Summary

Technology is increasingly being used by people to mediate the relationships they have with their family members, friends, and relatives. As a society, we use technologies such as email, instant messaging, texting, video chat, social media, and even games. In this talk, I will give an overview of the research that my students and I have done in this space with a focus on video chat systems, social media, and pervasive games. Following from this, I will look at one project in detail as a form of case study to describe the research area. Here I will talk about long-distance couple relationships, partners’ needs for staying connected, and the unique ways in which they make use of video chat systems to share life across distance.

Dr. Carman Neustaedter is an Assistant Professor in the School of Interactive Arts and Technology at Simon Fraser University. He specializes in the areas of design, human-computer interaction, domestic and ubiquitous computing, and computer-supported cooperative work (CSCW). .

Carman Neustaedter's Web Site

Carman Neustaedter's Research Group Site