Michitop: defining, developing and discovering the value of desktop pets

Spring 2025 Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) Project

Type and Evaluation of Contribution: systems-for-a-study (artifact and empirical)

Project Overview:

Originally, digital devices were conceptualized to serve a practical purpose. However, the digital space our devices have ascended beyond just utility. Rather, it has become a digital place. People “go” on their computers or “visit” a website, they are not simply used as tools. Virtual pets were conceived as videogames. However, games are not where users spend most of their time: it's really on the desktop. In this digital place, what kinds of digital inhabitants could occupy it? There are a range of possibilities from desktop assistants (e.g. Clippy) to desktop companions (e.g. Shimeji) and even malware posed as desktop assistants (e.g. BonziBuddy). Our project will be focused on desktop pets: virtual pets that reside on the desktop.

Michitop is a systems-for-a-study paper.

Given the lack of research on desktop pets, we will outline a definition and criteria for what constitutes a desktop pet versus a virtual pet. We will also be developing two types of desktop pets: one that has more interaction, more presence and asks for more of the user's attention (companion mode) whilst the other has less presence (aesthetic mode). The participants for this study will be given one of these two desktop pet models (called a “Michitop”) to use on their desktop for at least 5 days. Afterwards, a post-use survey will be sent asking for feedback regarding their experience with the desktop pet.

With the survey results, we will derive:

(1) What kind of value can a desktop pet add to the user experience?

(2) How do different interactions change the user experience, such as perceived presence or emotional attachment?