May 03 2017

Focus on a joint research project: SIRIUS

SIRIUS (2011-2013)

Situated interaction

Principal Investigators: 

  • Dr. Wendy Mackay, IN-SITU project-team, Inria Saclay Île-de-France
  • Prof. Scott Klemmer, Stanford University
  • Prof. Bjoern Hartmann, University of California, Berkeley

Research objectives:

SIRIUS explored how to create novel interactive environments, with a focus on tangible and multi-surface interaction, using participatory and “research through design“ techniques.

Scientific achievements:

Multi-surface Interaction:

SIRIUS created:

  • Hydrascope, which distributes web applications in multi-surface environments;
  • Combinatorix, in which students obtain a concrete understanding of combinatorial statistics by manipulating both physical and virtual tokens;
  • The CHI Video Preview system for the dynamic display of over 500 30-second videos of technical content; and
  • WILDView/Cobi, which used the WILD interactive wall to schedule the four-day CHI’13 conference (16-parallel sessions, 1000 presentations).

Research Methods:

SIRIUS explored novel participatory design techniques, including branching storyboards and peer-critical incident technique, to understand how medical students handle critical events and interact with emergency manuals in the operating room.

The team also explored how “makers“ customize 3D-printed objects in the Thingiverse.

The team wrote a book chapter on “research through design” , which explores the multidisciplinary links between traditional natural scientific and design techniques.

Publications and Awards:

  • 1 Book chapter; 3 Posters: CURIS’11, ACM CHI EA’13 (2)
  • Software: Hydrascope, Combinatorix, WILDView/ Cobi
  • NSF CNIC award on Multi-Surface environments – OISE-1157574.

Selected publication:

Dow, S., Ju, W. and Mackay, W.E. (2012). Projection, Place and Point-of-View in Research through Design. In The Sage Handbook of Digital Technology Research, Chapter 22, Sarah Price, C. Jewitt & Barry Brown (eds). Sage Publications, 2012.

Follow up:

Collaborations and cross-visits continue with both Berkeley and Stanford, including as part of the DIVERSITY associate team created in 2016.