ISRC Future Technology Briefing: HumanCentric Computing

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ISRC Future Technology BriefingHuman-Centric
Computing
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Two Views of The Future

• Pervasive computing
• Objective to get the end user experience right
• Focus on designing devices that are easier for
  users to find relevant information.
• Carnegie Mellon and IBM
• Human-centric computing
• Objective to create an entire solution so that
  the human is always connected, as opposed to the
  device.
• Focus on embedding devices in objects that humans
  interact with on a daily basis
• Project Oxygen at MIT

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Three Elements of Human-Centric Computing

• Device constantly with you
• Contains a camera, a video screen, the equivalent
  of a cell phone/beeper, a headphone jack, a GPS,
  and a pointing device.
• Embedded devices in the walls, ceilings, car
  trunks, or any place where a device can be
  installed.
• The entire network will be custom-configured to
  what you want and will be controlled by your
  voice

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Projected Benefits

• Individuals
• Users will not be as frustrated
• Computer becomes a slave
• Pertinent and accurate information
• Organizations
• Accessible employees
• Dissolution of boundary between work and home
• Daily interaction with customers
• Financial reduction in training and education of
  users

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Projected Benefits

• Humanitarian
• Easier global collaboration
• Removal of social boundaries
• Less judgmental and prejudice society
• Increased opportunities for third world countries

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Projected Risks

• Connectivity overload
• Computers watch our intimate moments
• Lack of privacy
• Exploitation of third world citizens
• Reliance upon voice as only means of input

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A Timeline of Implementation

• First pervasive devices are already beginning to
  infiltrate the market
• Wearable computer
• Microsofts Project Hailstorm
• Human-centric computing is beyond the near term
• Project Oxygen prototype will be available in
  2002
• Full version available in a decade
• Beyond human-centric computing
• Artificial intelligence and machine learning
  increase
• Biological computing

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How to Get Started

• Focusing on having systems serve people
• Look at today's speech systems
• Look at automation
• Look at how people work
• Look at customization
• Look at what you are doing in your daily actions
• Begin slowly