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digital family portraitBy denying the casual daily contact that naturally occurs when families are co-located, the geographic distance between extended family members makes casual, lightweight observation or "keeping an eye out" for family members impossible. Technology that reconnects geographically distant extended family members by allowing them to remain aware of each other in a non-obtrusive, lightweight manner can provide the peace of mind required to allow aging family members to age in place. The Digital Family Portrait reconnects family members by providing a qualitative sense of a distant relative’s well-being while striking a reasonable balance between privacy and the need for information. Like a traditional portrait, it is designed to be hung on the wall or propped on a mantle, blending with household decorations. Instead of a static frame, the digital frame changes daily, reflecting a portion of the person’s life. From general measurements of activity to indications of the weather, the portrait attempts to capture the observations that would naturally occur to someone living next door or in the same home.
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Fig 2: The detailed Digital Family Portrait display. 
Fig 1:
The primary Digital Family Portrait display.