Overview
While ubiquitous computing (ubicomp) research has blossomed over the past decade, few studies have investigated ubicomp systems for improving emotional well-being and fewer still have used a design research perspective. To that end, this dissertation asks: how can designers create ubicomp interactions that reduce loneliness in end users? Revealing the answer to this question aligns with recent human-computer interaction (HCI) efforts across several leading organizations, including ASU, MIT, CMU, Intel, Phillips, Apple and Microsoft to create technologies that foster positive user experiences rather than experiences optimized for efficient task completion.

The fields of psychology and sociology have acknowledged loneliness as a loci of concern. As a core emotion of the human condition, how an interaction with a ubicomp system effects loneliness within end users can serve as a marker of the system’s value. Additionally, healthcare systems incur millions of dollars in costs due to loneliness related pathologies such as depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder and schizophrenia (Stivers et al. 2004, Brennan 1993, van den Berg 1972, Ellul 1967). These same pathologies sabotage the efforts of otherwise healthy people to flourish. Thus, answering the primary question has two implications for interaction design:

1. Generation of new knowledge on how to create compelling ubicomp interactions and;


2. The possibility to improve the health of users while conversely reducing healthcare costs associated with loneliness related pathologies.

This study proposes a two-part investigation that first tests an novel design methodology for creation of ubicomp applications and then tests the validity of these applications for reducing loneliness. Previous ubicomp studies investigating loneliness and companionship, including the SIGCHI Project: User Centered Design of a Program for Alleviating Loneliness (PAL) (Hollywood et al. 2005), HOMIE: An Artificial Companion for Elderly People (Kriglstein & Wallner 2005) and Remember When: Development of an Interactive Reminiscence Device (Caprani et al. 2005), serve as a backdrop to this proposal. Positive psychology concepts such as Friedrickson’s “Broaden and Build” theory (Fredrickson & Losada 2005, Fredrickson 2001) and the phenomenon of human flourishing (Little et al. 2007, Fredrickson & Losada 2005) ground this study’s approach to reducing loneliness by designing interactions that foster positive emotions in users.

Findings from this investigation are expected to produce three deliverables:

1. A new design process for producing ubicomp experiences that reduce loneliness;


2. Tools for supporting this new process and;


3. Ubicomp software applications for reducing loneliness.

These findings will make contributions to the fields of interaction design, positive psychology and computer science. Interaction design will benefit from this study through development of a state-of-the-art design process and tools aligned with the emergent HCI paradigm of producing software that supports human experience (CITE). Testing of ubicomp applications developed to test the design process and tools will also lend further support to the Broaden and Build theory; a theory central to positive psychology. Development of the ubicomp applications will further working knowledge of how to develop ubicomp systems.

References
Stivers, R. 2004. Shades of loneliness: Pathologies of a technological society. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. Oxford, UK.
van den Berg, J. H. 1972. A different existence. Duquesne University Press. Pittsburgh, PA
Brennan, T. (1993). Age of paranoia. (pp. 92). In V. A. Conley (Ed.), Rethinking technology. University of Minnesota Press. Minneapolis, MN.
Ellul, J. 1967. The technological society(J. Wilkenson Trans.). Vintage Press. New York, NY.
Hollywood, E., O’Brien, G. & Lennon, S. 2005. SIGCHI: User centered design of a program alleviating loneliness. AMC CHI 2005. ACM Press. New York, NY.
Kriglstein, S. & Wallner, G. 2005 HOMIE: An artificial companion for elderly people. AMC CHI 2005. ACM Press. New York, NY.
Caprani, N., Dwyner, N., Harrison, K. & O’Brien, K. 2005. Remember when: Development of an interactive reminiscence device. AMC CHI 2005. ACM Press. New York, NY.
Fredrickson, B. & Losada, M. 2005. Positive affect and the complex dynamics of human
flourishing. American Psychology. 60(7), 678-686. American Psychological Association, Inc.
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Fredrickson, B. 2001. The role of positive emotions in positive psychology: The broadenand-
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Psychological Association, Inc. Washington, D.C.
Little, B. 2007. Personal Project Pursuit: Goals, Actions, and Human Flourishing. Lawrence
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