Information is a central theme of the twenty-first century. This is evident in the fact that everyday objects are being augmented to provide information. Thus, ubiquitous computing – providing information using everyday objects – becomes increasingly popular. The problem is that information requires attention for acquisition. Hence, ubiq- uitous computing puts a strain on attention, which is limited. There are many innovations that attempt to solve this problem; this thesis focusses on one: calm technology, which was introduced to interface design by Mark Weiser. Calm tech- nology attempts to reduce the attention required to acquire information. Ideally, calm technology would provide information without requiring any attention. I call this technology unattended. Calm technology research, however, typically provides little evidence showing that calm artifacts reduce the amount of attention required. Moreover, evaluations that are conducted on individual artifacts often fail to generalize. That is, evalua- tions only apply to the artifact that is evaluated. They do not identify properties of the artifact that make it calm. In this thesis, I design and conduct a dual task experiment. The results of the experiment indicate that users can perform an attention saturating primary task, and acquire information from a calm artifact not involved in the task, without sacrificing performance on the primary task. Thus, the artifact does not require any attention, as can be measured by the experiment, while providing information. Thus, the artifact is unattended, which provides an existence proof for unattended technology.

Information is a central theme of the twenty-first century. This is evident in the fact that everyday objects are being augmented to provide information. Thus, ubiquitous computing – providing information using everyday objects – becomes increasingly popular. The problem is that information requires attention for acquisition. Hence, ubiq- uitous computing puts a strain on attention, which is limited. There are many innovations that attempt to solve this problem; this thesis focusses on one: calm technology, which was introduced to interface design by Mark Weiser. Calm tech- nology attempts to reduce the attention required to acquire information. Ideally, calm technology would provide information without requiring any attention. I call this technology unattended. Calm technology research, however, typically provides little evidence showing that calm artifacts reduce the amount of attention required. Moreover, evaluations that are conducted on individual artifacts often fail to generalize. That is, evalua- tions only apply to the artifact that is evaluated. They do not identify properties of the artifact that make it calm. In this thesis, I design and conduct a dual task experiment. The results of the experiment indicate that users can perform an attention saturating primary task, and acquire information from a calm artifact not involved in the task, without sacrificing performance on the primary task. Thus, the artifact does not require any attention, as can be measured by the experiment, while providing information. Thus, the artifact is unattended, which provides an existence proof for unattended technology.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, students has been forced to spend more time studying alone at home, which in some cases has led to increased stress and anxiety. This thesis explores qualities in Slow, Calm and Persuasive technology, together with temporal concepts in theory and qualities derived from ideation, with the aim to explore which qualities should be considered while designing for supporting self-reflection on time spent while studying. The process in this thesis is explorative, moving from ideation, to digital and physical prototypes, with the authors reflections and experiences driving the process forward and experience sessions with participants that were used to ground the experience through their reflections and new perspectives. Through evaluating the reflections and experiences with tools and design principles, the work ends up with the four qualities flow, tension, unfolding and balance as suggestions to work with in future research on designing for supporting self-reflection on time spent while studying.

I detta kandidatarbete undersöker vi hur projection mapping (projicering på en yta) kan användas för att skapa en rumslig berättelse eller upplevelse. Utifrån vår egna tolkning av calm technologys (lugn teknologi) principer har vi skapat ett designperspektiv som syftar till att göra designen lugn, genom att teknologin inte ska bli störande för åskådaren. Till vår hjälp har vi använt oss utav Keri Smiths metoder till att utforska och experimentera med omgivningen och material. För att sedan kunna utöka kreativiteten och hitta nya idéer inom projection mapping har vi använt oss av metoder såsom brainstorming, moodboards och skisser. Vi har även utgått från Stolterman och Löwgrens syn på en designprocess. Detta resulterade till tre gestaltningar där alla utgår från naturens lugna atmosfär. Under detta arbete har vi kommit fram till att det finns många olika sätt att berätta med ytor, det behöver inte bara vara ett fysiskt rum med väggar och tak. Ytor kan bli rum genom att manipulera fysiska föremål med projektorer. Genom att lägga på ett extra lager på objekten som till exempel en animation så kan det förstärka objektet i sig eller få en helt ny karaktär. Med enkla medel som olika mönster, färger och ljus. / In this bachelor thesis we will examine how projection mapping (projection on a surface) can be used as a spatial experience. From our own interpretation of calm technology’s principles, will we create a design perspective that could keep the design calm with respect to the technology, and not be a disturbing moment for the viewer. To guide us through this we have taken Keri Smith’s methods to explore and experiment the environment and different materials. To expand the creativity to find new possibilities in projection mapping, we have used methods like brainstorming, moodboards and sketches. To help our process we based our project on Stolterman and Löwgren’s view of the design process. This led to a result of three figurations where all of them are inspired by the atmosphere of our nature. Through this project we have reached that there’s a lot of ways you can narrate with spaces, it doesn't need to be a physical room where you can stand in. Spaces can transform by manipulating physical artifacts. By adding an extra layer onto these artifacts like an animation it can amplify it’s meaning or give it a new character. Only with simple means like different patterns, colors and light.

A Display Computer (DC) is an everyday object: Display Computer = Display + Computer. The “Display” part is the standard viewing surface found on everyday objects that conveys information or art. The “Computer” is found on the same everyday object; but by its ubiquitous nature, it will be relatively unnoticeable by the DC user, as it is manufactured “in the margins”. A DC may be mobile, moving with us as part of the everyday object we are using. DCs will be ubiquitous: “effectively invisible”, available at a glance, and seamlessly integrated into the environment. A DC should be an example of Weiser’s calm technology: encalming to the user, providing peripheral awareness without information overload. A DC should provide unremarkable computing in support of our daily routines in life. The nbaCub (nightly bedtime ambient Cues utility buddy) prototype illustrates a sample application of how DCs can be useful in the everyday environment of the home of the future. Embedding a computer into a toy, such that the display is the only visible portion, can present many opportunities for seamless and nontraditional uses of computing technology for our youngest user community. A field study was conducted in the home environment of a five-year old child over ten consecutive weeks as an informal, proof of concept of what Display Computers for children can look like and be used for in the near future. The personalized nbaCub provided lightweight, ambient information during the necessary daily routines of preparing for bed (evening routine) and preparing to go to school (morning routine). To further understand the child’s progress towards learning abstract concepts of time passage and routines, a novel “test by design” activity was included. Here, the role of the subject changed to primary designer/director. Final post-testing showed the subject knew both morning and bedtime routines very well and correctly answered seven of eight questions based on abstract images of time passage. Thus, the subject was in the process of learning the more abstract concept of time passage, but was not totally comfortable with the idea at the end of the study.

Loneliness is a growing social problem that affects people from different age groups. Studies have shown that loneliness is prevalent more in young adults and the elderly demographic. Loneliness can pose serious health issues like cognitive malfunction, heart disease, stroke, depression, etc. People who stay alone from friends and family tend to feel lonelier. Conventional communication tools like a phone or video calls or using social media applications can help the users connect with people but also have adverse effects. As a result of this, the potential of an alternative nonverbal mode of communication needs to be explored. The research aims to understand individuals' behavior, traits, and hidden needs when it comes to loneliness. The purpose is to suggest an alternative way of communication that creates a sense of presence and ensures mental well for the people living alone and suffer from emotional loneliness. The concept of Calm and ambient technology has been explored in this thesis as an alternative means of communication. Users’ needs were gathered from eight semi-structured interviews, and two stakeholders were identified. Over forty ideas were generated from brainstorming. The ideas were sent to twenty individuals through snowballing. The response from them was analyzed and narrowed down by using concept screening and concept scoring. The final concept was a device called ‘One home lamp.’ The device uses light to show the presence of remote family members or loved ones to a person living alone. This concept product was then evaluated through ‘Mankoff’s heuristics’ to see its credibility as a calm ambient artifact.

This thesis project presents a research through design process that has aimed to explore how we can design interactive technologies that can support mindfulness practices in beginners. This has been done by designing a meditative lamp, Lumina, which can be controlled by the user’s neural oscillations. The user interacts with the lamp by changing alpha and beta brain waves levels through meditation. The prototype has been evaluated with four participants and the testing sessions had three stages: a preliminary questionnaire to learn about participants' mindfulness level, interaction with my prototype providing the opportunity to explore mindfulness and electroencephalography (EEG), and a post-interview to reflect on their experience with the prototype. The biggest challenge of this project was to support mindfulness without disrupting the practice. Lumina has been developed through an iterative process, guided by relevant literature and works in the field of meditation, neurology, and calm technology.

Today’s environment conditions have reached a critical stage that challenges us to revertthe current paradigm of production and waste into new ways to fulfill needs. The wholesociety needs a shift away from the individual ownership, being it one big reason of environmentalcrisis.This thesis project is an exploration into the field of sustainability in housing contexts thatseeks a different approach in the matter by encouraging the collective use of resources.The resulting design is a product service system that uses indeed a combination of artifactsand services to enhance and augment behaviors towards sustainability, by usingcalm technology as main touchpoint with the users. This means that the project tries toestablish a dialog with the user at a level that presents a valuable aesthetic of interactionbecause of the fluency of communication.

Various studies have taken different approaches to persuade users into adopting a healthy sitting posture. In addition to the sedentary lifestyles we have come to adopt, the importance and reasoning of these studies stem from the adverse effects of poor posture on our health and mood. However, studies approaching this area with real-time visual modality integrated into clothing are rather sparse. Utilizing this integration might potentially fulfill the requirements of the ubiquitous computing era and inform the users in a calmer way. To evaluate various aspects of this concept, a mid-fidelity prototype was developed and tested with users. Semi-structured interviews were then conducted to obtain their thoughts and opinions on such an approach. In addition to the approval of the concept, further concerns, advantages and disadvantages were disclosed, and used to inform a design space for similar concepts. Although requiring more research, the results of this study outline a primary design space consisting of essential characteristics one needs to be aware of when designing a similar concept.

As the population of the world increases and cities grow in size, we are faced with remarkable societal problems regarding sustainable food security for the generations to come. In this paper, I present and discuss HAVE (Hydroponic Agricultural Vertical Environment), a research-through-design project that explores the design of an interactive open-source vertical kitchen garden. HAVE is designed as a shareable platform, that aims to lower the barriers of entry of getting started with home gardening, to provide an option for people to play an active role in working towards a more sustainable, resilient society. By simplifying the design of a computer-assisted garden, I present an engaging interactive system that is cheap and easy to build and maintain. With HAVE as a case study, this project also aims to expand upon how plant-based interfaces can be implemented in future design work, and builds upon the topics of calm technology and material computing. As such, this paper discusses the opportunities and challenges of designing plant-based interfaces, also in relation to how people care for and interact with plants. It is my hope, that HAVE may act as a conversation piece that addresses societal challenges regarding future agriculture practices, while contributing to the academic discussion and debate on the topics of plant-based interfaces, design for social innovation, and tangible computing, and the field of interaction design in general.