research-article

The Ambient Birdhouse: An IoT Device to Discover Birds and Engage with Nature

Authors:

Alessandro Soro,

Margot Brereton,

Jessica L. Oliver,

Aloha May Hufana AmbeAuthors Info & Claims

CHI '18: Proceedings of the 2018 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

Paper No.: 397, Pages 1 - 13

https://doi.org/10.1145/3173574.3173971

Published: 21 April 2018 Publication History

Abstract

We introduce the Ambient Birdhouse, a novel IoT design for the home that seeks to encourage awareness and discovery of birds outside. People increasingly have routines and technologies that disconnect them from nature. Moreover birds are hard to come to know, seen but not heard, heard but not seen, or simply around when we are not. The Ambient Birdhouse aims to reconcile these positions, by using local bird media to leverage people's playfulness and curiosity, calmly sustain interest over time and ultimately to garner interest and engagement in nature and conservation projects. We trialled the Ambient Birdhouse with five families. Key findings are that the playful nature of the Birdhouse has an immediate grasp on children, and through them on the rest of the family. Children were prompt to learn bird calls, and invented and played games that involved the Birdhouse. Learning strategies emerged spontaneously from family routines and arrangements, with each family creating different moments and spaces for learning.

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Cited By

Yin SKasraian DWang GEvers Svan Wesemael P(2025)Co-designing an Ideal Nature-Related Digital Tool With Children: An Exploratory Study From the NetherlandsEnvironment and Behavior10.1177/0013916524131107156:9-10(739-775)Online publication date: 11-Jan-2025
https://doi.org/10.1177/00139165241311071
Myung JChoe MBaek J(2025)Enhancing child–nature interactions through design: An empirical study of the emotions, perspectives and experiences of nature among South Korea's urban Generation Alpha childrenPeople and Nature10.1002/pan3.70005Online publication date: 17-Feb-2025
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Index Terms

The Ambient Birdhouse: An IoT Device to Discover Birds and Engage with Nature
1. Human-centered computing

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cover image ACM Conferences

CHI '18: Proceedings of the 2018 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

April 2018

8489 pages

ISBN:9781450356206

DOI:10.1145/3173574

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Regan Mandryk
University of Saskatchewan, Canada
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Mark Hancock
University of Waterloo, Canada
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Mark Perry
Brunel University London, UK
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Anna Cox
University College London, UK

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Published: 21 April 2018

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CHI '18 Paper Acceptance Rate 666 of 2,590 submissions, 26%;

Overall Acceptance Rate 6,199 of 26,314 submissions, 24%

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Cited By

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https://doi.org/10.1177/00139165241311071
Myung JChoe MBaek J(2025)Enhancing child–nature interactions through design: An empirical study of the emotions, perspectives and experiences of nature among South Korea's urban Generation Alpha childrenPeople and Nature10.1002/pan3.70005Online publication date: 17-Feb-2025
https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.70005
Vella KRogers YTulloch ABrereton M(2024)Nature Networks: Designing for nature data collection and sharing from local to globalProceedings of the 2024 ACM Designing Interactive Systems Conference10.1145/3643834.3661520(1439-1452)Online publication date: 1-Jul-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3643834.3661520
Rodgers SPloderer BVella KBrereton M(2024)Phenology Circles: A Method to Deepen Relations in More-Than-Human Design ProcessesProceedings of the 2024 ACM Designing Interactive Systems Conference10.1145/3643834.3660694(1059-1073)Online publication date: 1-Jul-2024
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Longdon JWesterlaken MBlackwell AGabrys JOssom BAshton-Butt AAcheampong E(2024)Justice-oriented Design Listening: Participatory Ecoacoustics with a Ghanaian Forest CommunityProceedings of the 2024 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems10.1145/3613904.3643044(1-12)Online publication date: 11-May-2024
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Masu RMerendino NRodã ATurchet L(2024)Sustainable Internet of Musical Things: Strategies to Account for Environmental and Social Sustainability in Network-Based Interactive Music SystemsIEEE Access10.1109/ACCESS.2024.339346812(62818-62833)Online publication date: 2024
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Vella KDobson MRodgers SOm CBircanin FDema TPillai JMurcia KBrereton M(2024)Wired, wild, wonderfulInternational Journal of Child-Computer Interaction10.1016/j.ijcci.2023.10061938:COnline publication date: 27-Feb-2024
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Om CBrereton MVella KPloderer BDema TDobson MMurcia K(2023)Rethinking the Development of Computational Thinking Skills in Young Children through Nature PlayProceedings of the 35th Australian Computer-Human Interaction Conference10.1145/3638380.3638447(536-549)Online publication date: 2-Dec-2023
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Tikkanen RIivari N(2023)Nature and Natural Rhythm in the Digital World - What's in It for Child–Computer Interaction?: A narrative literature review and an initial design frameworkProceedings of the 26th International Academic Mindtrek Conference10.1145/3616961.3616989(119-132)Online publication date: 3-Oct-2023
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Ossevoort SBruns M(2023)Embodying Wind through Flare: How Natural Phenomena Can Contribute to Enriching the Design of Interactive SystemsProceedings of the Seventeenth International Conference on Tangible, Embedded, and Embodied Interaction10.1145/3569009.3572743(1-11)Online publication date: 26-Feb-2023
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