Creating Experiences with Wearable Computing

Richard Hull, Josephine Reid, and Erik GeRichard Hull, Josephine Reid, and Erik GeelhoedelhoedHewlett-Packard Lab, BristolHewlett-Packard Lab, Bristol

2002 IEEE , Pervasive Computing2002 IEEE , Pervasive Computing

Outline

Introduction Exploring experience

Experiences from wearable computing application Three beliefs about experience

Experimental Model A Walk in the Wired Woods

User Response Reflections Conclusion

2002 IEEE , Pervasive Computing

Introduction

Wearable Computing moves from research laboratories to the real world.Early research focused on new types of

device-enabled utilityWe can get more experience outside it’s

usefulness We can get direct experiences and

generate indirect experiences from using the wearable computing object.

2002 IEEE , Pervasive Computing

Experience (1/2)

Direct Experiences:Comes from object’s immediate characteristics,

it’s appearance, ergonomics and user model.Ease-of-use has long been a guiding design

principle. Indirect Experiences:

Example: The fun of playing an instrument with friends The pleasure of losing yourself in a good book.

2002 IEEE , Pervasive Computing

Experience (2/2)

Wearable computing applications that deliberately aim to give their users engaging experiences might eventually emerge as a dominant use of the new technology.

Goal of project What makes a wearable computing experience

engaging How the emerging technology might help

systematically deliver such experience

2002 IEEE , Pervasive Computing

Three Beliefs (1/3)

The First is that experience mattersUser might significantly value wearable comp

uting’s experiential applicationUser will encounter many wearable device whi

le engaged in some ongoing experienceThe aim must naturally be to augment rather t

han diminish these active

2002 IEEE , Pervasive Computing

Three Beliefs (2/3)

Second, we can unpack experience to understand why they are engaging and use that to systematically develop applications.

Provisional model:Predicting that compelling experiences will

likely involve stimulation of the senses and challenge and self expression and social interaction

2002 IEEE , Pervasive Computing

Three Beliefs (3/3)

Third, we believe that experiential applications are more likely to be engaging if creative practitioners (artists, games designers) participate.

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Simple initialization

Situated digital experienceWe are concentrating on location sensitivity,

where the user’s current position, path history,…etc.

We use audio as the primary method of communicating to the user

2002 IEEE , Pervasive Computing

A Walk in the Wired Woods (1/3) Worked with artist LizMilner and musician

Armin Elsaesser to develop an art installation.

The woods was installed in the atrium of the HP Lab building in Bristol, Jan~May 2002

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A Walk in the Wired Woods (2/3)

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A Walk in the Wired Woods (3/3) The woods demonstrates a situated sound

space Users automatically receives audio conten

t appropriate to their location The soundspace comprises some 30 piec

es of music, woodland sounds, and spoken narrative

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Location Sensing (1/2)

Based on a system developed at the Univ. of Bristal

A radio frequency transmitter broadcasts a framing pulse and triggers subsequence bursts from a series of ultrasonic transmitters strung above the space

2002 IEEE , Pervasive Computing

Location Sensing (2/2)

A receiver on the client device hears both the radio pulse and as many of the ultrasonic transmitters as are in range

Compute its position by triangulation This system has proved to be both reliable

and accurate, with a spatial resolution of around 15cm

2002 IEEE , Pervasive Computing

Wireless network

The 802.11b wireless network installed throughout the building

Client uses this to access the directory server to discovery what digital content is situated nearby and to stream audio content from media server

2002 IEEE , Pervasive Computing

XML description

A unique identifier, a channel assignment,and a name

A location and the radius of a circle of applicability around that location

The URL of the audio object associated with that aura

Knowing whether to loop audio on completion

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Plan View (1/2)

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Plan View (2/2)

Different for different channelsRed : pieces of musicBlue : woodland soundsBlack : Stepping stone

One of numerous spoken narrativesGreen : wolf growls

For alertingYellow : No mentioned

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Client Device (1/2)

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Client Device (2/2)

HP Pocket PC with a compact flash wireless local area network card

A small extension board to interface to the location sensing infrasturcture

Headphones containing an ultrasonic receiver

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Steps

Detect its location within the exhibition-space using the ultrasonic positioning system

Interpret its location with respect to the map linking the physical and digital exhibition space

Fetch audio data (and other information) on demand from servers over the wireless network

Mix and play multiple stereo audio streams through headphones

Log the user’s movements around the space and the auras encountered

2002 IEEE , Pervasive Computing

User response (1/2)

We observed that visitors typically spent around 20 minutes in this installation

Blue line in plan view show s a path one visitor followed

Users’ feedback was overwhelmingly positive

2002 IEEE , Pervasive Computing

User response (2/2)

Rank 2 list of seven items using an incomplete block design

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Reflection

The woods gave visitors an engaging experience despite its simple functionality.

The experience model described suggest fertile directions along which we can orientate an intended experience.

2002 IEEE , Pervasive Computing

Conclusion

Propose a model : a walk in the wired wood to improve that wearable device creates experiences indirectly

It still leave lots of work to do.