Redesign and Evaluation of AffectiVest, a Wearable Tool to Convey Affection Gestures between Geographically-Separated Grandparents and Grandchildren ^†

Abstract

Motivated by the need to improve communication between grandparents and grandchildren who are geographically separated, this paper presents the redesign and evaluation of AffectiVest, a wearable affective device that allows the transmission of affection gestures between grandparents and grandchildren. The redesign consisted of modifying the architecture of AffectiVest to allow wireless connectivity and mobility, and modifying the implementation of the stimuli that represent the affection gestures to make them more similar to the real ones. AffectiVest was evaluated by 10 grandparent-grandchild pairs who interacted using the device for several minutes, actually wearing the device while communicating in a separated environment. The results of the Software Usability Scale (SUS) and Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) on-exit questionnaires, as well as the questionnaire of fidelity of the affection gestures, allowed us to establish that the redesign of the device was successful, since it was perceived by its users as having a high usability, and as being adequate and intuitive at evoking all the affection gestures as real enough. In addition, it allowed identifying a set of specific recommendations from the group of target users regarding the adjustment of the vest and the location of the actuators considering the differences in the size of the users, and the possibility of using the vest while carrying out the activities of daily living.

Keywords

• affective wearable computing
• transmission of affection gestures
• grandparent-grandchild relation