The Autobiographical Design and Long Term Usage of an Always-On Video Recording System for the Home
Yasamin Heshmat, Carman Neustaedter, Brendan DeBrincat · 2017
Photo and video capture is currently dominated by the use of digital cameras, often in the form of smartphones. Yet there is easily the chance that one can miss capturing a precious moment. We explored the idea of automated video recording in the home as a form of memory collection and display for families through the autobiographical design of Moments, an always-on video recording system. We iteratively designed Moments and it was used by one of the researchers and his family over a two-year period. The family found potential for the system in capturing moments that would have otherwise been forgotten in time, where they especially valued seeing "big changes" and minute details of their life. Yet tensions existed around the family's inabilities to access specific points in time, commitment to keeping the system running, and privacy. We use these benefits and concerns to suggest future research directions for always-on video recording in the home.