Motivation

Long distance relationships suck. I've been in a long distance relationship for a while, and there's a definite lack of intimacy when your loved one (whether significant other or family) is far away. Texting, calls, and video chat can give some of the intimacy that you need, but there's nothing PHYSICAL associated with those media.

In my experience, some of the things I miss most are the little gestures that remind me that the other person is thinking of me and nearby, whether a hug or holding hands, or just a light touch. The aspects that KiT emulates of these interactions is low-key and spontaneous communication to remind both people of the other. While the KiT cannot replace your loved one, the goal is to provide something physical that can evoke some of those warm feelings similar to a hug or hand nearby. Something to remind you that the other person is thinking of you.

Requirements

In no particular order,

• Internet-connected. KiT is designed for people far apart, so it needs to be on the internet to provide real-time communication
• Spontaneous. In-person interaction is richer because it isn't forced and is easy. So the whole user inter-face needs to be fast and easy to use to allow people to spontaneously and quickly send a message. It NEEDS to be faster than unlocking a phone and sending a text message.
• Simple. Those in a relationship would rather be interacting than fighting technology. There's nothing more frustrating than wanting to talk to your significant other and spending 10 minutes getting video chat setup when you could be talking. And it should be accessible to people of all technical levels, so setting the KiT up should be quick and painless, and not require any interaction after initial setup.
• Universal. The communication method should be universal and flexible enough to apply to any shorthand users create, allowing them to communicate in any way they wish. This means that users will not be forced to use pre-canned messages in the name of quick communication.