Why a demonstration?

The HyperAudio system adapts information presentations to (i) each single user, (ii) who is performing a certain task, (iii) in a physical context. Each of these three facets influences in a different way and at a different degree the process of dynamically building presentations.

A demonstration is a good way to describe HyperAudio capabilities by exemplifying how different sequences of interactions turn into different selection of content and language usage as well as different virtual and physical navigation suggestions.

The simulation of visiting paths in a museum through a live demo will help to better understand all the critical issues and the benefits involved in the new interaction paradigm proposed by HyperAudio.

What matter to the HCI community?

The HyperAudio system aims at supporting an effective human-computer-environment interaction by using location-awareness and information adaptation: when exploited in conjunction, each component may be exploited to unexpected potentialities. In this new interaction scenario where visitors move in a real space which provides stimuli, attention grasping and feedback, the system has to take into account the prominence of the situational context, integrating the perceptual experience with helpful information, without competing with the original exhibit items for the visitor’s attention.

In this way HyperAudio proposes a new role for technology that, exploiting adaptation to user and context, becomes a continuous but not invasive presence in the human life. This result may be reached only combining experiences coming from different fields like Artificial Intelligence and Human Computer Interaction.

What is the commercial status of the technology?

HyperAudio is a research prototype. It is currently implemented on a Newton MessagePad 130 and uses a system for localization based on infrared. The used technology is patent pending by the Civic Museum of Rovereto (Italy). Nevertheless HyperAudio might be reimplemented on a different platform equipped with whatsoever fine graned localization system.

A preliminary version of the system adapted to the physical context of the Civic Museum of Rovereto will be tested with users to further explore usability issues.

The results gained inside HyperAudio will contribute to more advanced research efforts towards a richer interaction scenario, to be explored jointly with other partners inside the HIPS European project, funded under the I³ (Intelligent Information Interfaces) Esprit programme.

Who will present?

The presenter will be a researcher member of the HyperAudio developer team, working in the Cognitive and Communication Division of IRST. IRST is a reaserch institute located in Trento (Italy) whose organisation and planning are directed to pursue both basic and applied research.

Audio-visual and computing support needed

The presentation will require normal audio-visual support for projecting PC/Mac presentations on a large screen. A videorecorder for VHS/SVHS standard cassetts would also be useful.

Live demos will be offered individually to interested conference attendees. No special computer support is required. We will bring all the necessary equipment, consisting of a PDA, infrared emitters, and images for simulating museum specimens. A couple of electrical power sockets for battery recharge would be helpful. For simulating a small museum environment, we need a small stand-like area, for example as the one obtained with 3 panels in the following configuration:

        4.5 m
     ___________
     |          |
2 m  |          | 2 m
     |          |
     |          |

It should be possible to hang objects on the panels (we need to hang small holders for supporting the infrared emitters).