This week, LoGaCulture is present at the Academic Mindtrek 2024 conference in Tampere, Finland. Researcher Pedro Galvão-Ferreira presented the research paper Posthumanist Care and Ecologies of Empathy: Investigating Design Potentials for Nature:Culture HCI, which investigates how locative games (LGs) can enhance engagement with the natural and cultural heritage of the UNESCO-protected Levada walks on Madeira Island.
As the study explores the nature-culture continuum, it sheds light on how LGs — interactive games that incorporate spatial, temporal, and social dimensions — can be used as tools to foster deeper connections and engagement with natural landscapes. By integrating narrative self-reports and cultural probes, the researchers uncovered the motivations and embodied experiences of visitors, providing a nuanced understanding of how interactive technologies can mediate human-nature interactions in meaningful ways.
One of the key contributions of the study is its focus on a posthumanist paradigm of care, moving beyond traditional human-centered design to incorporate a broader, more inclusive view of the environment. Using a feminist ethics of care lens, the authors unpack the various tensions inherent in the Levada trails, which serve as both vital water infrastructure and a site of natural and cultural significance. This dual role of the Levadas creates a dynamic interplay between conservation and tourism, posing challenges that interactive technologies can address by offering new ways of experiencing and appreciating the landscape. Through this approach, the study provides insight into how future designs of locative games can promote empathy, conservation, and responsible tourism.
The findings ultimately underscore the potential for LGs to cultivate a holistic understanding of visitor experiences, leading to interactive technology designs that support sustainable human-nature relationships. By revealing hidden aspects of the Levadas and encouraging visitors to engage with the site’s cultural and natural values, the study showcases how technology can facilitate a more harmonious relationship with the environment. This research invites the HCI community to consider how digital innovations can contribute to conservation efforts, enriching our understanding of nature while addressing the complex balance between heritage preservation and tourism demands.