Exploring Location Histories as a Design Material for Reflection with Memory Compass & Memory Tracer

There are a growing number of GPS-based smartphone applications that record a person's location over time. This accumulation of geolocation metadata offers a valuable resource for supporting reflection on past life experiences. Yet, little design research has explored how location histories can be applied as a material in designing such experiences. We propose Memory Compass, an application that offers a novel way to explore your past, and Memory Tracer, a device which periodically surfaces location-based past moments from your life. We reflect on key decisions in our process and early implications for future research.