BreathingFrame: An Inflatable Frame for Remote Breath Signal Sharing

Abstract

We present BreathingFrame, a breath signal sharing device that supports pairwise remote communication through delivering the physical inflating movement of the other party's breathing on the surface of a digital photo frame. The results of our observational study with eight couples showed that participants could associate the other party on the frame, feel sentimental connectedness and the breathing movement from the other party, and stimulate their curiosity in a positive way. We also found that it was effective for conveying affection and making users to do natural abdominal breathing through intentional breath signal delivery. Allowing the users to share breathing at a distance by applying unconscious but partially controllable breath signals on the digital picture frame which is used in everyday lives, BreathingFrame can deliver new forms of telepresence and support emotional communication.