Rich digital collaborations in a small rural community

Alan Dix*, Alessio Malizia, Tommaso Turchi, Steve Gill, Gareth Loudon, Richard Morris, Alan Chamberlain, Andrea Bellucci

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

In this chapter we describe experience in the design and installation of a low-cost multi-touch table in a rural island community. We discuss the creation of the table including: pragmatic challenges of installation, and then re-installation as the physical fabric of the multi-purpose building (café, cinema, meeting area and cattle market) altered; technical challenges of using off-the-shelf components to create state-of-the art multi-touch interactions and tactile BYOD (bring your own device) end-user programming; design challenges of creating high-production value bespoke mountings and furniture using digital fabrication in an environment that could include sewing needles, ketchup laden sandwiches and cow manure. The resulting installation has been used in semi-in-the-wild studies of bespoke applications, leading to understandings of the way small communities could use advanced interactions. More broadly this sits within a context of related studies of information technology in rural developments and a desire to understand how communities can become users of the rich streams of open data now available, and, perhaps more important, offer ways in which small communities can become empowered through the creation and control of their own data.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationCollaboration Meets Interactive Spaces
PublisherSpringer International Publishing
Pages463-483
Number of pages21
ISBN (Electronic)9783319458533
ISBN (Print)9783319458526
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 10 Jan 2017

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