Tsumi is a smart companion that helps your family be present in the moment.
Tsumis located on your dinner table, and catches your attention while you or one of your family members is distracted by other digital objects, your smartphone specifically.
Tsumi makes sure that your attention is directed to the center of the table, and that all family members are not busy doing other things while eating dinner, except being in the here and now. 

What is it?


Family dinners introduce an opportunity for quality family time which is significant for the development of emotional skills, life satisfaction and the establishment of a strong parent-child bond. However, family dinners are constantly challenged by mobile distractions. We present the design and preliminary evaluation of a peripheral Tangible User Interface, in the form of a table spinning top. The object is aimed at enhancing family quality time by raising awareness of mobile phone distraction and motivating family members to return their focus to the family activity. A preliminary user study with three families revealed high engagement and increased motivation for stopping mobile distractions and re-engaging in the family interaction. Our results suggest the prototype can assist in regulating digital interference in a constructive and positive way.