Human-computer interaction groupUniversity of Konstanz, Germany

in four different design domains: Individual interaction design blends real-word interaction and objects with digital actions and representations in the form of natural user interfaces. Social interaction design blends the power of real-word social conventions in communication with the possibilities of interactive technologies such as multiuser interaction or tangible interfaces. Service and workflow design supports a fluid transition between real-world workflows and computer-supported services—for example, blending digital information-seeking activities with the real context of the physical library. Physical environment design blends the power of real-world devices, furniture, rooms, and buildings with the power of virtual means such as interactive tables or walls. In our view, such a holistic concept can offer a new quality of interaction in many different application domains. tion, information visualization, and usability engineering. We integrate user-centered design and traditional engineering methods into our research philosophy. Typically, we define our research around realistic application scenarios such as museums, design studios, libraries, or control rooms. Together with many partners from industry, we seek to identify the true needs of practitioners and then design and implement innovative user interfaces that live up to real-world requirements. What is the focus of your activities? Our work is focused on one common goal: to establish blended interaction as a new concept that accommodates particular characteristics of human interaction and embodied cognition as well as the latest technological developments in ubiquitous computing technology. Thus, our design approach is based on blends of real-world char