Asynchronous Co-Dining: Enhancing the Intimacy in Remote Co-Dining Experience Through Audio Recordings

Co-dining benefits in closeness and connectedness between all family members. However, it is hard for those in different locations to enjoy a meal together due to the geographical barriers and inconsistent life schedule. The widely applied video technology caused excessive visual interference when solving problems, while the effect of sound in a meal on intimacy has not been studied. In this paper, we explored how can recorded audio create an asynchronous co-dining experience and support intimacy. We conducted a field study with 24 participants, and the result shows the system potentially enhance the intimacy in remote coding experience. In the follow-up workshop with 6 participants, we further discussed the future landscape of designing a sound interface for remote meals.