Exploring the Future of Living Spaces That Foster Family Connections

Unlocking Creativity Through Three “Spaces of Possibility”

Panasonic’s next-generation interface research project, NRUX (Nurturing Relations UX), hosted an exhibition titled "NRUX Prototypes—Exploring the Future of Living Spaces That Foster Family Connections."

To convey the NRUX team’s vision and concept, we developed three prototypes and curated the exhibition. The goal was to gather open-ended feedback and ideas from visitors to further refine the prototypes.

Issue

Defining “User Experience That Fosters Family Connections”

Our surroundings are filled with interfaces designed for efficiency. Panasonic’s research project, NRUX, focuses on emotional value rather than functionality. Its mission is to "draw out emotional value from everyday interactions and enhance our innate human sensitivity."

To bring this vision to life, we explored interfaces that enable families to subtly share the small, often-overlooked moments of daily life, fostering deeper connections.

Creation

A Future Living Space with Subtle Connections

We proposed three prototypes that subtly interact with living spaces, emphasizing the granularity and ambient nature of information. By presenting short stories alongside each prototype, we illustrated a future living concept shaped by NRUX. Over four days, the exhibition attracted 350 visitors, sparking discussions on future technologies, interfaces, and living environments.

#01_Lighting That Remembers

A light fixture that captures casual conversations and transforms them into ambient visual projections. These vibrant visuals leave room for interpretation, inspiring new conversations among family members.

#02_Echoing Nest Box

An invisible bird extracts keywords from family conversations and whispers them whimsically. Like a playful pet, it flits around the home, sparking small moments of connection with its occasional words.

#03_Connected Curtain

A curtain that conveys the presence of distant family members through light and movement. When someone passes through their curtain, yours gently sways and glows, creating a quiet sense of connection.