Splash! Identifying the Grand Challenges for WaterHCI

A CHI 2022 Workshop

Bodies of water can be a hostile environment for both humans and technology, yet they are increasingly becoming sources, sites and media of interaction across a range of academic and practical disciplines. Despite the increasing number of interactive systems that can be used in-, on-, and underwater, there does not seem to be a coherent approach or understanding of how HCI can or should engage with water.

This workshop will explicitly address the challenges of designing interactive aquatic systems with the aim of articulating the grand challenges for WaterHCI. We will first map user experiences around water, based on participants’ personal experiences with water and interactive technology. Building on those experiences, we then discuss specific challenges when designing interactive aquatic experiences. This includes considerations such as safety, accessibility, the environment and well-being. In doing so, participants will help shape future work in WaterHCI.

This workshop will be held virtually online as part of the CHI 2022 conference being held on April 13th, 2022 1 pm – 7 pm Atlantic Standard Time (AST). We aim to bring together and build a research community around the topic of WaterHCI around the specific goal of articulating and then publishing a paper on the “grand challenges” for WaterHCI. 

We appeal to enthusiasts and experts in WaterHCI as well as those who are simply curious about the coming together of interactive technology and water activities.

POSITION PAPER SUBMISSION

To apply to the workshop, submit your position using the Google form.

Your submission will include your aquatic background, your personal experiences with the interaction between water and technology and the identification of water-based systems that you have worked on or are aware of in industry or research. 

Your submission will also require you to upload images that represent or illustrate your positive and/or negative experiences with water. 

The submission deadline is February 20th 2022 end of day AOE

New deadline!

Submission: March 4th, 2022 end of day AOE

Acceptance notification: March 11th, 2022

Responses will be reviewed by the workshop organizers, and selected for inclusion based on the potential to engender discussion while aiming for a balance of different perspectives.

All participants must register for CHI’22 for the workshop. CLICK HERE to register.

  • Early bird registration: March 21st, 2022
  • Regular registration: March  22nd – April 29th, 2022
  • Late registration: April 30th, 2022 and after

More information: waterhci.exertiongameslab.org

Organisers

Christal Clashing, Exertion Games Lab, Department of Human-Centred Computing, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia

Maria Fernanda Montoya Vega, Exertion Games Lab, Department of Human-Centred Computing, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia

Ian Smith, HCI Lab, University of New Brunswick, Canada

Joe Marshall, University of Nottingham, United Kingdom

Leif Oppermann, Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Information Technology FIT, Germany

Paul H. Dietz, Dynamic Graphic Project, University of Toronto, Canada

Mark Blythe, Northumbria School of Design, Northumbria University, United Kingdom

Scott Bateman, HCI Lab, University of New Brunswick, Canada

Sarah Jane Pell, Exertion Games Lab, Department of Human-Centred Computing, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia

Swamy Ananthanarayan, Department of Human-Centred, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia

Florian ’Floyd’ Mueller, Exertion Games Lab, Department of Human-Centred Computing, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia