28th
new to me but old to the world
The Kiss Communicator
“The Kiss Communicator is an IDEO concept prototype that allows you to blow a kiss to your beloved when s/he’s at the other part of the world.
To let a partner know that you are thinking of her or him, you squeeze the Communicator gently. It responds with a slight glow to invite you to blow into it and create your “message” in the form of an animated light sequence as the device responds to your breath. The “message” shows while you blow and if you are happy with it, you simply relax your grip and it is sent to the corresponding Communicator. Sensors in the handheld device pick up your kiss, translate the impulse into a series of randomly lit LEDs, which are then transmitted as a slow glow to your partner’s device. On the other end, the Kiss Communicator indicates that there is a message but waits until its owner squeezes it to play back the light sequence.”
I think this is a fascinating device that Bill Moggridge touches on in his Designing Interactions book. How can we sustain an intimate connection with someone we love long distance? There are many answers to this question. I will pick the one that espouses my design creativity. We develop a bond, a closeness, companionship, confidant, a feeling that they’re close to us and that they’ll be there when we need them. While instant messaging, texting, phone calls and video chatting help to bridge that gap, they aren’t the same as a “my mind has wandered and I’m thinking about you.” Additionally they do not give you the same tactile feedback as you would get from an embrace. The Kiss Communicator (now KC) is an inventive ford to this river. While one can receive texts/calls/emails from anyone, your KC messages can only come from one source (at least I don’t think you can get a 2-1 KC hehe) This is akin to the President’s red direct-line telephone. You also can caress the KC much like you would your companion, it even responds to you, then relays the message.
I don’t know if I’d actually want one, its a bit creepy, but from a design perspective I think its a fascinating case, and it looks like you can hold it just like you would a Tribble. Now, I just wish that the Kiss Communicator looked like one of those and I might change my mind about buying one:
