School of Computing Science

Human Computer Interaction (GIST)

The Glasgow Interactive Systems Group (GIST) focuses on ubiquitous computing, mobility, multimodal interaction, visualisation and modelling. Key HCI research sub-groups are:

- Multimodal Interaction Group (Stephen Brewster)
- Social Ubiquitous Mobile Group (Matthew Chalmers)
- Interactive Teaching and Technology (Quintin Cutts)
- Technology for Learning and Teaching (Steve Draper)
- Software, Technology, Tools and Methods (Phil Gray)
- Glasgow Accident Analysis Group (Chris Johnson)
- Dynamics and Interaction (Rod Murray-Smith)
- Diagram Evaluation (Helen Purchase)
- Graphical Authentification and Email Usage (Karen Renaud)

Our research has a strong focus on users as well as computing science, therefore the group is multi-disciplinary with members drawn from the Departments of Computing Science, Psychology, Community Health and Music. We also have strong links with other universities and companies, such as the Universities of Strathclyde, Nottingham, The Hamilton Institute, Grenoble and Toulouse, Nokia, NASA and IBM.

  • Accident analysis and human error
  • design and evaluation of human computer interfaces to mobile devices
  • multi-modal interaction
  • gesture recognition
  • machine learning
  • use of sound in interfaces
  • applications of haptic (force feedback) and mobile technology
  • adaptive user interfaces

PULSE: an auditory display to provide a social vibe
McGookin, D. , and Brewster, S. (2011) PULSE: an auditory display to provide a social vibe. In: IwS '11 Proceedings of Interacting with Sound Workshop: Exploring Context-Aware, Local and Social Audio Applications. ACM New York, New York, NY, USA, pp. 12-15. ISBN 9781450308830

Chalk sounds: the effects of dynamic synthesized audio on workspace awareness in distributed groupware
Gutwin, C., Schneider, O., Xio, R., and Brewster, S.A. (2011) Chalk sounds: the effects of dynamic synthesized audio on workspace awareness in distributed groupware. In: CSCW '11: Proceedings of the ACM 2011 conference on Computer supported cooperative work. ACM New York, New York, NY, USA, pp. 85-94. ISBN 9781450305563

Performative interaction in public space
Hansen, L.K., Rico, J. , Jacucci, G., Brewster, S. , and Ashbrook, D. (2011) Performative interaction in public space. In: Proceedings of CHI EA '11 Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems, Vancouver, BC, Canada, 7-11 May 2011. ACM New York, New York, NY, USA, pp. 49-52. ISBN 9781450302685

Augmenting media with thermal stimulation
Halvey, M. , Henderson, M., Brewster, S.A. , Wilson, G. , and Hughes, S. (2012) Augmenting media with thermal stimulation. Lecture Notes in Computer Science , 7468 . pp. 91-100. ISSN 0302-9743 (doi:10.1007/978-3-642-32796-4_10 )

COPE: interactive image retrieval using conversational recommendation
Balcer, B., Halvey, M. , Jose, J.M. , and Brewster, S. (2012) COPE: interactive image retrieval using conversational recommendation. In: BCS-HCI '12 - 26th Annual BCS Interaction Specialist Group Conference on People and Computers, 12-14 Sep 2012, Birmingham, UK.

Experimental Human-Computer Interaction: A Practical Guide With Visual Examples
Purchase, H.C. (2012) Experimental Human-Computer Interaction: A Practical Guide With Visual Examples. Cambridge University Press, New York, NY, USA. ISBN 9781107010062

Contributing student pedagogy
Hamer, J. , Sheard, J., Purchase, H.C. , and Luxton-Reilly, A. (2012) Contributing student pedagogy. Computer Science Education , 22 (4). pp. 315-318. ISSN 0899-3408 (doi:10.1080/08993408.2012.727709 )

On the usability of Lombardi graph drawings
Purchase, H.C. , Hamer, J. , Nöllenburg, M., and Kobourov, S.G. (2012) On the usability of Lombardi graph drawings. In: 20th International Symposium on Graph Drawing, 19-21 Sep 2012, Redmond, WA, USA.

Mental map preservation helps user orientation in dynamic graphs
Archambault, D., and Purchase, H.C. (2012) Mental map preservation helps user orientation in dynamic graphs. In: 20th International Symposium on Graph Drawing, 19-21 Sep 2012, Redmond, WA, USA.

Information technology: gateway to direct democracy in China and the world
Cockshott, W.P. , and Renaud, K. (2013) Information technology: gateway to direct democracy in China and the world. International Critical Thought , 3 (1). pp. 76-97. ISSN 2159-8282 (doi:10.1080/21598282.2013.761448 )

Thermal icons: evaluating structured thermal feedback for mobile interaction
Wilson, G. , Brewster, S. , Halvey, M. , and Hughes, S. (2012) Thermal icons: evaluating structured thermal feedback for mobile interaction. In: Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction with Mobile Devices and Services - MobileHCI '12. ACM New York, pp. 309-312. ISBN 9781450311052

Tempera-tour, hot apps, cool widgets: thermal feedback for mobile devices
Wilson, G. , Brewster, S. , Halvey, M. , and Hughes, S. (2012) Tempera-tour, hot apps, cool widgets: thermal feedback for mobile devices. In: Proceedings of the 14th international conference on Human-computer interaction with mobile devices and services companion - MobileHCI '12. ACM New York, pp. 211-212. ISBN 978-1-4503-1443-5

The challenges of engineering multimodal interaction
McGee-Lennon, M. , Nigay, L., and Gray, P. (2010) The challenges of engineering multimodal interaction. Journal on Multimodal User Interfaces , 3 (3). pp. 155-156. ISSN 1783-7677 (doi:10.1007/s12193-010-0045-1 )

The engineering of mixed reality systems
Dubois, E., Gray, P. , and Nigay, L. (2010) The engineering of mixed reality systems. Series: Human-computer interaction series . Springer-Verlag, London, UK. ISBN 9781848827332

Guidelines for designing graphical authentication mechanism interfaces
Renaud, K. (2009) Guidelines for designing graphical authentication mechanism interfaces. International Journal of Information and Computer Security , 3 (1). pp. 60-85. ISSN 1744-1765 (doi:10.1504/IJICS.2009.026621 )

In a world of their own: working on the move
Goucher, W., and Renaud, K. (2011) In a world of their own: working on the move. In: The 25th BCS Conference on Human Computer Interaction, 4-8 Jul 2011, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK.

Using insights from email users to inform organisational email management policy
Ramsay, J., and Renaud, K. (2012) Using insights from email users to inform organisational email management policy. Behaviour and Information Technology , 31 (6). pp. 587-603. ISSN 0144-929X (doi:10.1080/0144929X.2010.517271 )

Accessible and secure? Design constraints on image and sound based passwords
Gibson, M., Conrad, M., Maple, C., and Renaud, K. (2010) Accessible and secure? Design constraints on image and sound based passwords. In: The International Conference on Information Society (i-society 2010), 28-30 Jun 2010, London, UK.

Distance education as enabler in crossing the digital divide: will the phoenix fly?
Van Biljon, J., and Renaud, K. (2009) Distance education as enabler in crossing the digital divide: will the phoenix fly? In: 3rd International Development Informatics Association Conference, 28-30 Oct 2009, Kruger National Park, South Africa.

Web authentication using Mikon images
Renaud, K. (2009) Web authentication using Mikon images. In: 2009 World Congress on Privacy, Security, Trust and the Management of e-Business, 25-27 Aug 2009, Saint John, NB, Canada.

This Week’s EventsAll Upcoming EventsPast Events

This Week’s Events

There are no events scheduled for this week

Upcoming Events

There are no upcoming events scheduled.

Past Events

GIST Seminar: : Understanding Visualization: A Formal Approach using Category Theory and Semiotics (31 January, 2013)

Speaker: Dr Paul Vickers

We combine the vocabulary of semiotics and category theory to provide general framework for understanding visualization in practice, including: relationships between systems, data collected from those systems, renderings of those data in the form of representations, the reading of those representations to create visualizations, and the use of those visualizations to create knowledge and understanding of the system under inspection. The resulting framework is validated by demonstrating how familiar information visualization concepts (such as literalness, sensitivity, redundancy, ambiguity, generalizability, and chart junk) arise naturally from it and can be defined formally and precisely. Further work will explore how the framework may be used to compare visualizations, especially those of different modalities. This may offer predictive potential before expensive user studies are carried out.

MultiMemoHome Project Showcase (19 February, 2013)

Speaker: various

This event is the final showcase of research and prototypes developed during the MultiMemoHome Project (funded by EPSRC). 

GIST Seminar: A Study of Information Management Processes across the Patient Surgical Pathway in NHS Scotland (14 March, 2013)

Speaker: Matt-Mouley Bouamrane

Preoperative assessment is a routine medical screening process to assess a patient's fitness for surgery. Systematic reviews of the evidence have suggested that existing practices are not underpinned by a strong evidence-base and may be sub-optimal.

We conducted a study of information management processes across the patient surgical pathway in NHS Scotland, using the Medical Research Council Complex Intervention Framework and mixed-methods.

Most preoperative services were created in the last 10 years to reduce late theatre cancelations and increase the ratio of day-case surgery. 2 health-boards have set up electronic preoperative information systems and stakeholders at these services reported overall improvements in processes. General Practitioners' (GPs) referrals are now done electronically and GPs considered electronic referrals as a substantial improvement. GPs reported minimal interaction with preoperative services. Post- operative discharge information was often considered unsatisfactory.

Conclusion: Although some substantial progress have been made in recent years towards improving information transfer and sharing among care providers within the NHS surgical pathway, there remains considerable scope for improvements at the interface between services.

[GIST] Talk -- Shape-changing Displays: The next revolution in display technology? (28 March, 2013)

Speaker: Dr Jason Alexander

Shape-changing interfaces physically mutate their visual display surface
to better represent on-screen content, provide an additional information
channel, and facilitate tangible interaction with digital content. This
talk will preview the current state-of-the art in shape-changing
displays, discuss our current work in this area, and explore the grand
challenges in this field. The talk will include a hardware demonstration
of one such shape-changing device, a Tilt Display.

Bio:
 
Jason is a lecturer in the School of Computing and Communications at
Lancaster University. His primary research interests are in
Human-Computer Interaction, with a particular interest in developing the
next generation of interaction techniques. His recent research is
hardware-driven, combining tangible interaction and future display
technologies. He was previously a post-doctoral researcher in the
Bristol Interaction and Graphics (BIG) group at the University of
Bristol. Before that he was a Ph.D. student in the HCI and Multimedia
Lab at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand. More information can
be found at http://www.scc.lancs.ac.uk/~jason/.