EdFest 2005

One of the major challenges of mobile data management is how to support interaction for users on the move. Most research projects focus on small mobile devices such as phones and PDAs and yet it is accepted that these are less than ideal for information systems of any complexity.

The focus of EdFest 2005 was to investigate the use of interactive paper documents coupled with speech output for access to Fringe Festival information. Users were supplied with a digital pen, an earpiece and a set of interactive paper documents that included an event brochure, a map and a bookmark. The three documents were designed to serve some useful purpose without access to the digital system and could be used independently of each other, although some advanced services such as ticket reservations involved more than one document. Results are delivered to the user via a text-to-speech engine. The user can also use the digital pen to capture their hand-written comments on events.

The EdFest 2005 system was tested in Edinburgh during the week of 15-19 August 2005. In addition to carrying out user studies with tourists, the Fringe organisers kindly offered us space in their e-ticket village on Princes Street to demonstrate the system.

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