Test_Lab: Intimate Interfaces December 10, 2009

An intimate relationship consists of a private world shared by an individual and his/her significant other(s). According to sociologist David Cheal, this private world is defined by its need to be continuously maintained. From flowers and letters to emails and text messages, throughout history people have used a wide range of artefacts and interfaces to remind significant others of their significance. The design of those artefacts and interfaces, however, has focused almost exclusively on the mediation of symbolic and verbal acts of intimacy – and yet physical intimacy and presence are among our strongest expressions of significance. Given the abundance of communication and tangible interface technologies currently available, it is striking that none of these have fully succeeded in the mediation of physical intimate acts.