In Search of Seamless Collaboration

In real life we seamless interact with others. Humans have strong interpersonal skills that enable them to utilize many subtle cues to coordinate their actions and communication. Now introduce computers to the mix. We often spend more time struggling with our technology than using it to help achieve our goals. This is especially true when people want to work together in a face-to-face environment. Often, we pull out our pens and paper and go to work at the whiteboard,abandoning computer technology all together. However, as more and more of our information is in digital form, we are compelled to find a new way to seamlessly incorporate technology into our rich face-to-face interactions.

Dr. Inkpen and members of the EDGE Lab at Dalhousie University are investigating ways to more effectively support users natural, face-to-face collaborative interactions. This talk will present their research directions in the area of shared space collaboration, exploring novel computing environments, interaction styles, and user interfaces to support small group collaboration in co-located environments. Advances in this area will fundamentally change how people work and play together in the future.