Transforming Ultra-Portable Devices into Information-Rich Appliances

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I envision ultra-portable devices, current smartphones and near-future wearable displays as information-rich appliances: small footprint devices that facilitate effective user interaction with large volumes of data. As access to information in varied contexts continues to grow, we have witnessed a significant need for advanced user interfaces for searching and browsing digital content on portable mobile devices. However, end-user interfaces for presenting search information on mobiles vary little from those on desktops. Such interfaces need to be particularly efficient as users often interact with mobile content in short activity bursts. Novel mobile user interfaces and interaction paradigms are necessary to facilitate efficient information search, particularly as users' needs, mobile contexts and data size grow relentlessly. To realize my vision, the proposed program focuses on developing novel solutions to address the challenges resulting from the limited display sizes and input mechanisms for browsing and searching for information in mobile contexts. My approach is multi-faceted and includes observing and characterizing user search behaviors with current mobile interfaces, the design of techniques to visually compress information in intelligible ways and solutions to extend the input and output capabilities of mobile devices. I further explore information search interfaces for emerging mobile contexts, such as for sharing information among users in ad-hoc collaborative settings. The rapid growth of technologies in the mobile industry has created a significant need for tools to more efficiently access information. Novel interfaces and interaction paradigms are necessary to complement the rapid improvements in processing, graphics and communication capabilities of mobile devices. End-user interfaces will likely constitute the keystone for accessing information on mobiles as we become more reliant on such devices to augment our cognitive abilities. The proposed program is poised to introduce a shift in how device manufactures and mobile application developers perceive the next-generation of ultra-portable devices, an impact that can affect and transform the lives of many.