In Your Eyes
Uddipana Baishya, Carman Neustaedter · 2017
Long distance couples face challenges in staying connected and must rely heavily on technology to mediate their relationship. To provide new ways for couples to virtually 'be together,' we explore a futuristic use of video communications technology where it is possible to see through the eyes of a partner at any point in time to more deeply stay connected and share experiences together on a daily basis. We created a technology probe called In Your Eyes that uses a smartphone and Skype in auto-answer mode. Partners can connect to one another at any time without needing to answer a call. Two couples used the probe for one month. One found it beneficial while the other found it intrusive. We explore the reasons behind these experiences and show the benefits and pitfalls of anytime, anywhere streaming for long distance couples. Our study provides new ways of thinking about presence and connection over distance where the ability to connect and the intention to do so-even if not acted upon-can create feelings of closeness for some and overconnection for others.