Morris, C., Liu, P., Riecke, B. E., & Maes, P. (2023). InExChange: Fostering Genuine Social Connection through Embodied Breath Sharing in Mixed Reality. Extended Abstracts of the 2023 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, Article Article 459. https://doi.org/10.1145/3544549.3583917

Abstract

InExChange is an interactive mixed reality experience centering around an inflatable vest which conveys a physical sense of shared breathing on the diaphragm between two or more participants. The experience is composed of three acts in which the participants’ breaths are transformed into metaphorical projected representations: expansive waves, flowing light trails, and growing tree branches. The inflatable wearable devices physically enact in near real-time the inhale/exhale pattern of the other person’s breath, varying in intensity level to create an attention interplay between the embodied sensation and the projection. Through this embodied sense of playful shared breathing, we aim to cultivate a genuine feeling of connection and contribute to the integration of somaesthetic design principles in mixed reality HCI.