We are interested in developing new interface evaluation techniques for embedded computers and other non-desktop interfaces. For this project, we will build and deploy a public "ambient display," described below, that displays the health of a city. Ambient displays are ubiquitous computing devices that give a continuous stream of information in a peripheral, non-obtrusive way. Ambient displays are particularly good at monitoring the status of a complex system, but can be anything that gives us information about the world that we do not need to directly attend to.

In this project, we will design a public ambient display to be put in a busy plaza, public transportation center, or public building such as a library that shows the "health of the city" as characterized by various statistics, possibly including:

• Air quality/pollution levels
• Commuting statistics/traffic conditions
• Pollen count
• Crime rates
• Hostility in the immediate area
• News stories
• Car crashes
• Community Service
• Protests and fairs
• Sickness and cancer rates
• Exercise
• Cash flow (purchasing, housing prices)

We will start our research with a design inquiry into which of the above statistics best characterize the "health" of a city, the location the display would be most effective, and what form(s) the display should take. We will be responsible for coordinating design efforts and implementing the user evaluations.