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Based on the concept of data physicalization, we developed Vital + Morph, an interactive surface for remote connection and awareness of clinical data. It enables users located in remote places to monitor and feel the vital signs measured from a hospitalized person through shape-change. We propose shape-changing interfaces as a way of making data physicalization a richer, intriguing and memorable experience that communicates complex information and insights about data. To demonstrate and validate our proposed concept, we developed an exploratory study about the design and its implications. For evaluating the social impact of shape-changing interfaces in the context of remote monitoring, we presented Vital + Morph in several Media Art festivals. We collected and analyzed the feedback from the visitors during the exhibitions, and discussed the possibilities of the proposed system. A preliminary evaluation shows how shape-changing displays are perceived by users, which establishes not only the potential benefits but also highlights the concerns that several users have raised. Through this study, we aim to contribute to the design of remote monitoring systems by providing a novel approach for displaying clinical data that consider the richness of the physical world. In today’s information-driven society, we should not just focus on how abstract data are collected and analyzed, but also on how it can be presented and incorporated into our daily lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nass’ and Reeves’ media equation paradigm within human-computer interaction (HCI) challenges long-held assumptions about how users approach computers. Given a rudimentary set of cues present in the system’s design, users are said to unconsciously treat computers as genuine interactants—extending rules of politeness, biases and human interactive conventions to machines. Since the results have wide-ranging implications for HCI research methods, interface design and user experiences, researchers are hard-pressed to experimentally verify the paradigm. This paper focuses on the methodology of attributing the necessary social cues to the agent, a core aspect of the experimental design of studies dealing with the media equation. A typology of experimental anthropomorphisms is developed, allowing an assessment of how the differing axiomatic assumptions affect the relevance of the results for an evaluation of the paradigm. The paper concludes with a series of arguments in favour of one particular anthropomorphism type for researching the media equation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]