ADAPTIKs : Adaptive Information Keyholes for Public Libraries

Abstract

When considered through the lens of ubiquitous computing, interactive wall displays represent a promising infrastructure to provide information services. In the context of public libraries the design has to take particular account on two domain-speci c aspects. First, libraries are valued for their calm atmosphere. Thus, interaction has to occur in an unobtrusive manner. This is challenging as interactive displays need to catch assers-by's attention to communicate interactivity. Second, given that public libraries are demographically diverse places, a low barrier to entry has to be guaranteed to provide access to the largest possible number of visitors. With ADAPTIKs we present the concept of an interactive display that makes use of visual adaption as a means to unobtrusively attract the visitors' attention. The concept bases on a contextual analysis and illustrates how the visitors' position and body movements can be used to generate an adaptive silhouette that acts as a keyhole to an information landscape.