In this project, we aim to develop concepts and prototypes which are provocative in themselves or which raise issues which can be perceived as provocative. Our main ambition is to create artefacts which can be used as a starting point when discussing, for instance, ethical and moral issues regarding the design and use of information technology. We also want to provoke users of those artefacts to reflect upon and become aware of certain issues, and perhaps to persuade them to change their views or feelings.

The LoveBomb
In many societies emotional communication between strangers in a public space is rare, people tend to keep to themselves and seem afraid to contact others. Our ambition is to affect that behaviour by using computational technology. We present the concept of the LoveBomb - a mobile device that allows people to anonymously communicate feelings of love (happiness) and sadness. The LoveBomb is intended to encourage people to express themselves emotionally when situated amongst strangers in public spaces. Our hope is that an increase in such emotional communication would have a positive effect on the aura of such places.

• Hansson, R. and Skog, T. The LoveBomb: Encouraging the Communication of Emotions in Public Spaces.
  In: Computer-Human Interaction (CHI) 2001 Extended Abstracts, ACM Press, 2001, Seattle, Washington, USA. [pdf] [abstract]

For more information, contact Rebecca Hansson