Interactive Object / Memory / Distance

We Were There, Differently

A pair of tactile magnetic objects that store traces of touch, distance, and reunion instead of images, voice, or messages.

Year

2026

Context

HEAD Genève / AI in Families

Role

Concept development, interaction design, prototyping, electronics, visual direction.

Tools

ESP8266, electromagnets, LEDs, physical prototyping, interaction testing.

Overview

We Were There, Differently is an interactive prototype developed at HEAD Genève for the AI in Families course. The project explores how physical interaction can carry memory and emotional attachment through a pair of magnetic objects whose light and magnetic behavior change over time based on patterns of use.

Instead of recording speech, images, or personal content, the objects respond to touch, duration, frequency, rotation, and magnetic contact. The project treats interaction itself as a form of relational memory.

Prototype objects placed together — The two objects are designed as a pair, carrying traces of shared interaction.

Close-up of magnetic object prototype — Light and magnetic behavior become part of the emotional language of the object.

Interaction Sequence

Before separation, two users handle the objects together through touch, rotation, and magnetic contact. This shared handling becomes the beginning of the objects’ memory.

After separation, each person keeps one object, extending the shared interaction into an individual experience. Over time, the light and magnetic behavior shift according to frequency and duration of use.

When the two objects meet again, their responsiveness can gradually be restored through renewed interaction.

Together interaction sequence — Together: users handle the objects through touch, rotation, and magnetic contact.

Apart interaction sequence — Apart: each object continues the shared memory as an individual experience.

Reunion interaction sequence — Reunion: the objects regain responsiveness when they meet again.

Reflection

The project questions what it means to remember someone without storing their image, voice, or exact words. It proposes memory as something behavioral, fragile, and shaped through repeated gestures.

For me, the project became a way to explore emotional technology without making the object feel like a surveillance device or a personal archive.

Electronics and prototyping process — Tiny boards with electromagnets, LEDs, and EsP8266 microcontrollers

Finalized prototype objects — Product design and material choices were made to create a satisfying tactile experience while keeping the electronics compact and hidden.