Home sickness

About

Homesickness is a challenge I personally understand, having moved away from family and familiar surroundings. I explored how domestic technology could be leveraged to mitigate loneliness and strengthen connections with loved ones. This case study outlines my research, design interventions, and prototype development aimed at creating a more comforting home environment.

Background

My research began with the problem statement

Recognizing that homesickness is subjective and varies from person to person, I conducted an extensive literature review and gathered insights from personal experiences. I identified key triggers such as missing family interactions, feeling isolated in unfamiliar environments, and the absence of sensory cues from home.

Research

Literature Review – Research explored Attachment Theory (separation anxiety), Belongingness Theory (need for social connections), and Nostalgia & Environmental Triggers (familiar sights and sounds evoke comfort).

User Surveys & Interviews – Gathered insights from individuals who have moved away from home

Co-Design Workshop

To better understand homesickness, I conducted a co-design workshop with individuals who had moved away from home.

Total Participants : 4

Activity 1: What Reminds Me of Home?

This activity was designed to help participants identify specific spaces, objects, and routines within their domestic environment that trigger feelings of homesickness. Participants mapped out their homes and noted which areas, items, or experiences reminded them of home.

• Triggers & Cues: Familiar smells, sounds, photos, cultural artifacts, loneliness at night.

• Key Learning: Small, everyday experiences trigger homesickness more than big events. Familiarity and environmental comfort play a crucial role in emotional well-being.

Activity 2: Homesickness Remedy Kit

In this activity, participants were encouraged to design a personalized “Homesickness Remedy Kit.” They imagined solutions that could alleviate homesickness and crafted potential interventions using objects, technology, or rituals.

• Triggers & Cues : Isolation, lack of spontaneous communication, discomfort in new environments.

• Key Learning: Personalized, non-intrusive technology (e.g., smart lighting, digital frames, communication tools) can help create a sense of home and connection.

Brainstorming

Brainstorming focuses on identifying homesickness triggers and exploring how technology can create a comforting home environment. Ideas include smart lighting, digital photo frames, ambient sounds, and AI-driven communication tools to enhance emotional connection

The goal is to design seamless, non-intrusive solutions that make distant living spaces feel more like home.

Ideation Sketches

Ideation sketching focuses on smart home enhancements like lighting, temperature, and ambient sounds, along with interactive tools such as digital frames and AI-driven calls for connection. It integrates sensory elements like scents and AR projections, emotional support features like comfort tech and voice assistants, and daily routine boosters like automated tasks and virtual gatherings to ease homesickness

Testing

Various usability and prototype tests were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the design

1. Wizard of Oz Testing – Simulated interactions to observe user responses.

2. Prototype Testing – Users interacted with smart lighting, digital frames, and communication tools in real-life scenarios.

3. Usability Testing – Measured ease of use, emotional impact, and engagement.

4. Iterative Feedback – Adjustments were made based on user preferences and experiences.

The Wizard of Oz method is a testing approach where users interact with a system that appears fully functional, but some functions are manually controlled behind the scenes.

Iterations

Based on user feedback, several refinements were made:

✔️Auto-lighting & temperature control – Successfully improved comfort.

✔️ Photo frame updates – Enhanced with two-way interactions for better engagement.

❌ Removed voice messages from appliances – Users found them intrusive.

🔄 Smart button refinements – Added availability indicators to make family calls more intuitive.

Conclusion

This project successfully demonstrates how domestic technology can reduce homesickness by creating an emotionally connected home environment. By combining smart automation, personalized interactions, and seamless communication tools, the solution fosters a sense of warmth and belonging. The final design balances functionality and emotional comfort, ensuring that even when physically distant, individuals feel closer to home