Overview
Strengthening Emotional Bonds Through AI-Powered Tangible Interaction
FOCI is a tangible design project aimed at enhancing the connection between long-distance couples. Guided by a design brief to create a mundane connected object embedded with Generative AI (Gen AI), FOCI introduces playful and purposeful interactions beyond typical AI assistants. By integrating AI-driven responsiveness with a physical interface, the project transforms everyday moments into shared experiences, creating deeper emotional engagement despite physical distance
Project Scope
PROJECT TYPE
Physical Product
TEAM
2 interaction designers
ROLE
I led the design process, guiding the team through brainstorming, user research, and analysis. I solely handled coding, played a major role in prototyping
TIME
6-week project
TOOLS
Figma, ChatGPT, Arduino, Google API, Sketch, Circuits
PROJECT GOAL
FOCI aims to enhance emotional connectivity for long-distance couples through a tangible, AI-powered interaction that creates playful, meaningful, and intuitive experiences that go beyond traditional digital communication.
Forecasted Impact*
FOCI redefines long-distance communication by making everyday interactions more engaging and personal. Its AI-driven adaptability and physical presence strengthens emotional bonds, reduce isolation, and set the stage for future innovations in AI-powered connected experiences.
*this project is a case study, it is not a real viable prototype. impact is based on user feedback from testing
Problem Discovery
Disconnected Schedules Weaken Long-Distance Relationships
Interviews revealed that long-distance couples struggle to find shared free time, leading to less meaningful interactions. Mismatched emotional states, stress, and busy schedules further strain their connection
“
It is really hard to find a mutual time to talk. One of us has to sacrifice their sleep sometimes
Our Solution - FOCI
Disconnected Schedules Weaken Long-Distance Relationships
Foci is an AI clock for long-distance couples. It syncs Google Calendars, health apps, and location data to align schedules and predict emotions. By analyzing workouts, sleep, and time zones, Foci offers personalized prompts, stress alerts, and signals for overlapping free time, fostering meaningful conversations and enhancing emotional connections
Data Collection
Integration with third-party apps to tailor insights
Google Calendar Integration
Connects to your and your partner's Google Calendars to see when you're busy
Health Data Connection
Links to health apps to monitor workouts, sleep, and heart rates.
Location Tracking
Uses your phone's location to understand your time zones and routines
Processing
Analyzes schedules, health data, and location to predict mood
AI Analysis
AI analyzes schedules, health data, and location to predict mood. If you had a tough workout, stressful meeting, or menstrual symptoms, Foci knows you might feel tired or stressed
Pattern Recognition
Identifies stress indicators and free time overlaps
Data Collection
Integration with third-party apps to tailor insights
Free Time Signals
When you have free time, Foci lights up in colors to show insights
Conversation Prompts
Based on your recent activities, Foci can suggest prompts to talk about
Stress Indicator
If a partner is stressed, Foci blinks a red light on the other partner's clock to suggest offering support
Pain Points
Interviews with couples showed that real-time connection are vital when traditional interactions feel passive
" FaceTime is great, but it still feels like something we have to schedule. We miss the small, unplanned moments that make us feel connected in everyday life "
Problem Discovery
Distance makes it harder for strong emotional bonds
Long-distance couples face challenges in staying connected due to time differences and busy schedules. Technology aids asynchronous communication, but creative interactions are needed to maintain excitement
Designing the Housing
Simple Cubic Clock
The goal was to design minimal housing for the clock, emphasizing its features over the design. Given our limited time, we chose a cube design, which was the best and fastest option due to size constraints
Building the Prototype
Working with Arduino had Its Limitations
The main limitation in FOCI design was coding and syncing with third-party apps. My Arduino knowledge was limited, so I used YouTube tutorials and ChatGPT. Integrating AI was challenging, so we simulated the prototype where AI was needed
Components
Coding LED Ring and LCD Display with Arduino
Goal is to create a system that synchronizes an LED ring with your Google Calendar in real-time, lighting up specific LEDs to indicate your free and busy times throughout the day
Jumper Wires
Arduino UNO R4 Wifi
Jumper Wires
Potentiometer
Breadboard
LCD Display
Attempt1
Server-Based Approach
Set up Google Cloud credentials and created a Node.js server
Fetched real-time Calendar events successfully on the server
Attempted to connect Arduino to the server to retrieve event data
Arduino couldn’t fetch data from the server
Attempt2
Direct API Connection
Set up Google Cloud credentials and downloaded credentials.json
Installed required libraries in Arduino IDE
Wrote Arduino code to connect directly to Google Calendar
Later asked an engineer and discovered Google Calendar uses .ics format, while Arduino expected .xml, causing a data mismatch
The LED ring, mapped to specific hours of the day, uses cyan for PM hours, orange for AM hours, and magenta for overlaps, while smoothly pulsating between brightness levels (30-100), with intensified pulsation during AM/PM transitions
Solution
Manually Setup LED Ring Correlation
To create an Arduino-controlled LED ring that visually represents free and busy times from a Google Calendar using smooth pulsating effects with specified colors for different times of the day.
I set up an LCD display to alternate prompts, connecting jumper cables and a potentiometer to the Arduino. After uploading code, I adjusted the text. The main challenge was jumper wire length, but we solved it by bending the wires.
Storyboard
How FOCI gives insights to partners
How FOCI syncs with your apps
How FOCI gives insights to partners
Foci gathers data from calendars, health apps, and location, uses AI to analyze moods, and offers visual cues for free time and conversation prompts to connect long-distance couples
