The European research taskforce creating human-machine interfaces SIMILAR to human-human communication

MACQ, Benoit (Professor)
Tel: +32-10472271
Fax: +32-10472089

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE DUBLIN, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND, DUBLIN, IRELAND
Participant Organization: ST. PETERSBURG INSTITUTE FOR INFORMATICS AND AUTOMATION OF THE RUSSIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCE, RUSSIAN FEDERATION
Participant Organization: FACULTE POLYTECHNIQUE DE MONS, BELGIUM
Participant Organization: UNIVERSIDAD DE LAS PALMAS DE GRAN CANARIA, SPAIN
Participant Organization: BOGAZICI UNIVERSITESI, TURKEY
Participant Organization: MULTITEL, BELGIUM
Participant Organization: CENTRE FOR RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY HELLAS, GREECE
Participant Organization: OTTO-VON-GUERICKE-UNIVERSITAET MAGDEBURG, GERMANY
Participant Organization: SYDDANSK UNIVERSITET, DENMARK
Participant Organization: UNIVERSITY OF CRETE, GREECE
Participant Organization: INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE-DEZVOLTARE IN INFORMATICA - ICI BUCURESTI RA, ROMANIA
Participant Organization: FRANCE TELECOM, FRANCE
Participant Organization: CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE,  FRANCE
Participant Organization: INSTITUT NATIONAL POLYTECHNIQUE DE GRENOBLE, FRANCE
Participant Organization: INSTITUT NATIONAL DE RECHERCHE EN INFORMATIQUE ET EN AUTOMATIQUE,  FRANCE
Participant Organization: UNIVERSITAT POLITECNICA DE CATALUNYA, SPAIN
Participant Organization: UNIVERSIDAD POLITECNICA DE MADRID, SPAIN
Participant Organization: UNIVERSIDAD DE VALLADOLID, SPAIN
Participant Organization: LINKOEPINGS UNIVERSITET, SWEDEN
TAMPEREEN TEKNILLINEN YLIOPISTO, FINLAND
UNIVERSITE DE GENEVE, SWITZERLAND
UNIVERSITE JOSEPH FOURIER GRENOBLE 1, FRANCE
IMPERIAL COLLEGE OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND MEDICINE, UNITED KINGDOM
ZENTRUM FUER GRAPHISCHE DATENVERARBEITUNG E.V., GERMANY
FRAUNHOFER GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FOERDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V, GERMANY
INSTITUT EURECOM, FRANCE
CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHE, ITALY
ECOLE POLYTECHNIQUE FEDERALE DE LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND
ECOLE SUPERIEURE POLYTECHNIQUE, SENEGAL
KOC UNIVERSITY, TURKEY
ARISTOTLE UNIVERSITY OF THESSALONIKI, GREECE

UNIVERSITE CATHOLIQUE DE LOUVAIN
Laboratoire de télécommunications et de télédétection
Place du Levant, 2
1348   Louvain-la-Neuve
BELGIUM

SIMILAR will create an integrated task force on multimodal interfaces that respond efficiently to speech, gestures, vision, haptics and direct brain connections by merging into a single research group excellent European laboratories in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and Signal Processing.
- SIMILAR will develop a common theoretical framework for fusion and fission of multimodal information using the most advanced Signal Processing tools constrained by Human Computer Interaction rules;
- SIMILAR will develop a network of usability test facilities and establish an assessment methodology;
- SIMILAR will develop a common distributed software platform available for researchers and the public at large through www.openinterface.org;
- SIMILAR will establish a scientific foundation which will manage an International Journal, Special Sessions in existing conferences, organise summer schools, interact with key European industrial partners and promote new research activities at the European level;
- SIMILAR will address a series of great challenges in the field of edutainment, interfaces for disabled people and interfaces for medical applications. Natural immersive interfaces for education purposes and interfaces for environments where the user is unable to use his hands and a keyboard (like Surgical Operation Rooms, or cars) will be dealt with a stronger focus.