Digital Aura: Crafting a Digital Representation of Self in the Physical World

When we read a book in a coffee shop we are offering the opportunity for others to connect with us by using the book to start a conversation. Similarly leaving a copy of a DVD on our desks invited co-workers to connect with us over the genre of the movie. The display of media in this way allows us to understand others and connect over shared interests. However, as these physical media are being replaced by digital and subscription services, secured on password-protected devices, such as smartphones and tablets, with no visibility in the real world these connection possibilities are lost. This project is studying how a person's digital and social media can be used to craft a Digital Self: a visualisation that can be viewed by others in the area (e.g. through Google Glass). We will study how these can be used to provoke social encounters in the physical environment via mobile technology, rather than allowing that technology to isolate us from others.