Using actuated devices in location-aware systems

Mike Fraser, Kirsten Cater, Paul Duff

Research output: Chapter or section in a book/report/conference proceedingChapter in a published conference proceeding

4 Citations (SciVal)

Abstract

Location-aware systems have traditionally left mobility to the user through carrying, supporting and manipulating the device itself. This design choice has limited the scale and style of device to corresponding weight and form constraints. This paper presents a project introducing school children to location aware systems. We observed that it is hard to notice, physically grasp and simultaneously share these small personal devices in groups. These behaviours are partly grounded in the physical device design, but also in the location awareness model itself, which provides information 'right here' while the children are looking around and about them. These observations lead us to suggest the alternative model of pointing at locations so that they can be noticed and experienced by groups in public places. We further build this location model into the device itself by introducing actuated components from robotics to make a location-aware device called 'Limbot' that can be physically pointed. A preliminary study of the Limbot with the school children indicates rich sharing behaviours, but that user control of actuation at all points is critical to the ultimate success of our approach, and further exploration of our location model is required.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationTEI'08 - Second International Conference on Tangible and Embedded Interaction - Conference Proceedings
Pages19-26
Number of pages8
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 30 Apr 2008
Event2nd International Conference on Tangible and Embedded Interaction, TEI 2008 - Bonn, Germany
Duration: 18 Feb 200820 Feb 2008

Publication series

NameTEI'08 - Second International Conference on Tangible and Embedded Interaction - Conference Proceedings

Conference

Conference2nd International Conference on Tangible and Embedded Interaction, TEI 2008
Country/TerritoryGermany
CityBonn
Period18/02/0820/02/08

Keywords

  • Actuators
  • Human-robot interaction
  • Location awareness
  • Physicality
  • Pointing
  • Robotics

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Computer Science

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