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PhD studentship available
Audioclouds project
www.audioclouds.org
www.dcs.gla.ac.uk/~stephen
Closing date: 16th December, 2002.
A fully-funded three-year PhD studentship is available in the Department
of Computing Science, University of Glasgow, UK on the EPSRC funded
project AudioClouds: Three-Dimensional Auditory and Gestural Interfaces
for Mobile and Wearable Computers”.
Overview of the project
Mobile telephones, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) and handheld
computers are currently one of the fastest growth areas of computing.
This growth will extend into more sophisticated, fully wearable
computers in the near future. One problem with these devices is their
limited input and output capabilities. There is a very limited amount of
screen space on which to display information. Small displays easily
become cluttered with information and widgets. Input is limited, with
small keyboards or simple handwriting recognition the norm.
Speech-recognition is also not always an ideal option, even if
recognition rates can be improved further.
Our approach is to look at different interaction techniques based around
3D sound for output and gestures for input. These allow users to look
where they are going and interact using senses that are currently under
utilised. Virtual three-dimensional (3D) sound through headphones will
be used in a novel way to create a personal audio space around a user
to give a larger area in which to display auditory information than
standard mobile devices. Head/hand trackers (developed for virtual
environments) will be used to allow gestures as input to mobile devices.
Modern nonparametric statistical dynamic models will be used for
high-performance gesture recognition.
The main aims of this project are to:
Investigate the possibilities for using 3D sound to create a space in
which to display information on wearable computers;
Investigate gestural interaction based on head, hand and device
gestures to improve input and to control of the large audio space;
Develop new interaction techniques combining sound and gestures that
are usable on the move;
Conduct rigorous evaluations of these new techniques to ensure they
are usable in mobile contexts.
This research is interdisciplinary, bringing together specialists in
human-computer interaction and mathematical modelling. The PhD student
will be working alongside a Research Assistant (already appointed) who
is investigating the mathematical and statistical techniques needed for
gestural interaction. The PhD student will work with wearable computers
designing and evaluating new interaction techniques. He/she will create
a display based around 3D sound, look at how gestures can be used to
control the sounds and evaluate their use in a range of different
scenarios.
PhD studentship
Applications are invited for a three year, fully-funded PhD post
(suitable for any UK/EU citizen). Applicants must have (or hope to get)
a good honours degree or equivalent in computing science and/or
psychology and would benefit from any/all of:
A thorough understanding of Human-Computer Interaction
A thorough knowledge of C/C++/Java programming
Knowledge of music sampling and synthesis technology or 3D sound
The studentship will be funded at the normal rate (full fees + £8,000
per year living expenses). The start date will be 1/2/03 but is
negotiable.
Applications
Please send three copies of your CV and covering letter giving the names
of two academic referees to the address below. The closing date for
application is 16th December, 2002.
Informal enquiries may be made to Stephen Brewster on 0141 330 4966,
[log in to unmask] . See the websites for more details.
Jacqui Brannan
Department of Computing Science
University of Glasgow, G12 8QQ,
UK
(email [log in to unmask])
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