This project was for a student competition hosted by the CHI 2005 conference. The stated problem was to design an artificial companion for senior citizens to promote their social well-being. Our group interpreted that problem very liberally and attempted to define a community gathering center (whether it is an actual community center, place of worship, or other organized location with a special focus on senior citizens) as the artificial companion. Included below are the paper that was accepted at the competition, an early version of the poster (which gives an idea of the system layout), and a very early prototype of the main display that would be placed in the community center. Each member of the group contributed equally to this project and most of the areas of the project were done together as a group, including writing the paper, designing the paper, and designing the system.
The concept was to expose the fringe of communities to activities at a community center by sharing pictures from a repository of photos taken by others who are more active in the community. By seeing these pictures, it is hoped then that these fringe members would be more enticed to stay active and get more involved in the community. This develops around a centralized location in the center where seniors could share the pictures they have taken with each other and see what others in the community have been up to.
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