The Role of Context for Specifying Wearable Computers

P.T. Kirisci and K.-D. Thoben (Germany)

Keywords

user interface development, formal methods in HCI, context models, wearable computing

Abstract

Wearable computing is transcending the realms of laboratory environments. Increasing applied research in this area is boosting the introduction of wearable computers in a diversity of business and leisure areas. One major challenge is to guarantee that wearable computers are highly customized devices. Experience has shown that the physical properties and features of a wearable computer must be in line with the context of the user and his environment, in order to ensure an optimum on usability and acceptance. While the efficient use of context has always been a key issue for the development of context-aware applications in the area of mobile computing, it is of particular interest to wearable computing. This is because of the additional features that wearable computers comprise [1]. Additionally, context is extremely dynamic in wearable computing settings. This paper discusses the usage of context for the specification of wearable computers. Thus, the aim is not only to gain a better understanding of context and its use in the specification process of wearable computers, but also to provide some significant input in formalizing the design approaches for physical user interface design in Human Computer-Interaction (HCI).

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