Affective Diary

Affective Diary is a project conducted at the Interaction Lab at SICS in cooperation with Microsoft Research. Participants in the project are: Kristina Höök, Martin Svensson, Anna Ståhl, Petra Sundström and Jarmo Laaksolathi, SICS, Marco Combetto, Alex Taylor and Richard Harper, Microsoft Research.

A diary provides a useful means to express inner thoughts and record experiences of past events. In re-readings, it also provides a resource for reflection, allowing us to re-experience, brood over or even shed the thoughts and feelings we've associated with events or people. To expand on the ways in which we creatively engage in diary-keeping, we have designed an affective diary that captures some of the physical, bodily aspects of experiences and emotions—what we refer to as 「affective body memorabilia」. The affective diary assembles sensor data, captured from the user and uploaded via their mobile phone, to form an ambiguous, abstract colourful body shape. With a range of other materials from the mobile phone, such as text and MMS messages, photographs, etc., these shapes are made available to the user. Combining these materials, the diary is designed to invite reflection and to allow the user to piece together their own stories.

project website