Staying in contact without actually writing or saying something specific is an unusual and difficoult field of research for a communication designer: but after all, affection is universal in the human race, and is needless to describe it in detail: what is a question like “What’s the weather like there?” if not just a different way to say “I care for you”?
People today are accustomed to very impersonal methods of communication, which deliver precise information rin an efficient manner.
This project is a physical translation of a software widget into a dedicated digital device. It operates by a single byte or “ping” communication, simple but enough to make two people feel connected, while at the same time experiencing a immersive visual  experience generated by the other person’s local weather conditions, sending a taste of his physical environment in real time.
When we think about communication between two people today, we think of phone, chat or email, or web 2.0 services, such as Twitter or Facebook.
But there’s no real connection between the information that is transmitted and the real world, just words, translated thoughts.
We spent a lot of time considering how modern technology can trasform the most complex tasks into something extremely easy to do for everyone, but at the risk of filtering out in the process part of the information not considered not so important.
This project does aim to be an alternative to the cited “traditional” communication devices, on the countrary, it aims to transmit and receive just the kind of information that is neglected by them, or lost inside an excessive flow of information: a simple and quiet sign of presence and affection, activated by a single breath.
The shape and way of using of this device is also different from the usual, very functional way of using computers and mobile phones, too trivial and cold for our purposes.
Blinky delivers his “ping” in response to a gentle breath, a simple and physical way of interaction, while the visual output is produced from the local weather conditions where the other Blinky is; so the system works both with human interaction and actual physical world feedback.
Blinky wants to be light, easy, non-intrusive, quiet and pleasant to use. All these aspects are summarized in the metaphor of a dandelion, which suggests all these qualities, including the interaction.
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