Business from technology

User interaction technologies

Competence

VTT is taking advantage of the new emerging user interaction technologies in the area of human-computer interaction. We do research and development into versatile solutions for user interaction in multi-device ecosystems.

The quality and ease of interaction between humans and information technology are key factors in our research and development activities. End users are always closely involved in our research, so we have a realistic outlook on needs and expectations.

We have expertise in tag-based interaction, local connectivity technologies, development tools for interaction for non-professional users, mobile interaction technologies and audio-based user interfaces. We can rapidly build up real working prototypes and proofs of concept, from embedded mobile platforms to distributed open smart spaces.

Challenges

• Support for multi-device user interaction in smart spaces. Smart spaces usually consist of devices with diverse capabilities. Therefore, usage of them must be effortless.
  
• Facilitation of user interface and application creation in smart spaces. Universal and generic development and deployment processes are missing.
  
• Interoperability of user interfaces and devices. User interfaces and devices must be seamlessly interconnected.
  

Solutions

• Rapid proof-of-concept implementations. We have agile tools and methods to build up real working prototypes of novel user interfaces and smart space applications.
  
• Development tools for non-professional users. Our tools and methods free developers from worrying about details of technical capabilities, and allow them to concentrate on the user interface and application they are developing, even without programming skills.
  
• Tag-based interaction and applications. We can build up easy-to-use tangible interaction solutions based on RFID and NFC technologies.
  
• Interaction laboratory. Our laboratory can be fitted out for different purposes when studying and developing multimodal and multi-device user interfaces. These facilities support the development and evaluation of novel user interface solutions.
  

Benefits

• A growing awareness of smart spaces. Users are aware of services and possibilities available in smart spaces.
  
• End users are developers in smart spaces. Users can build their own interactive ecosystems and share experiences with other users.
  
• Better user experience. All our solutions are developed and tested in co-operation with end users and our clients.
  

References and merits

• Physical Browser: RFID Tag Reader Emulator to Support Touching, Pointing and Scanning
  
• PlayCreator: Creativity Tool for Interactive Playground
  
• Mass Memory Tag [Video]
  
• Doctoral Thesis: Physical Selection in Ubiquitous Computing, Pasi Välkkynen, 2007