Figure 1 The Messaging Kettle consists in a companion device that augments an ordinary kettle with messaging, scribbling and virtual presence. When the user turn the kettle on to boil water for a tea a heat sensor placed on the Kettle Mate (left) reveals the activity. This is shared with an analogous devices located at a different home, so that the routine of boiling the kettle becomes visible over distance. The users can also exchange voice messages and scribbles using the smart teabox (back).

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... ABSTRACT 1 Staying connected is vital to maintaining good relationships, yet feelings of disconnection or isolation distance, time differences, or simply busy lives. Everyday interactions, family rituals and habits are often lost, in spite of the pervasiveness of smart-phones and personal multi-purpose devices. This project explores novel ways of connecting people over distance through smart objects designed to facilitate routine activities. Our aim is to democratize the design and making of the Internet of Things, by researching and creating easy-to-use kit technologies. This will enable everybody to design and make networks of internet connected things and people to suit their own interest and needs, fostering new kinds of creative thinking, designing and connection. The project aims to connect families through their things to better enable social engagement and connectedness between generations, diaspora and for different cultures. Figure 2 The Ambient Birdhouse is an interactive device that allows users to explore and learn about the common birds that inhabit the urban environment around their homes in a playful way. CCS CONCEPTS • Human-centered computing → Interface design prototyping;