Toucanna Break is a pair of networked devices that encourage people to take breaks from work. Embodying the Costa Rican value of Pura Vida (pure life), a state of mind to live life carefree and not to stress about the little things, Toucanna Break helps share the spirit of Pura Vida with friends by reminding each other to enjoy life albeit for a brief moment.

Exploring people-to-people connections using networked devices, Toucanna Break focuses on four meaningful connections:

• Reflecting on one self and with others


• Inviting others to a shared space to relax


• Enjoying life and the little things that make it great


• Bonding and deepening relationships with loved ones

A paired Toucanna Break can be shared between two friends. It uses an ultrasonic sensor to sense when someone is sitting at a desk working or if they have left to take a break. When the device senses one is away from their working area, a signal is sent to the paired device through wifi (PubNub) and starts rocking its toucan back and forth to alert the other person that their friend is taking a break, reminding them that maybe it’s their turn to take a moment and join their friend. The prototype was built using HC-SR04 ultrasonic sensors, servos, and Arduino nano 22 IoT boards.

One of the key takeaways from this project was exploring the relationship between form and the story being told. Toucan was chosen as the motif as it is one of Costa Rican’s most famous icons. Another key takeaway was learning about ambient technology and the ways that it gives people agency over their own actions. Since Toucanna Break is more of an invitation rather than a direct command, people are welcome to refuse the invitation and continue working.