Next Generation Instant Messaging: Communication, Coordination, and Privacy for Mobile, Multimodal, and Location-Aware Devices

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This project seeks to answer several basic questions about developing next-generation instant messaging in a manner that is robust, privacy-sensitive, and easy for people to appropriate into their lives. Three technological trends are providing a remarkable opportunity for extending and reconceptualizing instant messaging. By combining (1) mobile devices with (2) multimodal communication and (3) location technologies, next-generation instant messaging (NGIM) can provide richer communication and better coordination, for more kinds of people, in a wider range of situations, than is possible today. For example, using NGIM, one person can easily share real-time location information with another, who could then draw on top of a map that shows both their locations as they move, making it easier to micro-coordinate. Thus, one thrust of this research is to design, implement, and evaluate a range of novel interaction techniques for facilitating communication and coordination, as well as developing the technological substrates for supporting these interactions.However, a problem inherent to instant messaging, and especially with location technologies, is the issue of privacy. Privacy is perhaps the greatest barrier to the long-term success of these kinds of ubiquitous computing services. One can imagine numerous scenarios where information about one's location or availability is abused, for example between employers and employees, between overzealous parents and independent-minded teens, and between governments concerned with safety and citizens concerned about civil rights. Thus, another thrust of this research is to design, implement, and evaluate both system architectures and user interfaces that will maximize the real benefit of next-generation instant messaging, while minimizing foreseeable potential risks and tensions. The results from this line of research will influence system architectures and user interfaces for location-enhanced applications (and the devices they are on), helping to make them more useful, usable, and privacy-sensitive. They could also help catalyze and drive adoption of location-enhanced services, a promising area with a great amount of potential. This work also looks at how to help dual-career families where both parents work, facilitate communication and coordination within families about such important issues as child care. The project will also contribute to the mentoring of undergraduate and graduate students.