Footsteps, is an exploration of space and how we can decouple the human experience with our over-dependence on screens. This reimagined museum experience allows users to practice being more present in the moment by replacing their phone interactions with a non-intrusive wearable device. Designing and adapting environments not only for the human, but the technology we carry can help us create digital interactivity in unobtrusive ways aiding mental and physical presence and overall well-being. Ultimately in hope to assist people in becoming more self-aware of their movements, habits, interests and behaviors.

‍The wristband acts as a medium for cultivating attention and awareness in how people might move through an exhibition space as new or returning members. The wristband does this silently and unobtrusively, activating only when necessary. It can be further customized and handed out by the museum. The design is simple, comfortable and something that is aimed to be mass produced. It includes a charging port, LED feedback, GPS tracking and Bluetooth. It would interact with sensors placed around the museum to time and capture people’s paths. The sensors would be installed by the museum and can also provide additional feedback if required.

Paths are an important feature in creating more interactivity with the pieces in a museum and also for reflecting and remembering pieces  over a longer period of time. At the end, visitors’ journeys are accessible online from the comfort of their homes where they can view a personalized exhibition collection and see changes over multiple visits, compare paths with friends and revisit artwork as they would a photo.

For exhibits that travel, the app could allow for community building and letting friends know that exhibits are coming near them. Group experiences allow people to gather, share and explore together. Museums at the moment need revival because of the impact that Covid has had on them. Last but not least, technology can take on a less obtrusive role when humans are naturally  prompted to spend more time being present in their experiences and environments, and at the same time being given the security that their experience is still captured.

After conducting market research, the following conclusions were drawn. This experience design hopes to revitalize the museum experience post Covid-19, for returning visitors, group visits and other such use cases. By enhancing the overall quality of the in-person visit there is potential to attract more visitors. Also, the tool gamifies the experience in the sense that it makes people question what could happen if they went again, or went with different groups of friends and so on. Additional features of the experience are also customizable by the museum on a case by case basis. Finally, it brings a sense of nostalgia and appreciation when looking back at past experiences. 

I also made cross-cultural comparisons with museums in London (where I lived) and New York (where I studied) such as the Cooper Hewitt. I specifically visited the Natural History Museum in London to observe their interactive elements and researched online about AR tour guides being implemented in the Natural History Museum in New York. 

Throughout the experience design, features were debated through the lens of privacy and consent. The removal of the phone is meant to be an act that is a part of the overall exhibition experience and can vary from artist to artist. The aim is to raise self-awareness, and cultivate the habit of being fully present by offering a medium that replaces the phone and an end tool to interact and engage with post experience.