Download Ching-Ting Chen | Josh Hubanks | Andy Lewandowski | Mauricio

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Ching-Ting Chen | Josh Hubanks | Andy Lewandowski | Mauricio Orantes | Xin Wen
Trace mobile app
Worksheet 4
What is Your App and What Research Might Emerge from It?
Frustrated when you can’t remember where you placed your things? Need to find your car keys,
wallet or passport now? Introducing Trace, the mobile app that helps you track down your
important personal items. Utilizing cutting-edge RFID and augmented reality technology, Trace
helps you locate your missing items in real time. Just pan across any space using your cameraequipped smartphone and in real time you’ll see the locations of your missing items on-screen.
You’ll never forget where your things are with Trace!
--Trace is an augmented reality application for smartphones that allows users to easily and
intuitively locate misplaced personal items. The Trace platform consists of two components: A
radio-frequency identification (RFID) sticker (hardware) component, and an application
(software) component that features augmented-reality technology. The RFID sticker enables
users to ‘tag’ personal items prone to misplacement—keys, wallets, TV remotes, etc—by
affixing them to the items. Tagged items will then transmit a unique numerical code, which
Trace’s software will track/recognize and relay back to the phone screen. The result is something
akin to an old-fashioned metal detector. Instead of relying on ambiguous ‘hotter/colder’ aural
feedback, though, Trace utilizes a phone’s camera functionality to display, on-screen and in real
time, the source locations of intercepted RFID signals, and by extension the locations of
misplaced items.
Trace was conceived in response to two, mutually exclusive everyday problems: the
misplacement of personal items and lapses in short-term memory functions. While these
problems are relatively low in severity, they are profuse in their affect and can lead to major
inconveniences during everyday life. Furthermore, preliminary research has revealed that very
few mobile applications have attempted to penetrate the technology-as-memory-aid market.
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Among those that have, none are as technologically sophisticated or practically accessible as
Trace. As such, Trace stakes itself on the assumption that an inexpensive, innovative and easyto-use memory assistance product would be a welcome addition to the mobile application
marketplace.
Major questions arise regarding Trace's technological implications, in addition to its
purpose in addressing the two preceding problems. Is there existing experimental precedent for
technology aiding memory loss? What motivations and behaviors might surround users' adoption
of Trace? Might users' social predispositions affect their satisfaction with Trace? Moreover,
given Trace's reliance on RFID technology, will user privacy be a major concern?
In examining the preceding questions, a review of the popular literature surrounding
RFID and augmented reality technology reveals that the adoption of these tools is becoming
increasingly widespread. As they are still emerging technologies they are not without their
uncertainties. RFID, for example, has been criticized by those who have highlighted its potential
privacy concerns in leaking data. According to various articles from popular technology blogs
like Gizmodo and Engadget, RFID is becoming more and more commercially profuse. Wal-Mart
has for example begun affixing RFID tags to its products as a means to deter theft. At Boston
University, RFID stickers are placed in library books for similar loss-prevention purposes. In
Germany, mobile phones and ID cards are beginning to be tagged with RFID sticker so as to
facilitate authentication and instant-purchase capabilities on mobile devices. In such instances,
the result of pairing RFID hardware with customized software has been greatly successful,
demonstrating not only the possibilities of such appropriations, but also the openness of their
adoption by consumers and industries alike.
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Such consumer openness in regards to the potential of RFID technology was one of the
dominant themes encountered across the interviews conducted for this research. Among a
sampling of four survey respondents, none were opposed to the idea of owning a RFID-enabled
mobile device. Among those unfamiliar with RFID technology, all were interested in and open to
learning more about its potential use in their lives.
Popular literature also reveals a similar degree of consumer openness toward augmented
reality technology, which has enjoyed a head-start over RFID in penetrating the mainstream.
This penetration is due in large part to the success of the Yelp application on various mobile
platforms, including Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android, respectively. Quite similarly to Trace,
Yelp utilizes a phone’s built-in camera and GPS, which facilitates augmented reality to direct
users to nearby businesses. The Yelp app is noteworthy for both its popular success and the fact
that its augmented reality use has been basically uncontroversial in regards to privacy concerns;
everything on-screen is public information, and it does not divulge personal information. In fact,
during our interviews, all subjects with mobile phones that feature apps had exposure or
experience with augmented reality technology.
As helpful as these popular themes are, though, it is useful to also consider some of the
relevant scholarly research to assess the applicability and practicality of a technology like Trace.
We began by investigating research literature that concerned the psychological effects of
technology on short-term memory functions. Such studies tended to emphasize the positive
cognitive psychological effects associated with various technologies’ ability to aid recollection
and/or aid memory loss. The common thread among these studies was that technology applied
with focused cognitive goals could have a demonstrably positive effect on users’ memory, and in
turn their lives. Furthermore, the literature revealed how one might view technology (in this case
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a mobile app) through the theoretical lens of technological determinism, whereby a technology
can be seen to influence the social norms or behaviors surrounding it—in this case, applied
largely to psychological frameworks.
The scholarly literature on psychology focuses heavily on how technology is being used,
or can be used, to aid medical patients and ‘normal’ people alike with their cognitive memory
functions. There is a heavy emphasis on short-term recollection, with research showing that there
are simple steps one can take to effectively aid this type of memory. Among the forms of shortterm memory shown to be aided is ‘retrospective memory,’ which governs one’s ability to recall
past events and old information. In short, this is the specific type of short-term memory loss that
Trace seeks to aid.
Various studies have also shown technology to have mitigative effects on short-term
memory loss. In a study by Sellen et al. (2007), a ‘sense camera’ (a regular digital camera that
tracks all of one’s five senses) was used to log the daily activities of medical patients. Utilizing
this technology proved to be an effective tool for training and strengthening the memory of its
users by providing a visual and auditory log of one’s daily routine, essentially training the brain
to remember it. Newer research focuses on emerging technologies, which, like Trace, are far
more interactive and multi-functional than their predecessors. The ability to customize a
technology to fit a user’s specific purpose (again like Trace) is another feature that researchers
found to be essential to the effectiveness of memory-aid technology.
Beyond the realm of psychology, a significant amount of research has examined the
sociological factors guiding user adoption of technology, especially as it concerns technology’s
ability to protect users’ privacy. Examining the technology behind Trace from a sociological
perspective sheds light on the behaviors and motivations behind users’ comfort with and
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willingness to adopt new technologies. Additionally, the research reveals how one might view
technology (in this case a mobile app) from a social constructivist standpoint, whereby existing
social norms and practices can be seen to influence a person’s use of a technology, and thus the
functions of that technology.
The sociology literature focuses heavily on technology’s responsibility to protect user
privacy. Stemming from this concern, much of the research explores how a given technology’s
strength or weakness in privacy leads users to either adopt or reject that technology.
Spiekermann, S. (2009) showed what consumers really want with a technology does not live up
to their expectations surrounding privacy. The study showed that there are, in fact, many privacy
concerns surrounding the use of RFID and that users are hesitant to use it in their daily lives.
While none of our interviewees expressed such concerns, they are legitimate and should be
considered carefully when marketing the safety of using Trace.
Spiekermann with Evdokimov (2009) continued this research by proposing a ‘user
scheme’ as the easiest way to ensure user privacy, which requires the user to make the contextual
decisions necessary to interact within the technology (such as checking off privacy options).
Finally, an important component of studying behavioral motivations with technology (such as
the preceding example) is creating industry-wide privacy standards steeped in law. One such
recommendation from Aquilina (2010) is to have “universally legally binding minimum core
principles that could be applied indiscriminately to all privacy intrusive technology.” This would
give users peace of mind, possibly affecting their attitudes and behaviors when choosing whether
to adopt or reject a new technology.
Having now considered a variety of literature relating to the technological, sociological
and psychological aspects of Trace, we can begin to answer some of the questions posed at this
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paper’s onset. For one, we can conclude that technology can indeed be used to mitigate problems
associated with short-term memory loss. This has been demonstrated again and again, across
different studies and in different fields. Furthermore, users’ motivations behind adopting new
technologies seem to be rooted in the perception of added benefit. As such, it is reasonable to
conclude that users who feel they will benefit from Trace and its espoused benefits will be likely
to adopt it. Although further research will be required to properly assess users’ satisfaction levels
with Trace—particularly as a factor of expectation levels—the general trend behind technologyas-memory-aid studies is that any degree of benefit added, no matter how minute, is welcomed
by users. The research has also emphasized, though, that the complexity level of a given
technology is key to user adoption and satisfaction. Technologies which are cumbersome tend to
be less likely to be adopted or lastingly used. While this may seem self-evident, it is a key
consideration, and future research will be required to assess user perceptions of complexity
regarding Trace. Given the success of similar programs like Yelp, though, we are confident that
such research will yield positive results. User attitudes toward Trace’s reliance on RFID are
likely to be a larger concern given that, as opposed to Yelp, Trace requires users to ‘tag’ personal
belongings. In this regard, the feedback we received from our interviewees was encouraging: as
stated previously, none expressed any major concern over privacy with regard to Trace. Given
these conclusions, it seems that Trace is a technology with the potential to fare well in the
increasingly sophisticated marketplace of mobile phone applications. As these conclusions also
reveal, however, further research—particularly relating to user privacy and interface
complexity—will be needed before Trace can proceed into development.
Given these trends, it would seem that Trace’s appeal is wide-reaching. Even so, we have
identified so-called “soccer moms” as the initial target group for Trace. Broadly defined as
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middle- to upper-class, suburban-dwelling mothers who commit significant time to transporting
their children to and from extra-curricular activities (like soccer), soccer moms are a prime initial
target demographic for Trace. Their socio-economic status suggests that they have disposable
income for use on non-essentials like mobile phone apps. Furthermore, soccer moms are by
definition busy people; they are constantly on the run. The hectic nature of the ‘soccer mom
lifestyle’ suggests a possible predisposition to personal-item misplacement, and moreover
positions its adherents at a higher-than-average risk of inconvenience when such misplacement
occurs. For example, when a carload of kids awaiting pickup hangs in the balance, the already
panic-inducing phrase, Oh no, where are my keys? takes on an all-new level of urgency. Trace
aims to solve problems like this.
One final, and supremely important, appeal of soccer moms is the group’s increasingly
prevalent use of smartphones. According a recent study by the mobile ad network Greystripe and
published in TechCrunch, women with children presently constitute 29.5% of all iPhone users
(Rao, 2009). That so many women already possess the technology required to use Trace is
incredibly encouraging. As such, soccer moms would be a prime target for Trace.
Additionally, in thinking forward about actual future development of Trace, one should
consider strategies that will influence its success. For example, since Trace comprises of a
physical component, the RFID stickers, the primary point-of-sale would be at traditional brickand-mortar retail stores. Moreover, we recommend that the initial development platform be
Apple’s iOS mobile platform, as it carries a 40% worldwide market share of mobile platforms
(Jade, 2010). Additionally, there are presently over 120 million iOS devices capable of
purchasing existing applications, and that number continues to grow (Parr, 2010). Hopefully,
Trace can begin on many of these devices and expand into other platforms and markets.
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Works Cited
Aquilina, K. (2010). Public security versus privacy in technology law: A balancing act?
Computer Law & Security Review, 26(2), 130-143. DOI: 10.1016/j.clsr.2010.01.002Jade,
C. (2010). iOS Battles Android for Market Share. Gigaom. Retrieved from
http://gigaom.com/apple/ios-battles-android-for-market-share/
Parr, B. (2010). The Unprecedented Rise of Apple iOS and Other Internet Trends. Mashable.
Retrieved from http://mashable.com/2010/11/16/mary-meeker-2010/
Rao, L. (2009). Is The iPhone Mom the New Soccer Mom? TechCrunch. Retrieved from
http://techcrunch.com/2009/08/20/is-the-iphone-mom-the-new-soccer-mom/
Sellen, A. Fogg, A. Aitken, M. Hodges, S. Rother, C. Wood, K.(2007) Do life-logging
technologies support memory for the past?: an experimental study using sensecam.
Proceeding CHI '07 Proceedings of the SIGCHI conference on Human factors in
computing systems. DOI:10.1145/1240624.1240636
Spiekermann, S. (2009). RFID and privacy: what consumers really want and fear. Personal &
Ubiquitous Computing, 13(6), 423-434. Retrieved from
http://0web.ebscohost.com.library.lausys.georgetown.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?v
7&hid=12&sid=19233b79-b4e0-4745-9d28-a05d83fe2da6%40sessionmgr13
Spiekermann, S. & Evdokimov, S. (2009). Berlin Critical RFID Privacy-Enhancing
Technologies, Security & Privacy, IEEE. Vol.7.2, 56 - 62 DOI: 10.1109/MSP.2009.31