Smart Handbag for Remembering Keys

In this paper, we present a design and prototype of a smart handbag, which detects the presence of the user’s keys in the bag and shows it with an ambient display, consisting of LEDs embedded to the design. The handbag prototype is an example of a smart accessory, which has been designed for both aesthetics and usefulness. The handbag was evaluated in an in-the-wild user study, where five participants used it for a period of one day each. The salient findings from the user study emphasize the perceived usefulness of the concept, successful adaptation of the prototype in everyday life, and aesthetic design. The sensing mechanics and implementation need careful design to achieve a reliable detection accuracy. In addition, the in-the-wild study provoked concerns related to the potential mismatch between the user’s personal style or outfit and the handbag’s appearance.