Technobothnian Pilot Environment for Future User Interface Innovations
The project enables the construction of a versatile and up-to-date pilot environment that also serves the needs of SMEs in the area. The University of Vaasa will develop state-of-the-art ICT skills in the project, the equipment base and related software, its user interface expertise, handle the organization of all operations, and collaborate tightly with companies.
The project employs various experts as a team whose task is to jointly develop and maintain operations also after the end of the project. In the future, the pilot environment will be able to provide research, innovation and piloting services for Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, and 3D-enabled user interfaces.
Concrete actions of the project include reviewing the existing devices and tools for user interface generation and assessment, planning and implementing the pilot environment to Technobothnia, planning and implementing related industry collaboration, organising four open user interface workshops with software tools enabling student and company interaction with real case studies, close collaboration with regional stakeholders as well as disseminating and communicating about results and opportunities of the pilot environment created.
The project will create a competence center through which regional actors are better equipped to utilise and develop new 3D user interfaces. In addition, student are more equipped for the challenges related to designing and evaluating future user interfaces in business and companies can utilize the infrastructure the evaluate their products and services. Company and student interaction on virtual and 3D interfaces creates more innovation potential and attraction regionally. Also cooperation possibilities of all regional higher education institutes increase and develop through course and thesis work as well as joint research and development projects the environment enables.
From university point of view the pilot environment gives an unique opportunity since it will be an open testing environment. The competence center also increases the University of Vaasa's possibilities to do top research on user- centered future user interfaces.
Name of the project: Technobothnia's Pilot Environment for Future User Interface Innovations
Project leader: Rebekah Rousi
Project schedule: 1.1.2020-31.5.2022
Funding from: European Regional Development Fund
Contact persons: Rebekah Rousi, Maria Raatikainen
Research group at the University of Vaasa: Digital Economy
Research partners: Alueen yritykset ja oppilaitokset
Project website: https://sites.uwasa.fi/vmeenvironment/