Project R-9779

Title

Prototyping and maintaining high-quality sensor systems by end-users (Research)

Abstract

With advancements in thin-film electronics, interactivity can seamlessly blend in the environment instead of moving interactive experiences to digital devices. Making such interactive physical interfaces is however challenging and requires expertise and techniques from different fields; to fabricate and shape the physical artifact, to add electronics, and to include software that drives computational aspects. In contrast years of research and development have resulted in tools that empower users, without a technical background, to make digital interfaces. Examples include, webpage builders (e.g. WordPress) which allow virtually everyone to make webpages themselves; spreadsheets (e.g. MS Excel) which allow accountants to author interfaces that efficiently process numerical data. While the latest research in the HCI domain aims to facilitate making sensor systems using physical toolkits and supporting software tools, making durable sensor systems that can be maintained over time is still reserved for experts. This project aims to contribute novel tools and techniques that enable non-engineers to prototype and maintain high-quality sensor systems themselves. The fundamental research in this project will lead to a novel generation of tools that empower, for example, caregivers to build and maintain assisted technology for people with special needs, scientists to make custom measurement instruments, and interaction designers to conduct faster prototyping iterations.

Period of project

01 October 2019 - 30 September 2023