Passover Update - #Blog14

The last two weeks of the Passover break were particularly intense as we continued creating and learning amidst the ongoing war under a remote learning format. Despite the distance, we achieved a significant milestone in refining the product and its characterization. Through precise work with Aviad, we focused the product’s use cases and the mood board, while diving deep into the components and interface visibility. We developed a dedicated application designed to simulate the user experience-from completing the personal questionnaire to the peak moment when the color appears. The mechanism chosen to trigger the light is a phone-shaking gesture, serving as the physical trigger for the interaction.

To understand the actual impact of what we built, we conducted field tests to observe the users' reactions when the bracelet lights up. The results were exactly as expected-the moment the lights turned on, there was genuine excitement in searching for and finding group members. Interestingly, this reaction remained powerful even within groups where the members already knew one another; the light successfully created an immediate and experiential connection. These tests were highly informative and provided a great deal of insight for our next steps.

On the technological front, Maayan and Barbara developed two bracelets that serve as a Proof of Concept (POC). Our objective was to conduct an initial test to ensure all interactions function seamlessly together, including answer selection via buttons, proximity measurement, and LED activation. We developed the code in Arduino, building it step-by-step. The testing confirmed that all components integrate successfully, allowing us to move forward with the next phase: ensuring the bracelet is compact, aesthetic, and comfortable for the user.

Parallel to the practical work, we are progressing rapidly with the writing of the research paper. We invested extensive effort into the Related Work chapter, where we divided the research into two major sub-topics examining psychological influences and aspects alongside a detailed exploration of connection dynamics and group strengths. Following this progress, we have begun laying the initial foundations for the Design chapter. We are concluding the break ready for the upcoming stages of the project.

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