The Design of Family Communication Technologies in Pandemic and Post-Pandemic Society

疫情及后疫情社会的家庭通讯技术设计

• 批准号: RGPIN-2021-03189
• 负责人: Neustaedter, Carman
• 金额: $ 3.5万
• 依托单位: Simon Fraser University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=757654
• 关键词: Design; Family; Communication; Technologies; Pandemic

Family members and close friends typically have a strong need and desire to stay connected and aware of each other's lives. Yet, for the first time in 100 years, almost all countries of the world, including Canada, imposed physical distancing measures on society to curb the spread and health risks of the highly infectious COVID-19. Unlike the 1918-20 flu pandemic, however, communication technologies of the 21st century have allowed us to maintain connection with family and friends over distance. At the same time, we do not yet have a deep understanding of how communication needs have changed during and after physical distancing and the types of activities that family and friends would like to do over distance (e.g., birthday parties, dinners). A strong corollary need has simultaneously emerged to re-envision how family communicaton technologies are designed. My proposed research program explores the design of futuristic and novel family communication technologies (FCTs) to address this problem. I will focus on: 1) Internet of Things home artifacts that inform how family and friends are doing (e.g., a picture frame that shows the health status of a remote family member), and 2) futuristic video communication systems that support shared experiences online (e.g., advanced versions of systems like Skype/Zoom, telepresence robots). First, I will conduct requirements analysis studies (e.g., interviews, observations, focus groups) to investigate the needs of Canadian family members and close friends to connect over distance through existing technologies, how they achieve this and limitations they experience. I will compare differences of experiences pre- and post-COVID-19. Second, I will use this knowledge to build software and hardware infrastructures and research prototypes of new FCTs using human-computer interaction design methods. Finally, I will evaluate the research prototypes through laboratory and field studies using mixed-methods evaluations. Many effects of COVID-19 might dissipate, or varied forms of physical distancing may re-occur to prevent spread of future disease or to apply other lessons learned (e.g., work or space efficiencies). We will seek to identify shifts in technological design preferences and needs that may persist beyond COVID-19 in relation to changes in relationships, reducing social isolation, privacy, and accessibility, gender, age, and other needs. Significant research outcomes will contribute knowledge on new scientific and technical methods for building advanced communication systems that are responsive to user needs. Students and HQP will be highly involved in this work at the forefront of a societal and generational technological shift that can improve the way that family and friends connect over distance. It will also inform companies on the creation of communication technologies that present new genres of interaction and information sharing.

家庭成员和亲密的朋友通常强烈需要和渴望保持联系并了解彼此的生活。然而，包括加拿大在内的世界上几乎所有国家 100 年来首次对社会实施了身体疏远措施，以遏制高度传染性的 COVID-19 的传播和健康风险。然而，与 1918-20 年流感大流行不同，21 世纪的通信技术使我们能够与远距离的家人和朋友保持联系。与此同时，我们还没有深入了解在保持身体距离期间和之后沟通需求如何变化，以及家人和朋友想要进行的远距离活动类型（例如生日聚会、晚餐）。同时出现了一种强烈的必然需求，即重新设想家庭通信技术的设计方式。 我提出的研究计划探索未来和新颖的家庭通信技术（FCT）的设计来解决这个问题。我将重点关注：1）物联网家庭制品，告知家人和朋友的行为（例如，显示远程家庭成员健康状况的相框），以及2）支持在线共享体验的未来视频通信系统（例如，Skype/Zoom、远程呈现机器人等系统的高级版本）。首先，我将进行需求分析研究（例如访谈、观察、焦点小组），以调查加拿大家庭成员和亲密朋友通过现有技术进行远距离联系的需求、他们如何实现这一目标以及他们遇到的限制。我将比较 COVID-19 前后经历的差异。其次，我将利用这些知识构建软硬件基础设施，并使用人机交互设计方法研究新型 FCT 的原型。最后，我将通过实验室和现场研究使用混合方法评估来评估研究原型。 COVID-19 的许多影响可能会消失，或者可能会重新出现各种形式的物理距离，以防止未来疾病的传播或应用其他经验教训（例如，工作或空间效率）。我们将寻求确定在新冠肺炎 (COVID-19) 疫情之后可能持续存在的技术设计偏好和需求的变化，这些变化与关系变化、减少社会孤立、隐私和可及性、性别、年龄和其他需求有关。重要的研究成果将贡献有关新科学和技术方法的知识，以构建响应用户需求的先进通信系统。学生和总部将高度参与这项社会和代际技术变革最前沿的工作，以改善家人和朋友远距离联系的方式。它还将向公司介绍通信技术的创建，以呈现新的交互和信息共享类型。