Digital Simplicity: Usable Personal Ubicomp

Speaker
James Landay
Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science & Engineering, University of Washington

When
-

Where
Newell-Simon Hall 1305 (Michael Mauldin Auditorium)

Description

There are many indicators showing that people feel technology is speeding up and complicating their lives. In response, many individuals reject certain computing and communications technologies when given the choice (e.g., for use in their homes). Current research in ubiquitous computing has a tendency to fall into this same trap. Purveyors of these technologies tend to force customers into a lopsided bargain: “take this complex technology into your personal life and you will now be able to do these new functions: A, B, & C”. The Digital Simplicity project instead offers a different value proposition: “take this simple technology into your personal life and we will make the activities A, B, &, C you are currently doing simpler.” In this talk I give an overview of the technical, design, and applications research we are carrying out to make Digital Simplicity a reality.

Speaker's Bio

James Landay is the Laboratory Director of Intel Research Seattle, a university affiliated research lab that is exploring the new usage models, applications, and technology for ubiquitous computing. He is also an Associate Professor in Computer Science & Engineering at the University of Washington, specializing in human-computer interaction. His current research interests include Automated Usability Evaluation, Demonstrational Interfaces, Ubiquitous Computing, User Interface Design Tools, and Web Design.

Landay received his B.S. in EECS from UC Berkeley in 1990 and M.S. and Ph.D. in CS from Carnegie Mellon University in 1993 and 1996, respectively. His Ph.D. dissertation was the first to demonstrate the use of sketching in user interface design tools. He was also the chief scientist and co-founder of NetRaker Corp. In 1997 he joined the faculty in EECS at UC Berkeley, leaving as an Associate Professor in 2003.

Speaker's Website
http://homes.cs.washington.edu/~landay/

Host
Dan Siewiorek