In the candle light: pervasive display concept for emotional communication

In this paper, we present a concept design and a prototype that utilizes a candle as communication media. We present a motorized candle stand, which casts different shadows on the wall based on messages received by a mobile phone. We envision that this pervasive display concept is suited for emotional communication,. Our work has novelty in human-computer interaction research in its use of a candle as a tangible user interface and a live flame to create a public display. The concept was evaluated using a focus group method. The results show that the emotional communication concept matches well with user perceptions of candle light, and that the authenticity of the flame is an important part of the concept design.