Abstract
Maintaining connection and communication across long distances can be challenging for friends. Traditional methods such as texting or video calls may sometimes feel too direct or intrusive. To offer a more subtle approach, this paper introduces PalPalette, a prototype system aiming to subtly share personal moments and foster a sense of connection despite physical separation. The prototype consists of illuminated modular light panels, a microcontroller, a gateway service, and a smartphone app. It works by extracting a color palette from photos taken via the smartphone app, transmitting it to friends through the service, and adjusting the lighting on the panels via the microcontroller, to reflect the friend’s environment. The results of a preliminary usability study with 14 participants indicate that the PalPalette prototype demonstrates good usability (System Usability Scale Score = 72.86), and open feedback suggests its potential to provide an effortless and lightweight medium for communication.