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Designing Multi-Modal Map-Based Interfaces for Disaster Management

Authors:
Volker Paelke
Karsten Nebe
Christian Geiger
Florian Klompmaker
Holger Fischer

Keywords: post-WIMP user interfaces; natural user interfaces; mapping; geo-visualization; multi-touch interaction; pen-based interaction; tangible interaction

Abstract:
The access to current and reliable maps and data is a critical factor in the management of disaster situations. Standard user interfaces are not well suited to provide this information to crisis managers. Especially in dynamic situations conventional cartographic displays and mouse based interaction techniques fail to address the need to review a situation rapidly and act on it as a team. The development of novel interaction techniques like multi-touch and tangible interaction in combination with large displays provides a promising base technology to provide crisis managers with an adequate overview of the situation and to share relevant information with other stakeholders in a collaborative setting. However, design expertise on the use of such techniques in interfaces for real-world applications is still very sparse. We are, therefore, conducting interdisciplinary research with a user and application centric focus to establish real-world requirements, to design new multi-modal mapping interfaces, and to validate them in disaster management applications. Initial results show that tangible and pen-based interaction are well suited to provide an intuitive and visible way to control who is changing data in a multi-user command and control interface.

Pages: 95 to 100

Copyright: Copyright (c) IARIA, 2012

Publication date: January 30, 2012

Published in: conference

ISSN: 2308-4138

ISBN: 978-1-61208-177-9

Location: Valencia, Spain

Dates: from January 30, 2012 to February 4, 2012