Emotional interaction as a way of communication

Abstract

The article presents the design and evaluation phase - an example of an emotional interaction for elderly users as a means for interpersonal communication, management with the residence (smart house) and communication with the external environment. The proposed solution suggests using non-verbal communication (care for a garden) with the assistance of sound, colours, materials and shapes for creating an intuitive, fluid and permanent communication. The paper also reports on the evaluation phase of this kind of interaction by investigating whether it is suitable for different age group users. The evaluation phase was focused more on the 60+ year old elderly users. We evaluated this way of interaction in different situations: in communicating with relatives, taking medicine, recording reminders, controlling their home and using different services. Evaluation results showed that our users felt that this interaction is too simple and that older people in their fourth life period (around the eighties) do not appreciate this way of thinking.