EXTREME INTERFACES

About

TOPICS INCLUDE:
• Immersive/interactive environments 
• Thought-control interfaces 
• Haptics, captology, and prosody 
• Merging body and machine 
• Gesture-based interaction 
• Robots and their interfaces 
• Display innovations 
• Modeling the brain 
• Biocompatible microelectronic devices 
• Context awareness

CONFERENCE OVERVIEW
It wasn’t long ago that the keyboard was our one and only computer input device, followed by the mouse, voice commands, touch screens, and electronic pens. As useful as these devices are, these now older interfaces don’t come close to performing the functions we associate with true ease-of-use between humans and machines. It seems that we constantly adapt to new and changing interfaces, whether intuitive or not, since no viable alternatives exist.

Technologies are well under development that will allow machines to correctly accept and respond to gestures, motions, speech, and facial expressions for input. Human brain machine interfaces will allow humans to control artificial devices designed to restore lost sensory and motor functions (think pacemaker for the brain or the ability to walk at 30 miles per hour). Intelligent user interfaces will enhance the interaction of humans with technology through the use of artificial intelligence and cognitive science. Persuasive interactive technologies will revolutionize business, commerce, health, workplace safety, training, and education.

This conference will examine new possibilities where people and technology might and will meet, ranging from the seemingly simple to the extremely complex, all with the goal of making the interaction between humans and technology more natural, ubiquitous, and joyful.

The ramifications in the way people connect to each other through technology are profound. What are the economics of interfaces and how can we exploit these to reduce costs and improve efficiencies? One answer is to improve methods for remote monitoring, self-diagnosis, and home-based care. What will be the impact of electronic interfaces on trust, secrecy, perception, reality, social relationships, and human communications? We just might find that new interfaces positively affect the way to do business.