Browsing by Author "Kiss, Francisco"

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    Efficacy of personalized feedback in encouraging sustainable washing behavior : evidence from a pilot study in Germany
    (2025) Höpfl, Laura; Đula, Ivan; Kiss, Francisco; Walter, Rebecca; Wirzberger, Maria
    Introduction: Reducing household energy consumption through behavioral changes is a key strategy in addressing the emissions driving the climate crisis. Behavioral changes in affluent households toward more sustainable practices can have a significant positive impact. Prior research highlighted the role of individual values and motivational factors in shaping sustainable clusters. A more personalized approach toward encouraging the resulting clusters of people to adopt more sustainable strategies seems promising. Such an approach could incorporate aligned feedback, which has been proven to be a powerful mechanism throughout learning processes.
    Method: Over 9 weeks, a pilot study with 50 participants investigated the impact of different types of feedback on washing behavior. The within-subjects design included (1) a baseline condition, (2) feedback on energy consumption (kWh), and (3) feedback on monetary costs per cycle (EUR). Data collection encompassed pre- and post-condition surveys, a final comprehensive survey, and a diary-formatted table. The primary objective was to evaluate the potential for individualization. Asynchronous structured interviews were conducted at the end to explore participants' perceptions and washing behaviors.
    Results: While we found effects for the feedback manipulation, we found no differences between user clusters in individual washing behaviors. Furthermore, participants qualitatively reported habitual changes, feeling more knowledgeable about the monetary impacts of specific washing programs and temperatures, and wished for a more accessible preset time function. Most participants expressed willingness to switch to a dynamic energy price if it translated to significant cost savings.
    Discussion: Our findings may support the notion that individualized behavior change strategies are promising. In general, these strategies should be easily applicable, cost-effective, and promote habits to be exerted regularly. Arising methodological limitations suggest further research in this domain. From an applied perspective, our research provides valuable insights for designing products, services, and regulations by governments and companies, empowering them to develop more effective strategies for reducing energy consumption.
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    Reshaping ubiquitous interaction through sensory augmentation
    (2020) Kiss, Francisco
    Current technological advances enable unprecedented approaches for aiding human perception through digital technologies. Powerful Sensory Augmentation becomes feasible. Our concept aims to improve the natural sensory capabilities of users while transcending the traditional interaction concept of tools. This approach promises to facilitate a more natural interaction with ubiquitous computers and support the enhancement of interaction with reality through computing machines. The goal of this research is to investigate the possibilities of this emerging paradigm and to provide a formal structure for future efforts in this field. In this thesis, we propose a definition for Sensory Augmentation and a design space to structure its study. We present a vision for its application to human activities and identify opportunities and challenges for the incorporation of Sensory Augmentation to human activities. Further, we report on three research probes that help investigate these opportunities and challenges, as well as users’ experiences and preferences for this technology. Each of these probes explores a specific area of augmentation, both assessing specific theoretical aspects of Sensory Augmentation and providing practical insights in the technical challenges posed by the development of applications. Additionally, we investigate and discuss the implications of augmenting the senses from the perspectives of users and society, focusing on benefits but also addressing the main foreseeable negative effects and possible strategies to minimize them. Finally, we present a design process for Sensory Augmentation applications alongside with practical recommendations and discuss future research directions of this new field.