In this project, we draw on both field and laboratory work exploring interpersonal attention, and are designing novel technologies that exploit people’s innate attention-related behavior. In particular, the project has two key components: 1) the development of OpenMessenger (OM), a novel instant messaging client that supports more fluid and natural conversations by allowing for multiple levels of attention and rendering explicit the attention of others; 2) the development of automated systems for camera control in videoconferencing and video-mediated “remote help” scenarios (e.g., remote surgery, repair consulting, etc.).

Given the widespread availability of network and communication technologies, work and social organizations are increasingly comprised of members who are not in the same physical location. In order to be successful, however, these “virtual” teams and organizations require technologies that enable members to work and communicate effectively and efficiently. While current technologies such as instant messaging, videoconferencing and email are often good for single modes of engagement (i.e., a meeting), they are not geared toward supporting the frequent and fluid transitions between conversations that occur in face-to-face environments. The result is a plague of unwanted and poorly timed interruptions that can impact productivity, work satisfaction and the quality of social relationships. We need technologies that enable people not just to interact, but to do so appropriately and in ways that account for the subtle behaviors that are common in face-to-face interaction. This will improve the experience of people who already work in “virtual” settings, and enable more people–particularly those who are currently in rural or remote areas-to interact and work together online.

We have so far conducted and plan to conduct additional work in three streams:
Field Work – To better understand interpersonal attention in face-to-face environments, we are conducting a series of field studies investigating how interpersonal interactions begin and interruptions are coordinated in a variety of environments. We have conducted and published results from one qualitative study of four open plan offices. Results suggest that shared notions of “attentional legitimacy” help govern group behavior in these environments, and that interactions are characterized by a process of “gradual engagement” in which the start of a conversation is subtly timed and negotiated.
Open Messenger – We have developed two versions of the OpenMessenger system, which is a novel instant messaging client for distributed workgroups. Unlike conventional instant messaging clients, OpenMessenger provides multiple levels of information about what others are doing (i.e., to discern their availability) and provides subtle cues when others are “looking at” the user. We are in the process of evaluating the current version, and are also developing a new version that will incorporate additional attention cues from outside the user’s PC including, eventually, data from a mobile eye tracker system.
Camera Control – We have developed a novel camera control system for “remote repair” tasks (i.e., where a remote expert consults on the repair or construction of a local object) that is based on data from a motion capture system. This system substantially improved performance of a laboratory task, and we plan to further refine this system as well as replicate its functionality with less sophisticated motion capture equipment.

While this research is nascent and has not yet led directly to measurable improvements outside the laboratory, it does stand to have several potential impacts:
- Our automated camera control system boosted performance time in a laboratory “remote repair” task by approximately thirty percent. Future systems based on the principles we identify could help to improve health care in rural areas, and more generally improve experts’ ability to consult on a range of tasks;
- Improved technologies to support more natural interpersonal interactions and awareness will enable people in rural communities to participate more fully in a range of activities, and thereby reduce social isolation;
- Improved interpersonal awareness technologies will also lead to more natural interaction in distributed workgroups, thereby reducing frustration with and productivity lost due to frequent interruptions.