Human Interface Technologies
Information and Communication Technology Research Theme
Overview
In the past few years, new and innovative human computer interface technologies, such as affordable high-quality VR and AR headsets, and point & snap 180 degree 3D cameras, have been introduced to consumer markets. These technologies are opening up a wide range of new possibilities for new applications as well as new ways to improve existing applications. The Human Interface Technology Laboratory (HIT Lab) focuses its research on applying interface technologies to a range of applications and investigating its effectiveness in the applied domains. Key areas of activities are in virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), immersive experience, social media consumer engagement and education technologies.
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Impact and Engagement
With increasing task complexity, task volume, amount of information, different and emerging forms of interface technologies and poorly designed interfaces, there is a need for a new human computer interface. This research theme focuses on how computer interface technologies such as Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR) and brain computer interface technologies, in combination with ubiquitous technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), can be applied in context of real-world applications.
The theme is underpinned by three overarching research questions:
- How will we increase bandwidth to the brain and expand human intelligence through interface technologies?
- What are the useful and effective methods for creating the interfaces?
- What are the appropriate metrics for evaluating the interfaces?
The grand challenge of this theme is that with different application domains there could be different answers to these overarching questions. The theme has a diverse range of problem domains in education technology, sport science, spatial science, environmental sensor visualization, social media consumer engagement and military.
The thematic projects have demonstrated real-world impacts in a number of applications. A gesture-controlled application has been used in tutorials in an organic chemistry unit. A VR application has been used in helping assess the quality of tree structure in forest plantation. A social media mining software has been used by an industrial partner to gain insights in the effectiveness of their marketing strategies.
