ABSTRACT
Designing multisensory interfaces poses complex problems not found in designing graphical user interfaces. Interaction can be mediated by different devices, speech, and natural language. Information can be presented in a complex mixture of image, sound, speech, and so forth. Furthermore, we interact within interfaces in virtual worlds, whereas in “ubiquitous” computing, the interface is distributed among various devices. In multisensory systems, the interface itself may not be a recognizable entity, as virtual environments become so realistic that we don’t notice the computer. In ubiquitous computing, the interface may vanish in wearable computers. However, the design problem does not go away. To achieve effective and transparent interfaces we need to design interaction to fit with the user’s expectation of action in the world.
