For the project we used a mobile phone strapped to the runner in a neoprene sport belt, that was remotely controlled by a sport glove detecting hand gesture for recording and sharing video. This scenario was inspired by the demand of semi-professional and advanced amateur runners for new technologies supporting recall and close contact with supporters throughout running events. And of course the interest of social media in live video, as seen by popular applications such as Periscope and Facebook Live.
However our goal was not to test a new prototype, rather to investigate how users participating in running events experience such a technology for instant sharing of video especially in regards to their privacy. To be able to explore privacy we designed a technology probe,that should feel as real as possible for the users. We had to make both design choices regarding technology and social context.
– Mobile phones with functionality for instant video sharing to social media
– Lilypad, an Arduino micro controller to develop the gesture sport glove
– A bluetooth module enabled communication between phone and glove.
For the social context we made the following design choices:
– Placement of the phone should support wearability
– Hidden technology increased social acceptance
– Red lights on the glove provide easy accessible feedback
– Hand gestures for meaningful interactions.
We deployed our probe at two running events one in Strömstad, Sweden and one in Wolfen, Germany. You can read more about our work and our findings in the article Probing Privacy in Pratice available from ThinkMind Digital Library.