Sandboxed interaction for casual users in shared spaces

Abstract

A simple and natural interaction is considered the most important feature of an interface for multiple impromptu users in public spaces. Intuitiveness and forthright feedback are key factors to enable a steep learning curve for untrained users that need to grasp the interaction model in a short time span. The lack of proper constraints, designed to restrict and guide the user actions, might hinder such intuitiveness, mainly when the number of users grows or their behavior is exceedingly unrestrained.In this paper we introduce the idea of sandboxed interaction, a general concept that groups many flavors of physical and softwarebased measures aiming at guaranteeing a smooth and fitting interaction. To this end, we propose different types of sandboxes, suitable to handle different kind of interaction problems, and discuss a case study where several sandboxing measures have been put into use and evaluated within a real-world application scenario.

Exploring input modalities for interacting with augmented paper maps

“…Different ways of overlaying digital information over paper maps have been studied, such as using Anoto pens [8], PDAs [10], see through displays [9], projections [10], or tangible objects [3]. Maps combining tangible objects and projections have been used in exhibits [1] as they proved to be efficient for managing crowds and more attractive than virtual tools [6]. To our knowledge, none of the previous studies has systematically compared different interaction techniques for specific map functions (e.g., zooming).…”