I implemented a signed applet version of ShoutSpace. Features include a zoom in and out, a move mode, and a write mode. It is still very much of a prototype for us to discuss where we want to go in terms of scenarios, interaction design, …
I had to sign the applet, because the Axis log cannot be disable (rather annoying) and eventually I will need to open sockets to various servers.
Via Making Sense of Sensing Systems: Five Questions for Designers and Researchers, here are Belloti’s �five questions� on sensing-based interface. Designers of user interfaces for standard applications, devices, and systems rarely have to worry about questions of the following sort:
In Future Location-Based Experiences Steve Benford makes a technology watch report on the use of location-based experiences in the education. He gives examples of location-based experiences, categorizes the technology used and introduces the future challenges for location-based experiences. I should make a graph out of this report, because Benford presents location-based expericencs as series of russian-doll style folder hierarchies:
Types of experiences in education:
Technologies
Future challenges
In Delivering Real-World Ubiquitous Location Systems, Borriello, Chamlers, LaMarca and Nixon, emphasize the praticle aspects of getting location-enhanced applications deployed on existing mobile devices without the need to set up special infrastructure. It contains many similaor content to my post mortem on CatchBob!. They mention that the cell phone is the most ubiquitous computing platform and therefor is an excellent condidate for location-based service deployment. However, accuracy, privacy, and cost ore concerns in phone-based location. They mention the problems of using radio frequency signals-based location, because it is hampered by inherent technology problems such as limits on coverage, signal interference, and reliance on infrastructure, and by broader issues such as privacy concerns. There is a high demand from users for security, privacy and trustworhiness. By 2008 the European Union will deploy Galileo, a next-generation GPS system that promises greater accuracy and operation covering both indoors and out, due to stronger radio signals that should penetrate most buildings.
Developers of applications will have to accept variation in the accuracy and availability of location data for some time. Systems that expose the variable accuracy and availability of location systems should not be seen as standing in opposition to research aimed at improving accuracy and broadening availability.
I stumbled on a couple of slides of Chris Heathcote on location, its measures and its usefulness. He says that instead of throwing technology at the problem we should match the needs to methods for the developper and the user (appreciate the toolbox). There are different measures of location:
In each of this category, what is good enough, useful and useable by the users?
He advocates for the use of technology for quick rough location and then the use of people to refine. How accurate the positioning should be to be useful, especially when humans can read/recognise 50-100m.
I wrote a postmortem on CatchBob! a treasure-hunt type, Wi-Fi based locative and collaborative mobile game I developed at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne, Switzerland. The document describes the whole development process, from the technical architecture to the user perception of the game. I talk about the positioning system, the data, the communication tool as well as the the user interface. I finish by introducing a few topics I find interesting in the field of locative media. This document addresses a large audience. Non-tech-savvy people should not be afraid to have a glance at it.
“Building a mobile, locative, and collaborative application“, by Fabien Girardin.
