StatCounter: A Longitudinal Study

"What if your h-index lived in your pocket?"

Scholarly metrics usually reside in browser tabs, checked sporadically. This study changes the paradigm by introducing a handheld, battery-operated e-ink device—the StatCounter—that displays Google Scholar citation statistics in real-time.

Drawing on a longitudinal auto-ethnographic inquiry, we examined how constant, embodied access to these numbers influences motivation, attention, and academic identity. The device transforms data from a distant digital signal into a physical companion.

Hardware Profile

Raspberry Pi Pico 2 WH

Waveshare 2.13" E-Ink

MicroPython

2000mAh LiPo

Fig 1. Embodied Metrics

Key Findings

How situated access reshapes the meaning of metrics.

Ambient Proximity

The pervasive availability of metrics invites frequent "micro-checks" and short reflective pauses. It turns the act of checking citations from a deliberate task into an almost subconscious habit.

A Sense of Companionship

Carrying the device prompts new narratives about academic identity. It became a companion during travel and periods away from the office, bridging the gap between work and life.

The Social Object

The device sparked curiosity in colleagues and strangers alike, becoming a physical anchor for conversations about academic labor and evaluation.

The Emotional Rollercoaster

While increases brought moments of joy, the constant visibility also introduced moments of distraction and second-guessing when numbers dropped or stagnated. The device made the emotional volatility of metrics tangible.

Read the Paper

Accepted at the International Symposium on Pervasive Displays (PerDis) 2026.

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University of Oulu Center for Applied Computing PerDis '26