Critical Object

We first started to brainstorm ideas on IoT related critical issues. After voting, we landed on the topic around human's bonds with IoT devices, especially in a parent-children scenario. We designed a critical object called SafeWatch. It is a smartwatch designed for young kids. SafeWatch generates the GPS data of the one who is wearing it, works with a map system, and sends alerts to parents when their kids are in dangerous zones.

The main idea was that in the near future parents are likely to have troubles because of their deep bonds with SafeWatch, which leads to their increasing anxiety. SafeWatch works pretty well at the beginning as it alerts parents when the kid is in potential danger. And therefore parents can save their children promptly. However, as parents' dependence on SafeWatch grows, they believe its signals without hesitation. So when SafeWatch sends wrong messages to parents, they are so stressed out that they even fail to recognize their children walking by.