Home > Research > Publications & Outputs > Tending a virtual garden
View graph of relations

Tending a virtual garden: exploring connectivity between cities

Research output: Contribution in Book/Report/Proceedings - With ISBN/ISSNConference contribution/Paperpeer-review

Published
Close
Publication date2013
Host publicationUbiComp Adjunct '13
Place of PublicationNew York
PublisherAssociation for Computing Machinery (ACM)
Pages761-764
Number of pages4
ISBN (print)9781450322157
<mark>Original language</mark>English

Abstract

This paper introduces a new experience-driven design concept to public spaces, such as bus stops, to strengthen connections between cities and their citizens. With the prototype described here we are provoking inquiry into whether the "technology" that is a bus stop, with high tech augmentations can engender
civic engagement and more interconnected cities. Our preliminary user studies showed that people, while waiting for the bus, do not interact with each other,
and as such are “alone together”. Our concept is to connect people in the city, and also between two different cities by utilizing their waiting time. ‘Virtual
Garden’ creates the experience of ‘being connected’ by providing users with the possibility to ‘grow’ a collaborative garden using a smartphone and natural
gestures as the control interaction. Lo-fi prototypes were used to gather user feedback which informed the design of the 'Virtual Garden'.