A smart matchmaking tool for wearable devices.
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Transparency
People’s participation
Access to Power Structures
Innovation on product / service
diffuse competence
Design methods / thinking
Participatory process /design
Prototyping methods
Institutional capacity
Social Activism
Entrepreneurial culture
prototyping / testing phase
The Transparency Tool is a smart matchmaking tool that consists of connected, wearable devices that can be used for networking events. Currently at networking events, social silos are often visible and it can be difficult to find the right people to talk to. The tool intends to enhance transparency and efficiency in networking situations and to serve as a conversation starter. It diminishes barriers between social silos.
During an event, each participant wears one device visibly, as a conference badge. Beforehand, a personal profile of interest can be uploaded onto the device. As soon as participants with similar or compatible interests are within certain proximity of each other, each device will give a visible signal hereof.
The tool uses technology in a smart way to enable new and meaningful contacts and conversations. It enables different stakeholders with similar interests to find each other. This in itself is already a social innovation. The tool is targeted at City Making events and the different types of stakeholders related to City Making, like citizens, civil servants, designers, architects, researchers and grassroots initiatives. By creating meaningful conversations with the right stakeholders, an infrastructure is created that could lead to the development of new networks and/or (social) innovations.
The tool now has a working prototype and has been tested with small groups at several events. A next step would be to create more of the devices and do a bigger test with a large group at a conference. Also, the platform around the tool, where people can upload their personal profile of interest, should be developed further.
Similar things like the Transparency Tool have been tried, but those are often web-based or using a mobile application. The difference with the Transparency Tool is that it makes the interests of the person wearing the badge, visible. Moreover, the badges have a type of connectedness and therefore react to the proximity of other devices where the same interests have been uploaded. Lastly, the device itself is not connected to the internet, (only when uploading the personal profiles), but works with Bluetooth.
Domain of actions
Description of the solution space.
Object of Innovation
Description of the main focus of innovation: product/service, process, market and/or organization.
Design Competence
Description of the involved design competence.
Design Methods
Description of the design approaches used throughout the project.
Relation to the Urbanscape
Description of the urbanscape relevant to the project.
Project Development Phase
Description of the current phase in the project process.
