aim to encourage them to participate in co-creating the campus space. Our prototype combines a physical object’s affordance to attract attention with an internet forum to gather feedback. We document some key findings from our exploratory study and share ideas about future work.

Gijs Huisman and Dan Xu will be present at CHI 2019, which will take place between 4-9 May.