CO2 Mobile Informatic

An exploration in mobile, glanceable data, the CO2 Mobile Informatic project imagines social interactions mediated by a wearable display of personal CO2 emissions. It experiments with the notion of persuasive technology, emotionally capable of inspiring behavior change. The campaign would consist of a moving mesh network of connected screens that each serve as ambient displays of socially critical personal CO2 emissions levels designed to inspire lifestyle changes.

In addition to industrial design requirements such as legibility at a distance, a stylish form factor, and managing the intersection between fashion and social change, I began to map out a series of compelling user interactions. The overarching UX design was based not only on making users aware of their own emission levels but also to create friendly competitions with others to improve personal emissions.

Each user starts with a wearable e-ink screen that displays the U.S. average CO2 emissions per person (27 tons/yr.), their personal CO2 emissions (which start at the U.S. average and then are raised or lowered according to the user’s direct actions), and if other users are nearby, a “low score” list of the lowest CO2 emitters in their local mesh network. The “low score” list is meant to inspire competition among users such that every time a user is near another device, it shows them how they compare to them and to everyone else in their network, and the shame of having lost makes them want to change their lifestyle. The data in the first two sets (US emissions and personal emissions) will be broken down into categories such as: Home Energy, Travel, Recycling and Waste, and Food & Diet, so the user will always know in which areas they need the most improvement.

A website and iPhone app will support the device and provide additional functionality not possible within the simple device itself. The additional functionality will include the entering of personal data similar to existing Carbon Footprint quizes, but much richer to encompass as much of the user’s daily life as possible. The granularity of this information is completely up to each user. The web/iPhone environments will also provide a personal CO2 history so that the user will not only have a current snapshot of emissions with them at all times but they will also be able to see how they improved over time, and in which categories. They will also be able to compare historical improvement with other users in the network.

Finally, the web and mobile environments will supply hints and advice on the best ways to lower personal CO2 emissions in each category, so that users of all lifestyles will be able to make easy adjustments that will help the climate and track the effect of their changes.