Touch Base reimagines how we interact with notifications by creating a dedicated physical space for communication. Instead of being constantly interrupted by messages from platforms such as WhatsApp, Instagram, or Gmail, Touch Base captures and holds notifications until users choose to engage with them. This allows people to remain fully present during time spent at CIID, in meetings, or during focused work sessions.
By introducing a clear cognitive separation between people and service-driven apps, Touch Base challenges the false sense of urgency created by notifications. The emphasis shifts away from managing apps and toward intentional, meaningful communication with people.
Inspired by the form of a phone booth, Touch Base is conceived as a quiet sanctuary. Inside the booth, a touchscreen displays contacts as floating bubbles, each representing notifications received from that person, regardless of platform. Tapping a bubble reveals the messages, which are read aloud. Users can reply using natural speech, reframe messages, or choose to respond later on their phones if a message requires more time or privacy. Touch Base automatically routes replies through the appropriate platform, allowing users to focus on communication rather than on apps.
In the prototype, mock messages were generated using Gemini AI, while the backend system, developed with Claude AI, handled text-to-speech and speech-to-text conversion. A mobile web app allowed users to continue editing drafted messages on their phones, with data transmitted between systems via a local MQTT server.
Touch Base emerged from a brief to bridge the experiential divide between physical and digital worlds. Drawing inspiration from phone booths and memories of retro communication technologies, the team explored how a familiar form could be reimagined for modern digital life. Through experimentation with booth dimensions and screen sizes, the team prioritized calm, focus, and human connection, creating a sanctuary where people can engage intentionally with those who matter most.
