AES New York 2009
Workshop W6

Saturday, October 10, 9:00 am — 10:15 am

W6 - What Shape Will User Interfaces for Audio Take in the Future?

Chair:
Ellen Haas, US Army Research Laboratory - Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, USA
Panelists:
Jeremy Cooperstock, McGill University - Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Jörn Loviscach, University of Applied Science - Bielefeld, Germany

Abstract:
An international panel of researchers and engineers will describe trends and envisioned possibilities in interfaces, applications, and systems associated with audio. Whereas the present generation of interfaces for acquisition, manipulation, and presentation of audio can be characterized as a largely homogeneous collection of physical knobs, dials, buttons, or their graphical equivalents, we foresee possible advantages in an evolutionary move toward interfaces encompassing technologies including body- and brain-based sensors, virtual environments, spatial and context awareness. This workshop will explore a variety of such interfaces that may be relevant for applications ranging from audio production to information display to mobile audio experience. Audience members will be encouraged to share their design challenges with the panel in order to stimulate discussion of known and potential issues. Participants will gain a knowledge of research directions, as well as trends that could influence product design.