Wearable computer interaction issues in mediated human to human communication

This thesis explores the use of wearable computers as mediators for human to human communication. The user of a wearable computer can deliver live video, audio and commentary from a remote location, allowing local participants to experience it and interact with people on the other side. In this way, knowledge and information can be shared over a distance, passing through the owner of the wearable computer who acts as a mediator. One of the main problems of today is that the virtual world offered by wearable computers can become too immersive, thereby distancing its user from interactions in the real world. At the same time, the very same immersion serves to let the user sense the remote participants as being there, accompanying and communicating through the virtual world. The key here is to get the proper balance between the real and the virtual worlds; remote participants should be able to experience a distant location through the user, while the user should similarly experience their company in the virtual world.<p>Godkänd; 2004; 20060917 (ysko)