Exploring Embodied Approaches for Large Age Gap Sibling Communication through Technology Probes

Large age differences and geographic distance between siblings can often hinder the development of close relationships, as they may have different social circles and schedules. Younger siblings may also have limited access to digital technology, which can further complicate communication and interaction between them. In this paper, we developed two technology probes, Haptic Bubble and Emoji Board. Both of these systems utilize embodied interaction, which has been shown to be an effective way to engage children in remote communication. Our work focused on three main goals through the development and preliminary study: the system design goal involved testing the feasibility of the embodied design approach, the empirical goal was to collect information on how siblings use embodied communication technology and the design goal was to inspire new kinds of technology to support large gap siblings' needs.

This work tackles the challenge of helping siblings with big age gaps stay connected when they live apart, by building two physical, hands-on communication devices that even young children can use without screens. Early testing with sibling pairs reveals how tangible, body-based interaction can make remote communication more natural and engaging for kids who may not yet be comfortable with traditional digital tools.