STIMULATE: Human-Computer Communication and Collaboration

拟议的研究旨在为人机交互的新范式提供科学和技术基础，这种范式能够原则性地设计支持多模式对话的界面。之前的研究支持这一努力的两个方面：为自动化图形设计构建新颖的协作界面的研究，以及显式协作理论的发展。拟议的研究解决了先前研究中缺失的一个关键要素，即理解如何将理论与实践相结合，从而使对协作活动的理论理解能够以原则性的方式指导具体软件界面的设计。这项研究包括三项活动：协作一般理论的专门化，以提供协作界面设计的框架；将该理论应用于人机界面设计，从而产生一套设计原则，使系统设计者能够构建在多种模式下良好通信的软件元素；以及在一系列领域中实现特定的协作界面。拟议的研究将有助于通信的基础研究，有助于开发协作式人机界面系统，并有助于培训本科生、研究生和博士后研究员从事多模式通信工作。

The proposed research aims to provide the scientific and technological base for a new paradigm for human-computer interaction, one that enables the principled design of multi- modal dialogue-supporting interfaces. Two strands of previous research support this effort: research towards building novel, collaborative interfaces for automated graphic design and the development of explicit theories of collaboration. The proposed research addresses a key missing element of prior research, an understanding of how theory can be integrated with practice, so that a theoretical understanding of collaborative activity can inform in a principled manner the design of concrete software interfaces. The research comprises three activities: specialization of the general theory of collaboration to provide a framework for the design of collaborative interfaces; application of the theory to human-computer interface design leading to a set of design principles enabling system designers to construct software elements that communicate well in multiple modalities; and implementation of specific collaborative interfaces in a range of domains. The proposed research will contribute to fundamental research in communication, to the development of collaborative human-computer interface systems, and to training of undergraduates, graduate students, and post- doctoral fellows for work in multi-modal communication.