Designing a Ubiquitous Audio-Based Memory Aid

The ephemeral nature of sound can be problematic when people cannot recall something they heard. Motivated by everyday conversational breakdowns, a continuous, near-term audio buffering application named the Personal Audio Loop was designed to recover audio content from the recent past using the mobile phone platform. The investigation of the potential usefulness in everyday life, the level of ubiquity and usability required of the service, and the social and legal considerations for long-term adoption is presented. The methods used include a controlled laboratory study, in-situ diary and event-contingent experience sampling studies, examination of legislation, and deployment of the technology over several weeks.