CultureLab Newcastle

Culture Lab Newcastle

Jon Hook (Research Associate)

Jon is a research associate working with Patrick Olivier and Paul Watson on the DTI funded Vidipedia project.

He is also undertaking a PhD with Patrick Olivier and Bob Fields (Middlesex University) on the use of tangible interaction in tabletop interfaces. Tabletop interfaces are inspired by the observation that when group work is to be completed, the obvious choice of location is around a table. Tables provide a platform for sharing information, a base for work to be completed and most importantly a central focus for discussion. As most group interaction in the workplace is carried out around tables they are a very familiar and thus natural place to situate a user interface.

Jon’s aim is to combine the social affordances of the tabletop with the intuitive characteristics of tangible user interfaces, interfaces in which users manipulate digital information through the manipulation of the physical environment (i.e. objects on the table).