Current Projects - VIRG Group

2011-2013 Native gaze-contingent interfaces

Current interfaces and the widgets they contain are optimized for interaction via mouse and keyboard. This project is about the design and development of an interface that would optimize the interaction when only gaze is used to control computers. Funded by the Academy of Finland. Project leader: Oleg Spakov.

2009-2011 DAMMOC

The Data mining tools for changing modalities of communication (DAMMOC) project is based on intensive collaboration in the multidisciplinary consortium. The project is led by Professor Heikki Mannila from Helsinki Institute of Information Technology. The third partner in the consortium is the Varieng Centre of Excellence, led by Professor Terttu Nevalainen from the University of Helsinki. The role of TAUCHI is to develop suitable visualizations and tools for interacting with the visualizations.

2004-2009 (& current) COGAIN

The COGAIN network gathers European researchers, developers and specialists for the benefit of users with disabilities. By combining forces, we aim to develop new gaze-based systems that not only enable independent communication but also make life easier and more fun. The EC funded project ended in 2009 but the network continues in the form of an association. www.cogain.org
 

Print Interpreting: Process, Comprehension, and Technology

This project is funded by the Academy of Finland in the MOTIVE Research Programme (Ubiquitous computing and diversity of communication). The aim of the project is to study the real-time transmission between two communication modes, speech and writing in human interaction with a method called "print interpreting". It means translation of spoken language and accompanying significant audible information into written text simultaneously with the talk. The text is typed on a computer and displayed on a screen where the letter-by-letter emerging text is visible. Print interpreting is needed as a communication aid for people with hearing disability to give them access to the speech.
The objectives of the study are 1) to investigate the process of print interpreting; 2) the comprehensibility of the interpretation; and 3) to develop new technology and methods for analyzing and supporting print interpreting. TAUCHI focuses on the third objective. For analysis we use eye tracking to study how different ways of presenting the textual interpretation are perceived. Based on the results the goal is to develop a new tool that helps the interpreters in producing text in a more easily perceived form. The joint project is led by Professor Liisa Tiittula from the School of Modern Languages and Translation Studies at the University of Tampere.

Past projects - VIRG Group

2009-2010 Prima

PRIMA (Privacy in the Making) was funded by Nordunet3. The project seeks to study directions for symbiotic technical and regulatory mechanisms for supporting ICT related privacy. The work at TAUCHI focused on concrete technological and regulatory privacy mechanisms in the context of future ICT.
We carried out a subproject on "Awareness of People and Discussions While Protecting Privacy". The system was developed and evaluated which uses speech and eye gaze as input signals. It aims at providing ambient information of the pulse and themes of meetings so that they can be sensed remotely, without compromising the privacy of the meeting participants.