Research Article
Suspicious Boxes and Friendly Aliens: Exploring the Physical Design of Urban Sensing Technology
@INPROCEEDINGS{10.4108/icst.urb-iot.2014.257307, author={Hans-Christian Jetter and Sarah Gallacher and Vaiva Kalnikaite and Yvonne Rogers}, title={Suspicious Boxes and Friendly Aliens: Exploring the Physical Design of Urban Sensing Technology}, proceedings={The First International Conference on IoT in Urban Space}, publisher={ACM}, proceedings_a={URB-IOT}, year={2014}, month={11}, keywords={smart cities internet of things sensors physical design privacy anthropomorphism zoomorphism}, doi={10.4108/icst.urb-iot.2014.257307} }- Hans-Christian Jetter
Sarah Gallacher
Vaiva Kalnikaite
Yvonne Rogers
Year: 2014
Suspicious Boxes and Friendly Aliens: Exploring the Physical Design of Urban Sensing Technology
URB-IOT
ICST
DOI: 10.4108/icst.urb-iot.2014.257307
Abstract
This paper explores how the physical design of urban sensors (i.e. shape, appearance) can change city dwellers’ attitudes and perceptions towards being sensed. We illustrate different physical designs of urban sensors that were created by participants during a design workshop. We then describe how actual citizens reacted to the different designs during short-term deployments in the city. Based on this data and related work, we reflect about more general implications for the physical design of urban sensors. For example, we found that anthropomorphic and zoomorphic designs resulted in greater engagement and trust while neutral or less visible designs created rejection and anxiety. We illustrate our implications in the form of a fictitious urban sensing device. This device uses zoomorphism to create trust but also lets citizens exert control over what is sensed and when it is sensed.
