Collaborative Physical User Interfaces
Date
2004-03-24
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Abstract
Unlike the traditional computer that is based on a screen, mouse
and keyboard, physical interfaces for collaborative interaction are special
purpose devices that can be situated in a real-world setting and are designed
for particular collaborative contexts and uses. However this is a new design
genre; developers do not yet know what these devices should do and what they
should look like. In this chapter, I hint at the variety of design categories
for collaborative physical interfaces, as suggested and illustrated by a
collection of working prototypes created by researchers and students at the
University of Calgary. We will also see that two toolkits encouraged people to
explore creative ideas in this new genre. Through Phidgets, people rapidly
prototype physical user interfaces under computer control. Through the
Grouplab Collabrary, people had an easy means to share data between
interconnected devices and software. These combined tools became a media form
that allowed researchers and students to create and develop new ideas
concerning physical interfaces for collaborative interaction, or to vary
already established ideas in interesting ways.
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Computer Science